Want To Work In The UK As A Nurse Or Carer? Join Concept Care In Madrid 3-5 July 2014

Cynthia Barker writes...Concept Care Solutions, the London based medical recruitment specialists, will be back in Madrid this weekend - 3 - 5 October 2014 - accompanied by employers interviewing Nurses and Care Workers for UK job vacancies in the NHS.

In addition to meeting many great Spanish Nurses and Doctors, we want to reach out to the Filipino community in Spain. There are around many thousands of Pinoys in Spain, but most cannot practice their true professional and are forced to take low paid jobs as domestic helpers or private carers. 

In Spain it is very difficult for Filipinos to work as a nurse or doctor, as their Philippine Degrees or professional qualifications are not accepted without extensive retraining. I have spoken to large numbers of Filipino trained nurses and PT's struggling to make ends meet - not even receiving a regular salary, despite the fact that they are Spanish passport holders (see photo below).

I advised them that if they move to London, Concept has hundreds of job vacancies for Nurses, Live-in Carers, Doctors, OT's and Radiographers. As Spanish citizens they are free to work anywhere within the EU under free movement directives.

Concept Care, who do not charge any placement fees, help candidates with accommodation, NMC registration and offer free training.

On a recent trip to Barcelona, we were delighted that Honorary Consul General Jordi Roches who took time out of his busy schedule to visit our job stand in Barcelona  - pictured below with, from left to right, Charles Kelly, Marketing and Recruitment Manager, Cynthia Barker and Edith Fongho.

Later in Madrid, I took time out to pay my respect to the Philippine Embassy and to meet the Labor Attaché, Ma. Elvira  Ador (pictured below centre with Charles Kelly and Cynthia Barker).

If you are an EU passport holder living in Spain, Portugal or within the EEA and would like to work in the UK email me with your CV.

Home Office Restricts Non-EU Students Switching To Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visas

Cynthia Barker writes...Just back from a short break, so catching up today! Hold on to your passports, the UK Home Office has announced new measures to clamp down on Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visas, after checks revealed they were being used by Tier 4 students to switch visas under questionable motives. 

The Telegraph reports that the Home Office said the number of foreigners applying for the right to stay in this country under the entrepreneur scheme rose from 118 in 2009 to just under 10,000 last year, with two thirds of the applicants – more than 3,000 people – being granted a Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa. 

According to the report, organised crime gangs may have been involved in the visa scam. Immigration fraudsters charge applicants to temporarily lend the £50,000 required to demonstrate they had the capital to invest in business schemes.

A statement from the Home Office said that evidence from tax records showed that people on expiring Tier 4 student visas were transferring to entrepreneur status on the basis of setting up a business, when in reality they are working in low skilled jobs.

With the new clampdown, students will only be able to switch using funds from a government-approved source, and post-study workers will need additional evidence of their business activities.

In addition, those who have not yet started businesses and who do not have evidence of a genuine business will not be able to switch from the old post-study route onto an entrepreneur visa.

Immigration Adviser Cynthia Barker of Concept Care Solutions said the scheme has proved popular with students who often have no option but to start a business in order to remain in the UK.

“Over the last couple of years I have been approached by a number of students or post study work visa holders looking to start a business and switch to a Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa.

“The visa process was not as easy as the newspapers make out, as the Home Office asked a lot of questions about the business plan and we had to appeal for one applicant, despite being a genuinely good case.

“The government launched the scheme to attract people to start businesses and invest in the UK, which is what the scheme has achieved. Just because a student is currently in a low skilled job, it doesn't mean they cannot start a business – Richard Branson was a student when he started out in business!”

Recent Home Office statistics show that 24,641 non-EEA partner visas were issued to in 2013. This as a decrease of 6,847 (22%) from the 31,508 partner visas issued in 2012.

Home Office statistics show that, in the period from 1 November 2012 to 30 September 2013, 34 settlement visas were issued to an adult dependent relative under Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules.

The APPG on Migration published the final report in June of an inquiry into the impacts of the family migration rules, chaired by Baroness Hamwee. The inquiry received evidence from over 280 sources, which collectively suggested that a broad range of British citizens and permanent residents had been affected by the rules.

Source: Migrants Rights network and an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Migration, which met this month.

If you have been affected by changes or need advice on any immigration matter, including overstaying your visa, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 07850 307687 or 0208 731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is a qualified OISC Registered Immigration Adviser, with 15 years experience in immigration matters, with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Concept Care Recruiting Nurses At Barrio Fiesta Lampton Park

Cynthia Barker writes...Sorry, I've been offline for a few days whilst preparing for the Barrio Fiesta being held in Lampton Park, Hounslow. Concept Care Solutions has a stand at the Filipino event, so come along and visit our stand!

Concept Care has nursing and care jobs, free care courses, free apprenticeships and of course my own immigration advice. They are also recruiting international nurses for UK NHS jobs.

Today was a bit rainy but Sunday should be sunny and warm - perfect day for a picnic in Lampton Park with your friends and great entertainment.

I've met some interesting people today with various cases including: refusals, visas, spouse visas and European EEA partner - Filipina living in Cyprus who has a UK resident partner who just happens to have kept his Cyprus/EU passport!

It should be a great day, with food stalls, music and dance and fun for all the family.

If you need advice on any immigration matter, including overstaying your visa, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 07850 307687 or 0208 731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is a qualified OISC Registered Immigration Adviser, with 15 years experience in immigration matters, with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.
Concept Care Solutions will be at the Filipino Barrio Fiesta Hounslow 5 and 6 July 2014

Home Office Says LSBF Tier 4 Student Visa Suspension Justified

Cynthia Barker writes...Following my blog last week (Home Office Declares War On Private Colleges), the Home Office has dismissed accusations that it unfairly suspended the Tier 4 student visa sponsors licence of London School of Business & Finance, Education Investor reports.

LSBF, a large private college based in central London, was among of 57 private colleges stripped of their right to recruit new overseas students last week, following the latest Home Office crackdown colleges and some universities.

The management of LSBF says it was unfairly penalised for failing to prevent students working during their courses - a breach of immigration rules for most Tier 4 students studying at private colleges. It has begun an internal investigation and plans to hire PwC to fight their case.

The Home Office rejected the claims and a spokesperson said: "We have found extensive evidence of widespread cheating on English language tests by those studying at the London School of Business & Finance.

"We have suspended their licence because of numerous, broader failings in respect of their sponsorship duties," they said.

However, there is no suggestion that LSBF encouraged or turned a blind eye to falsified English language test results.

The firm points out that a majority of LSBF students identified as working during their studies were “directly sponsored by UK universities but studying with LSBF under franchise or similar arrangements”.

The college claims that the remainder had either been enrolled prior to the introduction of restrictions on foreign student work rights aimed only at private colleges, or had simply not worked while at the college.

If you have been affected or need advice on any immigration matter, including overstaying your visa, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 07850 307687 or 0208 731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is a qualified OISC Registered Immigration Adviser, with 15 years experience in immigration matters, with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Bhaktivedanti Manor, A Haven Of Peace And Tranquility, And Escape From Immigration Work!

Cynthia Barker writes...Working on urgent UK immigration Home Office cases again this weekend, but took some time out today to visit Bhaktivedanti Manor in and listen to the wonderful Borehamwood Community choir perform.

The house and grounds now known as Bhaktivedanti Manor was donated to the Hare Krishna movement by late Beatles member George Harrison in 1973. A beautiful commemorative George Harrison garden was opened last year by his former wife Olivia Harrison.

The manor and temple, located in Aldenham, Herts, is well worth a visit. The people are so warm and welcoming and create a special haven of peace and tranquility. I have been there many times and always leave feeling recharged and at peace.

The manor is part of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness or ISKON, which feeds millions of poor children in India every day.

Talking to some of the volunteers, who were serving home made vegetarian Samosas and Marsala tea to the guests (including the Mayor of Hertsmere, Mayor Pat Strack of Elstree and Borehamwood and Cllr Charles Kelly), I discovered that in their 'day jobs' they are mostly highly educated professionals working in medicine, law, banking or public relations.

The devotees and volunteers who run the temple are mostly of Indian origin, joined by a growing number of British followers, have retained a high work ethic typical among migrant families as well as a spiritual life. Looking at some of the cars parked in the manor car park - Mercedes, Range Rovers, Jags and even a Rolls Royce - it seems that the disciplines practiced in their religious lives don't do them any harm in their working lives!

If you need advice on any immigration matter, including overstaying your visa, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 07850 307687 or 0208 731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is a qualified OISC Registered Immigration Adviser, with 15 years experience in immigration matters, with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Cynthia Barker writes...Working on urgent UK immigration cases again this weekend, but took some time out today to visit Bhaktivedanti Manor in and listen to the wonderful Borehamwood Community choir perform.

The house and grounds now known as Bhaktivedanti Manor was donated to the Hare Krishna movement by late Beatles member George Harrison in 1973. A beautiful commemorative George Harrison garden was opened last year by his former wife Olivia Harrison.

The manor and temple, located in Aldenham, Herts, is well worth a visit. The people are so warm and welcoming and create a special haven of peace and tranquility. I have been there many times and always leave feeling recharged and at peace.

The manor is part of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness or ISKON, which feeds millions of poor children in India every day.

Talking to some of the volunteers, who were serving home made vegetarian Samosas and Marsala tea to the guests (including the Mayor of Hertsmere, Mayor Pat Strack of Elstree and Borehamwood and Cllr Charles Kelly), I discovered that in their 'day jobs' they are mostly highly educated professionals working in medicine, law, banking or public relations.

The devotees and volunteers who run the temple are mostly of Indian origin, joined by a growing number of British followers, have retained a high work ethic typical among migrant families as well as a spiritual life. Looking at some of the cars parked in the manor car park - Mercedes, Range Rovers, Jags and even a Rolls Royce - it seems that the disciplines practiced in their religious lives don't do them any harm in their working lives!

If you need advice on any immigration matter, including overstaying your visa, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 07850 307687 or 0208 731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is a qualified OISC Registered Immigration Adviser, with 15 years experience in immigration matters, with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

UK Needs Migrant Workers

Cynthia Barker writes...It's bank holiday weekend in the UK, so no work on Monday, even for a busy immigration adviser! Mind you, I have taken a few cases home to work on over the weekend!

The local election results in England on Thursday showed a rise in popularity for the United Kingdom Independence Party, UKIP. The party wants a freeze on UK immigration and withdrawal from the European Union, which would mean an end to free movement for millions of EU, EEA and UK citizens.

Whilst UKIP are extremely unlikely to win a general election, Prime Minister David Cameron has promised an in-out referendum on whether or not the UK stays in the EU.

ONS figures released last week show a 43,000 rise in EU immigration, including 23,000 from Romania and Bulgaria.

But with British employers such as the NHS desperately short of nurses, blocking immigration and leaving the EU will not help fill the 20,000 UK nurse job vacancies - not to mention many other medical jobs, catering, cleaning, domestic work, IT and so on...

The NHS are recruiting international nurses again by the way. They have created an LPP 'framework' or preferred suppliers list of 20 agencies to partner with - to keep out the sharks! Concept Care are on the list and are looking for qualified nurses - 2 years experience in hospitals - with NMC registration and IELTS 7.00 right now!

Britain would grind to a halt without the thousands of migrant workers, including those working in the UK illegally, who do the jobs the British workers do not want to do. Without immigrants, the hospitals would not have enough nurses and doctors to care for us, nursing homes would close, restaurants and cafes would run out out of chefs and waiters and the captains of industry would have nobody to run their domestic households.

If you need advice on any immigration matter, including overstaying your visa, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 07850 307687 or 0208 731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is a qualified OISC Registered Immigration Adviser, with 15 years experience in immigration matters, with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Foreign Criminal Wins Human Rights Appeal To Remain In UK Indefinitely As Immigration Judge Stops Deportation

Cynthia Barker writes...Yet another convicted foreign killer has successfully appealed to win the right to remain in the UK indefinitely on the basis that human rights under Article 8 would be breached if he was deported and separated from his extended family in Britain, Immigration Judges have ruled against the Home Office.

The Immigration Judges also granted the Somali man anonymity and he can only be identified by the initials MAI. The man had been sentenced to a five year stretch in Prison for manslaughter and also has a string of other violent criminal convictions.

At the Upper Tribunal last month, Immigration Judges ruled that MAI’s rights under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which preserves the right to "private and family life", would be breached if the Home Office deported him back to Somalia.

His immigration lawyers also claimed he would be attacked in his homeland by relatives of the man he killed, a further breach of human rights laws since his life would be in danger.

Doesn't the victim also have relatives here in the UK? And perhaps he should have thought about the dangers of revenge killing before he took his victims life?

Following a series of convictions including Home Secretary Theresa May attempted to deport MAI in August 2012 on the grounds that it would be “conducive to the public good” because of his violent history.

MAI appealed to the lower tier tribunal of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber, which overturned the Home Office deportation order on Article 8 grounds.

MAI said would be the target of a “blood feud” by the family of the FA, who he killed in Cardiff in 1997, who was a member of the Somali Habr Awal tribe.

The Home Office appealed against the lower tier tribunal’s judgment arguing the court had “attributed insufficient weight to the public interest” and that MAI was a “persistent offender”.

At the upper tribunal in April, Judge Nicholas Renton upheld the earlier ruling, blocking MAI deportation from the UK.

The ruling stated:

“The panel found that the appellant had a family life in the UK with his mother, his adult siblings, and his niece, nephew and cousins.

“The appellant also had a private life. The panel concluded that the interference with that family and private life as a consequence of the appellant’s deportation was not proportionate.

“In reaching that decision the panel found compelling and therefore exceptional factors in the appellant’s favour being the fact that excluding the time spent in prison, the appellant had lived in the UK for over 20 years.”

Home Office spokesman said they would appeal against the decision.

A Home Office spokesman said: “We firmly believe foreign nationals who break the law should be deported and we are appealing the tribunal’s decision.

“Under our Immigration Bill, those with no right to be here will not be able to prevent deportation simply by dragging out the appeals process.

“The Bill will reduce 17 rights of appeal to four, and give the full force of law to our policy that foreign criminals should be deported despite their claim to a family life.” 

Whilst this type of human rights judgment in not uncommon, in the case the man is unmarried and has no children. MAI, aged 38, claimed he should not be deported by the Home Office as it would breach his human rights to be separated from his mother, adult siblings, and other family.

I have seen Tier 4 students deported for overstaying their visas even though they had British parents and extended family in the UK. In some cases the students, often from Filipino families, were unwilling to appeal or fight their removal orders from the Home Office.

If you need advice on any immigration matter, including overstaying your visa, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 07850 307687 or 0208 731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is a qualified OISC Registered Immigration Adviser, with 15 years experience in immigration matters, with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Ethnic Minorities will make up 30% of UK population by 2050

Cynthia Barker writes...Good morning, I'm off to Trafalgar Square in central London to visit the Philippine Embassy! Always a pleasure to meet the dedicated staff who do so much to help the Filipino community in Britain.

I read today that that black and minority ethnic (BME) communities will make up to 30% of the UK's population by 2050, according to research by the Policy Exchange - A Portrait Of Modern Britain. 

The UK would not run without immigrants, who work extremely hard and also do many of the jobs the locals do not want to do -care work for instance.

Speaking of care, the BBC reports today that care agencies must ensure that care worker recruits speak English before placing them in vulnerable people's homes, a government adviser has warned.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 today, Dr Shereen Hussein, scientific adviser to the Department of Health, said that poor language skills could lead to bad care and abuse.

According to King's College London, 20% of carers are migrant workers, which in my experience is probably a conservative estimate - care homes and domiciliary care providers are run by migrant workers from countries such as The Philippines, Romania and Africa

Care minister Norman Lamb said communication skills would be required for the new Care Certificate which is being introduced to improve standards of professionalism in the care industry.

Care agencies, such as Concept Care Solutions and Dolphin Care cannot recruit enough workers to fill vacancies and are always advertising for staff. 

Right now they need health care assistants for NHS jobs paying up to £18 per hour, care workers for learning disability homes, RGN nurses and allied health professionals - email your CV to info@londonccs.com.

If you need advice on any immigration matter, including overstaying your visa, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 07850 307687 or 0208 731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is a qualified OISC Registered Immigration Adviser, with 15 years experience in immigration matters, with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Home Office Approves UK Visa for Jamaican Kidney Donor - eventually

Cynthia Barker writes...Good morning from a cloudy Monday in in London. The Home Office finally approved a UK visa application for Keiha Rusthton, the Jamaican Sister of Oliver Cameron, who is suffering from Kidney failure in Britain and will die unless he is matched with a Kidney Donor.

Oliver Cameron, from Stoke Newington in north-east London, has to undergo dialysis three times a day and has been off work for two years whilst awaiting a donor.

His sister is a perfect donor match, was refused a visa to travel to the UK from Jamaica to donate the organ because Home Office entry clearance officer (ECO) felt she would not return home or overstay her visa.

Following a blaze of publicity, the Home Office has since reversed the decision and Keiha has arrived in the UK.

She told BBC News that she has no intentions of overstaying her visa in the UK and has a life back in Jamaica where she has 7 children and a fiance.

British Embassy ECO's are always cautious about issuing visitor visas to applicants from poorer countries where there is little financial incentive to return home before their visa expires.

In this case, what if the donor, god forbid, developed complications and need further treatment? How would it look if the Home Office tried to deport her while she was sick and would die back home?

Whilst I'm sure she has no intentions of remaining in the UK any longer than her visa term, the Home Office has probably had past experience where similar cases have turned into appeals and human rights campaigns to remain in the UK. Many Tier 4 students have come in on temporary student visas and then stayed on in the UK after getting married or having a child, although that was not their original intention when they submitted their visa application.

If you need advice on any immigration matter, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 07850 307687 or 0208 731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is a qualified OISC Registered Immigration Adviser, with 15 years experience in immigration matters, with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Don't Give Up and Leave The UK, Appeal For Your Human Rights!

Cynthia Barker writes...another mad day, cases to finish and deadlines to meet before Home Office changes or fee hikes!

Following my recent story on domestic violence "Migrant Domestic Violence Victims Can Apply for Special Leave to Remain or UK Residence", I have received so many emails and calls from scared people that I wonder if it's just the tip of the iceberg.

When you think that convicted murderers and rapists are allowed to remain in the UK indefinitely just because they are gay or have a child, surely an innocent victim of physical abuse or mental torture should be allowed to stay by the Home Office or an immigration judge - assuming the case goes to an appeal tribunal.

So don't give up and leave the UK just like that...fight for your human rights!

If you need advice on any immigration matter, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 07850 307687 or 0208 731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is a qualified OISC Registered Immigration Adviser, with 15 years experience in immigration matters, with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Happy St Georges Day For The Patron Saint Of England Few People Know

Cynthia Barker writes...Today is St George's Day - the day to celebrate all things English, but you would hardly notice it in London.

I found this piece which you might find interesting.

St George's Day is the patron saint day of England yet many people do not even known its date.

A poll by think tank British Future last year found only 40% of people knew that St George's Day was on 23 April, compared to 71% who knew when America's Independence Day was.

Findings also showed more people know when Ireland's St Patrick's Day was, and that two thirds think 17 March is more widely celebrated in Britain than St George's Day.

An English Heritage survey has also found that just 19% of adults in England plan to celebrate St George's Day.

To mark St George's Day, IBTimes UK looks at some little known facts about St George and St George's Day.

George was from Eastern Turkey

St George was born to Christian parents in 270 AD in Cappadocia, which is now Eastern Turkey. He moved to Palestine and became a Roman soldier, but later resigned and protested against his pagen leader, Emperor Diocletian, who led the persecution of Christians in Rome.

His rebellion led him to be imprisoned and tortured, but he did not abandon his faith. He was eventually dragged through the streets and was beheaded on 23 April 303 AD.

George never slayed a dragon

Many stories about Saint George involve him slaying a dragon. However, this is highly unlikely as dragons with 50ft tails do not exist. Instead, the dragon is believed to have represented the devil or evil at the time.

The story about him slaying a dragon took place in Libya. Locals had been sacrificing maidens from the town to appease the dragon, who lived near the fresh water spring. The next sacrifice was due to be the princess Cleolinda, so George fought the dragon, slayed the beast and saved the princess. To show their gratitude, the people of Selene converted to Christianity.

George and England

George became patron saint of England in 1415 AD, over a thousand years after his death. His reputation had been growing among English soldiers over the centuries, with the first recorded reference coming in the seventh century from St Adomnán, the Abbot of Iona in Scotland.

As Crusaders returned to England they brought with them tales of St George and his reputation as a protector of soldiers grew. In 1099, a record from a church in Dorset tells of a "miracle appearance" where St George led the Crusaders into battle. Soldiers began wearing his signature – the red and white cross – on their chest and backs in the 12^th century.

St George's Day traditions

It used to be popular for people to mark St George's Day by wearing a red rose in their button hole to show the national flower on their national day. Other former traditions that rarely take place now include Morris Dancing and eating fish and chips.

St George: Saint of all sorts

As well as being the patron saint of England, other countries that celebrate St George's Day include: Canada, Croatia, Portugal, Cyprus, Greece, Georgia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Republic of Macedonia.

He is he patron saint of soldiers, archers, cavalry, chivalry, riders, saddlers, farmers and field workers and people with leprosy, the plague and syphilis. George is also the patron saint of Scouting as he "was typical of what a scout should be".

If you need any immigration advice or are worried about the new immigration rules or need help with Sponsorship or Tier 2, Tier 4, applying for university if your college has closed down, Visa, ILR, Settlement, Citizenship, Dependant Visa or an appeal against a UK Border Agency or British Embassy refusal, or if you have been waiting for a reply from the Home Office for longer than a year, please email: immigration@londonccs.com or visit www.conceptcaresolutions.com for free immigration news updates.

Happy Easter from Multi Cultural Britain

Cynthia Barker writes...Good morning from London!

Last working day of the week for most offices in the UK. Tomorrow is Good Friday, one of the most holy days in the Christian calender, and the start of the Easter weekend. Monday is also a public holiday in Britain so no work until Tuesday...yippee!

Did you know that the word holiday derives from Old English word hāligdæg - hālig (Holy) dæg (day) - or 'holy' day? Most of the public holidays in the UK and Europe are based on ancient religious celebrations, such as Christmas.

Migrants from Eastern European countries, like Romania, observe Easter in their own Orthodox Christian calender, and this is also the time of the 'Passover' celebrated in the Jewish faith.

Britain is now a multi-cultural country and there are many other non-Christian religious festivals held throughout the year, for instance: Diwali (Hindu, Jain, Sikh), Eid (Muslim), Nirvana (Buddhist), Swaminarayan Jayanti (Hindu), Vaisakhi (Sikh) to name but a few.

Millions of Britons also enjoy the festivities on Chinese New Year, St Patrick's Day and, of course, St Valentines Day!

The Migrants Rights Network in Britain are trying to build support ' International Migrants Day', normally observed on 18 December.

On the streets of big cities in the UK you will see Churches alongside Mosques, Synagogues and Hindu Temples.

Britain has on the whole been an extremely tolerant place for immigrants, who have been coming to the UK for hundreds of years. As I said in the book "How 2 Come to the UK to Live, Work, Study or Visit", most immigrants came here with 'nothing to declare' except their brains, talent and a burning ambition to succeed.

And do they succeed! You bet they do! Migrants and their descendants make up a disproportionate percentage of millionaires and even billionaires in the UK (when you take into account their percentage of the overall population).

The children of first generation migrant families do better on average than locally born students, despite the fact that English is not their first language.

Migrants not only bring their skills and labour to the UK, they also have the energy and drive to go the extra mile. This 'energy' also helped build America, Canada, Hong Kong and Australia, where millions of British immigrants helped play their part too. I salute them all!

Wherever you are, and whatever your beliefs, I wish you a very happy Easter, Passover or just a good weekend ahead!

If you need advice on any immigration matter, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 020 8731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is an OISC registered Immigration Adviser with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Unlike Other UK Migrants Football Managers Don't Have to Speak English

Cynthia Barker writes....good morning, just got back to the office from a breakfast networking meeting at the Laura Ashley Hotel in Elstree (not far from where Simon Cowell was brought up). Well, it's a very good morning for Chelsea fans who last night saw their football club reach the semi finals of the Champions league with a last minute goal against French side PSG.

Looking at Chelsea Football Club, made up largely of foreign players and their "special" manager, Portuguese born Jose Mourinho, it made wonder why so many clubs favour overseas players and managers over British born candidates.

There is no doubt that the British Premier League has benefited from the influx of talented - not to mention, fit - players and coaches, although some argue that the national England team (previous managed by two foreign managers) has suffered as a result of lack of English talent coming through the ranks.

But why are so many English clubs managed by overseas managers, when we have excellent British people to do the job? Is it because many clubs are now owned by billionaire foreign owners who simply pay the highest price to buy in overseas staff?

Ok, I'm no football expert, but you only have to watch post match interviews - zzzzzz- on BBC's 'Match of the Day' to see that hardly any clubs employ British managers anymore.

Arsenal, Fulham, Manchester City and Chelsea have not had an English manager for years. And Tottenham are rumored to be looking to replace Borehamwood born Tim Sherwood (who took over from their last foreign manager sacked a couple of months ago) with a Brazilian coach.

Some managers, such as Southampton's Argentinian born Mauricio Pochettino, can barely speak English and are interviewed with the aid of an interpreter!

The point I am making is you need an English language test to enter the UK as a foreign spouse, or on a student visa (even if you are coming here to learn English) or on work permit, or when you are applying for residency (indefinite leave to remain), but football clubs appear to be exempt from the Immigration Rules!

I should also point out that EU and EEA citizens have free movement within the European Union (apart from Croatia) and that English language ability does not apply.

Meanwhile, the NHS and care industry are facing acute staff shortages, with nursing agencies, such as Dolphin Care, unable to cope with demand for nurses and HCA's (Health Care Assistants).

The good news is NHS Trusts are once again starting to recruit qualified nurses from both the EU and countries such as the Philippines - so watch this space.

The fact is, the UK and especially London, could not run without overseas workers. Not just footballers on £200,000 a week, but nurses, doctors, IT workers and cleaners. My God, even Prime Minister David Cameron employs a foreign Nanny! So much for British jobs for British workers!  Ha ha! Get real politicians!

For advice on EU or UK immigration law, phone Cynthia Barker on 020 8731 5972 or email her your details and number – Immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is an OISC registered Immigration Adviser with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Deportations, overstaying students and the mystery of the Home Office website

Cynthia Barker writes...So sad to read about the death of Peaches Geldof yesterday, another tragedy for Sir Bob. My condolences and prayers go out to Peaches and her young family.

Last week, Mauritian student, Yashika Bageerathi, was deported  from the UK by the Home Office despite widespread protests and the fact she was about to take her A Level exams. So sad for her family who live here, however, she came here on a visitor visa and her subsequent asylum claim had been rejected.

What I don;t understand is why her parents brought her in on a tourist visa, when she was under 18, when she could have come in as a dependent or even on a student visa to study in the UK. Had she had proper immigration advice, she would have entered the UK under the correct visa and would most likely still be here.

Although in this case, the decision to remove the gifted student was technically correct, the fact is, the British government seems to put so much effort into deporting foreign students who are paying billions in course fees to study in the UK, not to mention taxes when they work in the UK.

Wow, busy day ahead! Full diary...another consultation for my team with n overstayer student who, thank God, happens to have an EEA partner.

So many overseas students have been branded as overstayers due to the fact that their student visas had expired during the time their applications for further leave to remain were being processed and later refused - in some cases after almost a year!

Talking about the Home Office, what have they done to the immigration website? Finding forms and guidance is now a nightmare!

For advice on EU or UK immigration law, phone Cynthia Barker on 020 8731 5972 or email her your details and number – Immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is an OISC registered Immigration Adviser with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.