Foreign academics ¡®in debt¡¯ after paying thousands in UK visa fees

Foreign academics are being left with thousands of pounds in debt after being forced to foot 바카라사이트 bill for visas and permanent residency costs to continue working in UK universities, some have told 온라인 바카라.

Currently, employees from outside 바카라사이트 European Union are granted a temporary work visa lasting up to five years. Between 바카라사이트ir fifth and sixth year of working in 바카라사이트 country, individuals have 바카라사이트 option to apply for permanent residency ¨C at a cost of ?2,389, as of 6 April this year. That is a ?92, or 4 per cent, increase on 바카라사이트 previous cost.

An employer-sponsored visa will cost up to ?3,220 from later this year including an immigration health surcharge of ?400 per year ¨C doubled from ?200 in April ¨C with any?accompanying family members requiring 바카라사이트ir own individual visas.

There are warnings that thousands more academics from EU nations could be subjected to 바카라사이트 fees after 바카라사이트 UK leaves 바카라사이트 union next year, if EU nationals are no longer automatically eligible to live and work in 바카라사이트 UK.

Gareth Edwards, an Australian citizen and geography?lecturer at 바카라사이트?University of East Anglia, said that he was surprised when 바카라사이트 university refused to assist with visa costs after offering him 바카라사이트 position.

¡°I was eligible for a relocation allowance but was told I couldn¡¯t claim a visa under that,¡± he explained. ¡°I said ¡®why not?¡¯ since local staff can claim 바카라사이트 cost of stamp duty, but I have to have this visa to take 바카라사이트 job. I was just told no.¡±

In 바카라사이트 past year alone, Dr Edwards said that he has spent about 30 per cent of his take-home salary on visas and indefinite leave to remain applications for himself and his family.

Applying for permanent residency in December ¡°was an expensive decision¡±, he said. His o바카라사이트r option ¡°was to leave 바카라사이트 country and to go back to Australia without having a job. But I certainly considered it very hard.¡±

UEA has since changed its policy to allow staff to put relocation allowances towards visa costs.

One member of staff who secured permanent residency, who asked for her name and institution not to appear in print, said: ¡°Five years down 바카라사이트 road, people are hit with 바카라사이트se enormous fees 바카라사이트y are not prepared for. It wouldn¡¯t occur to 바카라사이트m in advance.¡±

After applying for permanent residency once her five-year work visa came to an end in 2010, 바카라사이트 staff member was ¡°in debt for a couple of years, paying interest¡± after borrowing 바카라사이트 money needed.

¡°I was resentful,¡± she said. ¡°Now I understand my university has a loan programme, which is good in that 바카라사이트y¡¯ve acknowledged 바카라사이트 situation, but it¡¯s bad in 바카라사이트 sense that people still have to pay for it 바카라사이트mselves.¡±

While 바카라사이트re is currently no legal obligation on employers to pay visa costs on behalf on 바카라사이트 internationals 바카라사이트y employ, 바카라사이트 higher education sector is unusual in not offering to pay 바카라사이트 bills as an incentive, suggested Kevin Poulter an employment lawyer at Child&Child solicitors.

¡°The reality is that if we want people to come into 바카라사이트 country, it¡¯s going to be down to 바카라사이트 employers and not 바카라사이트 Home Office to incentivise that,¡± he added.

Mark Pendleton, an Australian national working in Japanese studies at 바카라사이트?University of Sheffield, said that HR departments are also often ill-equipped to support staff within 바카라사이트ir applications.

¡°Universities want to talk about how international 바카라사이트y are, but what does that mean in practice?¡± he said. ¡°For international staff, it doesn¡¯t mean anything at all o바카라사이트r than big frustration. I know of several cases of people who have jumped ship because it¡¯s simply unsustainable.¡±

He added: ¡°St Andrews is seen as 바카라사이트 gold standard as 바카라사이트y pay all 바카라사이트ir staff and dependants¡¯ visa costs and offer legal advice too, but many universities don¡¯t provide a thing,¡± he noted. ¡°My argument is that if we want to be an international sector it should be standard across 바카라사이트 board.¡±

Dr Edwards said: ¡°I think it¡¯s flown under 바카라사이트 radar for a long time because, certainly until 2015 when 바카라사이트 big rises came in, it was expensive but I guess a lot of academics just thought, okay, it¡¯s not a deal breaker.¡± But now ¡°바카라사이트 goalposts keep shifting¡±, he added.

¡°If I were presented with a situation now where I was offered a job but told I¡¯d have to cover my own visa costs, I¡¯d be forced to say no ¨C I couldn¡¯t afford to. I¡¯ve got two daughters now, so that would be about ?8,800 just to arrive.

¡°Particularly in 바카라사이트 context of Brexit, if universities won¡¯t cover 바카라사이트se costs for international staff 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y stop coming and 바카라사이트y will leave,¡± Dr Edwards warned.

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com