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Hi, I am sure there must be some of us who were made redundant due to the recession. I was just wondering how this affects the ILR application?

The guidance notes for ILR application mentions "if you are not economically active you will need to provide evidence to show that you have taken all reasonable steps to do so during your stay in the UK, e.g. several job applications relevant to your skills and experience." - How far is this followed in a real life scenario? Any experiences?

I was made redundant November 2009 and submitted my ILR application in January 2010. I have yet to receive a response so I can't inform what impact it had. It was my redundancy which pushed me to apply for ILR.

I'm hoping that because I've been employed for the past 17 years, have adequate savings (due to my redunancy) and am highly skilled they will overlook the fact I am currently unemployed. I hope UKBA will see that I am employable - I've already had 2 job offers this month. My solicitor didn't comment on my unemployment and I would hope they would if it would adversely impact my application. If you have been redundant surely that means you have been employed up to that point there economically active for the majority of your stay.

It is a very interesting point you've made, one I've pondered myself. Looking at the bigger picture does the UK really want uemployed immigrants adding to the already large jobless pool!?! Whether or not the UKBA have this on their radar. If I get a decision in the near future (fat chance) I will update you.

The HSMP forum too called upon the Govt to consider current recession while deciding ILR applications. I am just trying to get a feel of UKBA's mood on this matter. As far as savings (from previous employment) is concerned I feel I would be able to survive some time off job but UKBA is only interested in last one year's economic activity.

As far as adding to the jobless pool is concerned I don't think the UKBA would be too concerned with that as immigrants who are jobless are on highly skilled category and are not in competition with majority of those out of work at the moment. The fact also remains that UK would need the skills in the long run and thats why the skilled immigrants are here at the first place. That is only my logic and it remains to be seen what stand they take.

If it's recently you've been made redundant then you would have been active over the past year. So if that's what the UKBA look for rather than if you are going to be able to support yourself in the future then I wouldn't think you would have a problem. I always thought the policy was both past economic contributions and future financial security as they prefer not to grant settlement or naturalisation to someone who is immediately going to rely on the state for funding. Maybe I misread the policy or it's possibly only for long term residential ILRs. One of the more experienced members should be able to advise.

It's hard to predict what stance the UKBA will take. It's a chance you will have to take when applying and I personally believe it's a chance you should take and should take sooner rather than later. What have you got to lose? You're redundant and you have the funds to support yourself whilst waiting for your application to be decided upon. Are you able to actively look for work during that time?

With regards to being high skilled and unemployed, there are a lot of us out there. I worked in a specialist business unit and 300 were made redundant. That's 300 people with the same skills as me that I have to compete with. That is limited to my company not my industry which has been heavily hit by the recession. Before the recession there was a shortage in my specialist skill set. However that is my situation and is probably not at all relevant to you as you maybe it a different profession to me. I do agree with you that the number highly skilled unemployed compared to the "unskilled" workers unemployed, is relatively small.

Ignore my reply above - if I could delete it I would. It appears you've provided further information in a completely different post so my comments are totally irrelevant.

How confusing

Its OK. As you might have seen I would be eligible to apply for ILR in about a year's time and this is the time I am supposed to be "economically active". Instead I am made redundant. I have been highly active till beginning of this year. . Just hope that they would accept my job applications and registration with recruitment agencies as being "economically active". Thats me hoping. lol.

I hope you find something soon and it's only a short term unemployment. Though I think proving you were able to support yourself during that time will bring nothing but positivity to your application.

Good luck with the job hunt and your application in a year's time

Thanks.