Before you permanently move to the US

[Holly2234 66]

I haven't been to the job centre in years, I'm sorry you have to do that! Unfortunately there are a lot of people who don't have the desire to work, they don't know how lucky they are to have that option! Maybe we should subject them to American welfare rules, see how they like that.

One of my friends back home made an innocent comment that he was upset with the government, he's annoyed that they want to change maternity leave to only 4 months. In his defense, that is a big deal if you are used to 6 months. I told him women here get 6 weeks off work, and they are lucky if their partners can get a week off! He didn't know what to say to that. I would have said the same if I hadn't have moved to America, I'm so glad I did it.

Only 4 months... I went back to work after 3 weeks. I wasnt entitled to any maternity pay because i didnt go into that job until i was already a few weeks pregnant so i had to return. 6 weeks would have been nice! My boss was one of the less desirable types though and was giving all of the shifts to other people and telling me there werent any when i came back after the birth, yet the work places were telling me they were understaffed and why wasnt i there! There wasnt a lot i could do in the way of proving it because it was an agency. He took £50 from my wages one week to pay for a CRB without my permission and all hell broke loose and he point blank refused to give me shifts because i told him he broke the law End of my job right there. Unfortunately its hard to get a job at the moment as it is, without a reference its worse! I went to college instead so i didnt switch off completely

So many women take a year off for maternity leave, take all of the pay and then quit their jobs because they think a year isnt enough.

[Captain Oates 910]

Here is true story - first hand and not hearsay:

In 1995 I went into the job center in Guiseley West Yorks and joined the line to sign on

In front of me were two individuals of South Asian appearance

I was standing with 3 feet of them as they sat down for interview and heard everything

The second man explained that the first man was the claimant and he had come along as interpreter for his friend

He explained that his friend had just arrived on the plane from Hong Kong and wanted to sign on as he had no money

The officer asked if he had papers to live in the UK - answer was yes but he didn't have the papers with him

The officer said "thats ok"

The officer said a check for social security would be sent to his address

Then I sat down. I said I had been employed by a company for 14 years and had been fired along with the rest of the employees as the job had moved to Holland.

The Officer said I had received compensation so I should come back when that ran out

The guy who had arrived in England 12 hours earlier and spoke no English, walked out smiling.

I wasn't smiling

This new legislation is against that background, but it is targeted in an amateurish fashion

[rocks 494]

Only 4 months... I went back to work after 3 weeks. I wasnt entitled to any maternity pay because i didnt go into that job until i was already a few weeks pregnant so i had to return. 6 weeks would have been nice! My boss was one of the less desirable types though and was giving all of the shifts to other people and telling me there werent any when i came back after the birth, yet the work places were telling me they were understaffed and why wasnt i there! There wasnt a lot i could do in the way of proving it because it was an agency. He took £50 from my wages one week to pay for a CRB without my permission and all hell broke loose and he point blank refused to give me shifts because i told him he broke the law End of my job right there. Unfortunately its hard to get a job at the moment as it is, without a reference its worse! I went to college instead so i didnt switch off completely

So many women take a year off for maternity leave, take all of the pay and then quit their jobs because they think a year isnt enough.

That's crazy! That sounds like something that would happen here. I hope college was a better experience for you and that you have better luck here in the US!

Our state is an at-will employment state, so some places will just fire you for another reason if you're pregnant. Even if you've been employed for a year before the pregnancy, which qualifies you for the 6 weeks without pay, it's impossible to prove so you just have to go with it.

Edited June 25, 2012 by rocks

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Here is true story - first hand and not hearsay:

In 1995 I went into the job center in Guiseley West Yorks and joined the line to sign on

In front of me were two individuals of South Asian appearance

I was standing with 3 feet of them as they sat down for interview and heard everything

The second man explained that the first man was the claimant and he had come along as interpreter for his friend

He explained that his friend had just arrived on the plane from Hong Kong and wanted to sign on as he had no money

The officer asked if he had papers to live in the UK - answer was yes but he didn't have the papers with him

The officer said "thats ok"

The officer said a check for social security would be sent to his address

Then I sat down. I said I had been employed by a company for 14 years and had been fired along with the rest of the employees as the job had moved to Holland.

The Officer said I had received compensation so I should come back when that ran out

The guy who had arrived in England 12 hours earlier and spoke no English, walked out smiling.

I wasn't smiling

This new legislation is against that background, but it is targeted in an amateurish fashion

Same policy though now as then. Punish the British citizen.

[Holly2234 66]

That's crazy! That sounds like something that would happen here. I hope college was a better experience for you and that you have better luck here in the US!

Our state is an at-will employment state, so some places will just fire you for another reason if you're pregnant. Even if you've been employed for a year before the pregnancy, which qualifies you for the 6 weeks without pay, it's impossible to prove so you just have to go with it.

I guess i can just be thankful for being able to spend time with my daughter while learning something new at college too. Im glad i went. Im hoping employment is better for me there. My husbands aunt has two businesses which they said they can find me a few hours work in so if that works out that'll be great

[TracyTN 237]

We have never considered moving back, but it makes me angry that if we wanted or needed to, it'd be damn near impossible now. Punish the British citizen is right!

Thank goodness my daughter is a half Brit so she can skip that ####### if she ever wants to move back (on her own anyway).

[Captain Oates 910]

We have never considered moving back, but it makes me angry that if we wanted or needed to, it'd be damn near impossible now. Punish the British citizen is right!

Thank goodness my daughter is a half Brit so she can skip that ####### if she ever wants to move back (on her own anyway).

I have always regarded that red passport as the difference between life and death or at least economic ruin if we ever encounter a serious health problem and the health insurance rats on us.

I was listening to woman on telly who lifted a weight and had chest pains and went for a check up. She had no insurance for her 2 hour visit to the hospital, and she was expecting a bill of around one thousand dollars.

She was billed FOURTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS for 2 hours of tests. She will be paying it off for many years.

Similarly, If my wife lost her job at say 55 years of age, we would have 10 years with no health care. It would cost well into 6 figures to buy it for 10 years and even then they might not pay up.

The chance to escape to the UK if health problems arise is very valuable. I was paying $55kpa tax in 1995 so they owe me.

Edited June 25, 2012 by Ashud Cocoa

[TracyTN 237]

I hear you, and at least that is an option for my husband and daughter. Just not me, sadly...!

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

I have always regarded that red passport as the difference between life and death or at least economic ruin if we ever encounter a serious health problem and the health insurance rats on us.

I was listening to woman on telly who lifted a weight and had chest pains and went for a check up. She had no insurance for her 2 hour visit to the hospital, and she was expecting a bill of around one thousand dollars.

She was billed FOURTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS for 2 hours of tests. She will be paying it off for many years.

Similarly, If my wife lost her job at say 55 years of age, we would have 10 years with no health care. It would cost well into 6 figures to buy it for 10 years and even then they might not pay up.

The chance to escape to the UK if health problems arise is very valuable. I was paying $55kpa tax in 1995 so they owe me.

Some of the new rules we haven't talked about include new stipulations against bringing an aging parent to the UK. When I read that portion, it wasn't hard to understand the underlying language against plain old British pensioners.

One of the favorite rants of supporters of the new rules is how immigrants drain the NHS. Someone on BritishExpats put that down by asking the propenent if he was dead, because unless he was, everytime he bought $hit, he contributed to the NHS through general taxation. Theresa May even brought up NHS drain when she put her motion on the table in Parliament on Tuesday night.

I love how Parliament talks out both sides of their mouth. Anyone bringing a foreign spouse to the UK is subject to a nationwide income threshold; but public sector workers should accept regional pay.

Sunday I read in the Beeb about Cameron wishing to cut housing benefit to anyone under the age of 25. I also read this morning how the new welfare manifesto he is working on is from the Conservative standpoint rather than a Coalition standpoint. Such sabre rattling and all just days after the House of Commons qualified Article 8.

I tell you - the British public should watch these people. Real closely.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

I hear you, and at least that is an option for my husband and daughter. Just not me, sadly...!

Not for her either if she wants to take an American husband "home".

[Captain Oates 910]

Some of the new rules we haven't talked about include new stipulations against bringing an aging parent to the UK. When I read that portion, it wasn't hard to understand the underlying language against plain old British pensioners.

One of the favorite rants of supporters of the new rules is how immigrants drain the NHS. Someone on BritishExpats put that down by asking the propenent if he was dead, because unless he was, everytime he bought $hit, he contributed to the NHS through general taxation. Theresa May even brought up NHS drain when she put her motion on the table in Parliament on Tuesday night.

I love how Parliament talks out both sides of their mouth. Anyone bringing a foreign spouse to the UK is subject to a nationwide income threshold; but public sector workers should accept regional pay.

Sunday I read in the Beeb about Cameron wishing to cut housing benefit to anyone under the age of 25. I also read this morning how the new welfare manifesto he is working on is from the Conservative standpoint rather than a Coalition standpoint. Such sabre rattling and all just days after the House of Commons qualified Article 8.

I tell you - the British public should watch these people. Real closely.

The nhs is like state pensions in that it is unfunded and relies on a 'social contract' between people who are sick and those who are not sick (yet)

It is therefore based on trust and a moral principle

The present government does not believe in 'society' and co-operation because helping each other is too near 'socialism'

I recommend the book 'In place of fear' (published 1952) by Aneurin Bevan who set up the NHS. All the principles are discussed including treating foreigners without cost as it is cheaper so to do (and more moral)

That is totally unthinkable in the US which is Thatcherite and then some (even under "the most liberal president ever") - but the UK will squander it's glorious heritage (the NHS), if voucherism and exclusions and selfishness is propagated as it was in the Thatcher the milk-snatcher days.

Blocking spouses from the USA/Canada/Australia/NZ and many other developed nations, just in order to TRY and lessen Pakistani/Bangladeshi immigration (it wont), is incredibly stupid and is callous 'collateral damage'.

WE have the means to get round it (in its present form at least), but the whole point of being British is to be fair minded and moderate, and if the Brits lose that, there will be no point in returning anyway as it would be wall-to-wall Rush Limbaugh types living in gated communities and fighting over the crumbs with the Pakistanis who's continuing immigration will continue unabated

[TracyTN 237]

Not for her either if she wants to take an American husband "home".

Oh yeah - I was talking just about her getting medical care in that instance. Or she could go live there solo. If she wants to take a US husband there to live - forget it!

[TracyTN 237]

Blocking spouses from the USA/Canada/Australia/NZ and many other developed nations, just in order to TRY and lessen Pakistani/Bangladeshi immigration (it wont), is incredibly stupid and is callous 'collateral damage'.

Exactly! If they're suddenly now trying to fix their 'immigration problem', non UK spouses of UK citizens is a poor place to start. But then again, depends on who they're really trying to 'play' to.

[Captain Oates 910]

Reply from my MP >>>

Dear Alan,

Thank you for your e-mail and for your comments and suggestions. I’m sympathetic to a lot of what you say and I’m sorry that you have found yourselves in this predicament.

Following a consultation the Government is announcing changes to the rules governing family migration. The Government is proposing to:

• Increase the income threshold for those wishing to bring a spouse/partner to live with them in the UK from £13,700 to £18,60;

• Extend the probationary period by which a non EEC partner or spouse can apply for settlement from 2 – 5 year;

• Introduce criteria by which UKBA caseworkers can test and ensure that relationships are genuine and not sham or forced marriages;

• A “Life in the UK Test” for applicants to prove understanding of the English language and knowledge of life in the UK;

• Adult dependent relatives will only be able to settle in compassionate circumstances and will be limited to immediate family (mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children); and to

• Restrict the right of appeal for family visitors.

The Restriction the right of appeal for family visitors has been considered as it is cheaper and quicker for candidates to re-submit their application instead. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) recommended an income threshold between £18,600 and £25,700, the Government has adopted the very bottom range of these suggestions (£18,600) and is the point at which a couple ceases to be eligible for income related benefits. Of course, an income threshold already exists and so this is not an entirely new measure.

The coalition Government must be firm but fair on immigration, so I welcome the income threshold that was eventually agreed. However, I completely understand your frustration on this issue and I would like to make it clear that this is a Conservative policy, not a Coalition policy. It seems that this policy reflects the broader Conservative pre-election pledge to cut all immigration by ‘tens of thousands rather than the hundreds of thousands’ and does not take into account individual circumstances that your case rightly highlights.

Please be assured that I will continue to raise the concerns that you have raised on this issue with the Government. Please don’t hesitate to contact me again if I can further assist you with this or any other matter.

Best wishes,

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Every foreign spouse that I have known in the UK, which includes Americans, Australians, Canadian HK Chinese, Singaporean, South African nationals and probably others I have forgotten have been productive, tax paying individuals who EARNED their right to avail themselves to the NHS.

How many of them have paid National Insurance towards state pensions that they will never qualify for if they choose to return to their home countries at some point, as many do? This is certainly the case for me. I bet Theresa May never thought that such thing could happen.