Lord Howell: "nasty" impression of UK, people "in despair"

The encouragement for this series of blog posts is Lord Howell's timely and appropriate criticism of the immigration system as partially modified by the Tory/LibDem Coalition government.

The peer did not mince words, and neither does the report by the committee he chairs: 

"we call on the Government to present and communicate their visa and immigration policies with a level of balance and in a tone that do not discourage those who would add to the UK's prosperity from coming to the UK and supporting its businesses and trade. We do not believe that this is always the case at present"

"we feel that there is a real risk that anti-immigration rhetoric will lead immigrant communities in the UK to feel less welcome and less a part of the UK, with injurious consequences for the unity of the nation."

Favouring "Top Businesspeople"

The BBC story presents this as proof that something is being done: Home Secretary Theresa May has announced an invitation-only, fast-track visa service for top businesspeople.

At the risk of sounding cynical, this probably means Russian oligarchs and others who shuttle their money through London's financial markets.  Who else can identify invitees except those who have access to their financial dealings?  What a banker-friendly government forgets that these people rarely make the UK their home, pay very little taxes and park their assets in offshore havens.

Where the UK is losing out is on attracting the innovators and entrepreneurs who add real business value, enhance the skills of UK citizens and bring foreign customers to UK businesses, not foreign 'top businesspeople.'

United Kingdom Border Agency Roulette

UKBA (the United Kingdom Border Agency) faces a continuous struggle to manage the sensitive and complicated task of immigration to the United Kingdom.

The Coalition government has established a simple and effective long-term approach: a foreigner enters the UK with temporary intent or permanent intent and that intent cannot change while in the UK.

One Process does not Fit All

The processing and legal side of UKBA, the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice has not kept pace with this development and they still try to squeeze everything down the same process tube.

Here, I will summarize some of the pitfalls faced by professionals, investors and others who intend to, or have immigrated to the UK as they are processed through the same mill, with strange consequences.  With a choice of applications to make, and with all applicants going through the almost the same process rules as visitors, it doesn't matter if you have been here 1 year or 2 or 5 or 10 -- you will still be playing ROULETTE with your future.

This 'roulette' has spawned an industry of immigration advisors, solicitors and others who try to game the system or devise strategies which may or may not work.

This industry, and the high high revenue generated for UKBA by repeated applications, there is no incentive for reform.