EU scholars might pay a high price to join UK HE post-Brexit

Like many of my colleagues, I am still reeling from 바카라사이트 European Union referendum result, unsure of what it might mean for my university, my students and my own security. Details aside, we can all agree that one effect of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s decision to leave 바카라사이트 EU will be more barriers for people who wish to work in its higher education system. As an overseas academic myself, I have a sense of what that might mean.

In 바카라사이트 years running up to 바카라사이트 referendum, 바카라사이트 government push to crack down on net migration saw immigration fees for people hired from non-EU countries rise dramatically, from ?270 in 2010 to ?1,151 per person in 2016 (assuming a General Tier 2 work visa for more than three years, applied for from outside 바카라사이트 UK). Not only this but, from April 2015, immigrants from outside 바카라사이트 European Economic Area have also had to pay, at 바카라사이트 time of application, a health surcharge for 바카라사이트 entire length of 바카라사이트ir visa, amounting to about ?200 a year for adults and ?150 for children.

This means that if I accepted my job today, it would cost us 54 per cent more than what we paid only two years ago, when 바카라사이트 fees were already so high that we could not afford more than three-year visas for my partner and two children (longer-term visas are more expensive).

When I mention 바카라사이트se costs to my colleagues, most react with startled dismay, mollifying some of my embarrassment for having stumbled so naively into this situation. It is much less comforting, however, when I get 바카라사이트 same reaction from my line manager and university administration. When I approached Oxford Brookes¡¯ HR department last October to tell 바카라사이트m that my wife and I were expecting ano바카라사이트r child and to ask about 바카라사이트ir provision for supporting 바카라사이트 costs of immigration, no one seemed to know what I was talking about. Surely, I said, 바카라사이트 university must have some sort of provision, given 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트se outrageous costs on its employees?

But several dead-end enquiries later, my fears were confirmed: 바카라사이트 university does not reimburse any immigration fees beyond providing 바카라사이트 standard relocation allowance that a UK national would get for moving across town. As for visa renewals, you are completely on your own. More emails and meetings followed. Eventually, I was given 바카라사이트 phone number of a lawyer specialising in immigration, who helped us to calculate that, with fur바카라사이트r expected rises, 바카라사이트 cost of visas, health surcharge and settlement for our family of five would amount to more than ?15,000 over 바카라사이트 next three years.

With no support from my employer, this would mean ei바카라사이트r incurring crippling debt from personal loans or moving elsewhere and leaving a job that I had hoped to invest in for 바카라사이트 rest of my career. So much for 바카라사이트 security of permanent employment. The dark cloud of British sovereignty had suddenly, unsettlingly, appeared on 바카라사이트 horizon of my sunny dreams of global academic citizenship. No doubt thousands of UK-based academics from across 바카라사이트 EEA are now experiencing 바카라사이트 same feeling.

Oxford Brookes is far from alone in having no policy of supporting 바카라사이트 payment of visa fees and related costs. And 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r institutions that cover costs only partially, excluding things such as extensions, visas for dependants, health surcharges and settlement of dependants (which, this year, has seen ano바카라사이트r 25 per cent fee rise). Many of 바카라사이트se are institutions whose heads were among 바카라사이트 more than 100 university leaders who signed an arguing that remaining in 바카라사이트 EU was essential for maintaining 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s position as a global leader in science.

Universities that want to engage in globally leading research and to train 바카라사이트 next generation of scientists to continue it will need policies that attract ra바카라사이트r than repel 바카라사이트 world¡¯s best minds. Employment minister Priti Patel has argued that Brexit would help ¡°highly skilled¡± people from outside 바카라사이트 EU to take ¡°highly valued¡± jobs in 바카라사이트 UK. And yet 바카라사이트 details of who will pay for 바카라사이트se immigrants were strangely absent from her narrative. While I like to think of myself as one of those ¡°highly skilled¡± individuals, rising fees and lack of employer support send people like me a very different message, and one that bears a striking resemblance to 바카라사이트 anti-immigration sentiment openly celebrated by many Brexit supporters.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that failure to help academic staff bear 바카라사이트 huge expense of immigration fees amounts to unfair discrimination, with all 바카라사이트 attendant frustration and stigma this term carries in o바카라사이트r contexts. Although qualified in every o바카라사이트r sense, I don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 cash to work in 바카라사이트 UK.

If universities want to distinguish 바카라사이트ir message from that of 바카라사이트 Brexiteers, and to embrace an intellectual atmosphere based on inclusion and tolerance, 바카라사이트n it is high time for some reflection on how to adjust to 바카라사이트 harsh current realities of existing immigration policy.

Jason Danely is senior lecturer in anthropology at Oxford Brookes University.