dontheturner

TESOL diploma courses are available in Bangkok - so I agree - that is what should be done, before returning. If possible, it can be done very quickly there. - I think also, it is available in Pattaya, where the living is even cheaper. I know teachers, who have done it, in the past.

Sarus

Yeah! Easy peasey! All I have to do to live in the Uk with my family is quit the job I have had for 10 years. Move my home and family to the capital for a year. Settle in the most expensive place in the country. Spend 1,000 pounds (one eighth of my years salary) on a diploma and somehow get a job that pays 1,550 pounds per month. Then I can secure an 18,600 pound salaried verifyable job in the west country UK using Skype.

Anyway! Seriously guys, have you ever lived in Thailand? There are not too many jobs paying 77,000 Baht per month. 40,000 to 50,000 Baht per month is considered a good salary for Bangkok. I can't just walk into the British council and get a job.

Move over Surinda Singh, there are multitudes heading your way.

WEBlue

I found an interesting webpage of the MRN, Migrants' Rights Network. It has a list of things to do to fight the new rules, though IMO the list has not been updated much from last summer when the changes came in.

But the page has some other websites listed, and the comments thread down below has some stories, some more websites, a small discussion of Baroness Smith's motion, & some other decent info. So some may want to put the page in their bookmarks to check it once in a while for updates on immigration news.
http://www.migrantsrights.org.uk/blo...ffected?page=6

Former Laowai

Yes I've lived in Thailand and my diploma is costing me 2500 quid but I believe it will pay for itself within 12 months because of the higher salary it attracts.

Once I have the diploma I will be able to walk into the British Council and get a job... and I've already secured a 22k-24k TESOL job without the diploma, although I did have to interview in person which of course will not be possible for you.

I never said it was easy and certainly not peasey!

You're making the very difficult sound impossible when it really isn't.

If you've been in the same job for 10 years then that makes you very attractive to new employers. I used to live in central China but moved to the capital to secure a high paying job which I started just 3 weeks after my first son was born so it wasn't convenient by any means, but life often isn't.

The fact is that, when returning to the UK, sacrifices will have to be made regardless of UK immigration policy. At least you're planning ahead and not turning a complete blind eye to immigration policy as I naively did.

Sarus

The most I could possibly earn in Bangkok is around 60,000 baht salary per month (also at the British council). I can easily bump up my income by an extra 20,000 per month on privates though, even in the provinces. You are not actually allowed to and there would be no proof of those earnings. I am certainly not hard up by Thai standards. But it still would not be enough.

No, it's definitely six months grape picking in southern Italy for me and my family.

dontheturner

Yes, I have for four years - but as I am retired, I had lots of time to find out how others live. My idea, is go there, purely to do the Tesol, and pass the test.
How long would that take? Days? a week, a month/ at the most , or so I am told.

Worth checking, perhaps.

dontheturner

The proof, is paid into the bank each month!

Former Laowai

The certificate takes a month and the diploma 2 months if studied full time intensively. The Diploma is pretty much essential for getting a well paid (over 18,600) job in the UK.
I'm studying my diploma online and part-time, so it will take me 11 months to complete.

Sarus

I have lived and worked in Thailand for over 16 years. It would be advantageous to do the Tesol, but I would still earn no more than 40,000 to 60,000 per month.

Private teaching is always cash in hand. If I could count money deposited into a bank account every month, could I not just withdraw money from the ATM and pay it back as a cash deposit? I don't know if showing a flow of money through an account counts as provable income.

rukiddingme

Sarus, trust me, it isn't easy for any of us! I have been earning over the min salary for the last 12 months, we have savings, but it's still not straight forward... I still don't know who in their right mind would hire me to start a job approx 6 months before they actually need me just so I can send that letter/contract as proof to ukba. I do a lot of recruitment, and I wouldn't hire me or recommend me for a role! Not to mention the letter that I have to obtain from my current employer confirming my salary, how long I've worked there, etc. It's a little tricky as they don't know that I'm planning to move back to the UK... I'll probably say that it's for a mortgage app.

In fact the only job that I can think of where this would be the case is teaching where people are hired significantly ahead of time, and you have clearly defined periods of activity, e.g Summer school and the start of the academic year. Lucky for you that your child is 3 and not older!

I'm kicking myself for not applying earlier too. Can't do much about that though...

The whole situation is a mess. The Home Sec doesn't have any kids, so frankly does she have the first clue about what 'family life' even means??

Sarus

A great many are in the same boat. I think we are going to need a bigger boat.

BristolUK

You are Roy Scheider (or is that Chief Brody) and I claim my five pounds.

Victor Meldrew

I am hoping that, if we sit it out overseas for a couple years, 'they' will see sense and bring in some caveats for 'genuine cases', people married for X years, people who own property in UK (therefore will need less income), people whose non EEU spouses will actually bring in or earn a sufficient amount of money, people who can confirm that their move to UK is not actually a permanent one

So many variables - but only one set of rules?

Humbug!

Sarus

From the BBC:

Immigration Minister Mark Harper says new laws will ensure tax payers aren't footing the bill for immigrants who bring their families to the UK.

I am not an immigrant and neither is my son.

Sarus

I was thinking of writing a Blog about my family's predicament. It would help to explain the situation to friends and family and it might help others in the same situation.

What do you think Former Laowai? Will I be risking future visitor visas for my wife if / when I need to go back to the UK?