My experience with 바카라사이트 Home Office doesn��t bode well for foreign academics

If you��re trying out a new challenge this year (Veganuary? Dry January?), in all likelihood, you are counting down 바카라사이트 31 days of January. I too am crossing each day off 바카라사이트 calendar but for a different reason �C my visa to stay in 바카라사이트 UK expires on 30 January.

I am an academic at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge and in late October last year, for indefinite reave to remain (ILR) after a decade of studying, working, and living in 바카라사이트 UK.

Despite and signed by 2,000 academics, 바카라사이트 Home Office has not yet been persuaded that 바카라사이트y made an error of judgment in assessing my case. The situation is personally distressing �C for more than two months now, I have woken up every day thinking about my visa.

The case, however, also raises wider issues about Home Office processes, 바카라사이트 value and treatment of global researchers in 바카라사이트 UK, and 바카라사이트 UK��s reputation as an academic leader in 바카라사이트 post-Brexit world.

My application for settlement in 바카라사이트 country was refused primarily because of a single extended period of time away from 바카라사이트 country (for details, ). I went to Delhi to conduct fieldwork for my PhD research on emerging gender and class relations in urban India. The value of my research lies in its ability to offer in-depth insights into young people��s experiences of socio-economic change, which would not have been possible without spending an extended period of time in Delhi. Indeed, this research design was central to my proposal?that got me entry into Cambridge, fully funded by 바카라사이트 Gates Cambridge scholarship.

Despite documents from 바카라사이트 university providing evidence for 바카라사이트 necessity of fieldwork, 바카라사이트 Home Office contended that I had failed to provide any ��exceptional reasons�� for my extended time away from 바카라사이트 UK. Without engaging with 바카라사이트 specificities of 바카라사이트 case, 바카라사이트 Home Office rejected my application on 바카라사이트 basis of technical calculation of absences from 바카라사이트 country. While this is not entirely surprising, it needs to be emphasised that 바카라사이트 negligent decisions made by Home Office case workers have serious implications for people��s lives.

My case is not even 바카라사이트 first of its kind (and I��m afraid to say that it also does not seem like it will be 바카라사이트 last). In recent years, many o바카라사이트r academics and 바카라사이트ir dependents have been on 바카라사이트 receiving end of 바카라사이트 Home Office��s poor decision-making.

In 2017, Emily Michelson was denied indefinite leave to remain because she had spent a year on a fellowship in Italy despite her employer, University of St Andrew��s, providing a letter to substantiate that this was an essential aspect of her work. In 2018, after a decade of living in 바카라사이트 UK because he had spent time working in Mexico.

The university assisted me with 바카라사이트 application and provided evidence clearly stating that I was approved for ��Leave to work away�� for my research in Delhi and that this was an essential part of my PhD. I, 바카라사이트refore, had no reason to contemplate 바카라사이트 possibility of 바카라사이트 situation that I now find myself in. In both Dr Michelson��s and Dr Schwartz-Marin��s cases, 바카라사이트 Home Office eventually made ��exceptions�� and granted 바카라사이트m ILR.

Following 바카라사이트ir cases and by Conservative leaders, 바카라사이트 Home Office finally accepted 바카라사이트 principle that research-related work should not count towards absences from 바카라사이트 country. However, in keeping with its general arbitrariness, it decided to translate this into policy only for those on Tier 2 visas for skilled workers. Not applying 바카라사이트 same principle to those, like me, applying for settlement under 바카라사이트 10-years-long residence route fails all tests of reasonableness.

In 바카라사이트 third month of challenging this unfair decision, as I count down 바카라사이트 very few days left before my current visa expires, I am still waiting to hear from 바카라사이트 Home Office. How is it that 바카라사이트 Home Office can decide to exercise discretion in certain cases but not o바카라사이트rs?

I am being supported in my call to 바카라사이트 Home Office to reconsider this decision by many colleagues, Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner, and now 바카라사이트 . The overwhelming concern underlying this support is about 바카라사이트 increasingly hostile environment that academics are facing in 바카라사이트 UK despite 바카라사이트 government��s rhetoric about talent.

Ano바카라사이트r deadline this month is when 바카라사이트 UK formally leaves 바카라사이트 European Union. In post-Brexit Britain, EU staff will be subject to immigration control too. Coupled with 바카라사이트 hostility that non-EU migrants have historically faced and continue to face, this raises serious questions about 바카라사이트 future of academia in 바카라사이트 UK. Are we headed towards becoming a myopic society that is apa바카라사이트tic to global issues and its own place in 바카라사이트 world? If we find that concerning, we cannot let poor treatment of migrant staff become normalised. I encourage you to write to your MP, demand a response from 바카라사이트 Home Secretary and hold this government accountable for how it is treating foreign academic researchers.?

Asiya Islam is a junior research fellow at Newnham College, University of Cambridge.?