gulgon wrote:I got my HSMP extension for 4 years, but since I had so much stress on these very unfair restrospective changes and tougher immigration procedures for skilled people like us, I am considering to leave this country where illegal immigrants are able to stay as long as they want unless they plan a terrorist attack, and where unskilled migrants can get citizenship without problem with their marriage or dodgey visas and where refugees (all know most of them come here with lies) get full benefits with wrong claims, and where skilled people like us must pay full taxes without any right to claim benefits and always insecure with the stress of further tougher rules on skilled migrants....
I easily got a great job offer from Germany, as I was tackling to prepare my documents for extension. My reason for looking for a job in another country was surely these retrospective rules and the increase of ILR time from 4 to 5 years, so the feeling of insecurity in this country.
I have no more trust in the UK immigration rules. so I might leave the UK soon.
And during my stay here, I can confirm that English are the most ignorant nation I have ever seen. They think they are above-humanity, they are superior than all others, they are snobbish (especially ones in London). If you watched how Jade and her friends have treated Shilpa (Indian girl) in the Big Brothers in Channel 4, you might agree with me. So to speak, I also think social life sucks here.
While I see what you're trying to say, I have to disagree w/you. People usually leave their home countries for a better life. What they don't realize is that it's not exactly a walk in the park (I'm not saying this specifically for you, you may or may not be one of these ppl.) It's easy for us to say that ppl in the western world have a very narrow perspective, because unlike us, they've never really felt the need to look out of their environment. Of course globalization is changing that, but changes are not to be seen everywhere, because ppl in western world are not exactly keen to see jobs being outsourced to other countries. While this may not be directly related to your post, it certainly does reflect on some of the "snobbishness" you're referring to in your post. Yes, there're all kinds of ppl everywhere on this planet.
As for you pointing out that the ILR time being increased from 4-5 yrs not being fair, I must say, in my opinion the HSMP seems to be quite an easy way of gaining permanent residentship in a western country. When anyone is on any visa there's always uncertainty abt such things. You might feel a bit better by knowing that in the US the same process will take easily double the time it takes in UK. As for illegal aliens getting it easy, well, that's a worldwide problem, not just a UK problem.
While I'm not in UK myself as yet so I certainly can't speak for the rest of what you're taking abt in your post, I can certainly say that what you've written is not exactly specific only to UK. There's all kind of stuff everywhere, all kind of ppl everywhere. And if you're highly skilled enuf to get approved for HSMP *AND* get the extension, I certainly hope you're not naive enuf to make a generalized opinion of a particular country by watching a reality tv show. I'm sure, even if you go to Germany, you'll find yourself finding the same "complaints" abt that country. I'm in fact willing to bet that you might start liking UK more after you go to Germany
(No offense for Germans) Good luck to you, whatever decision you make for yourself.
