UkWinds5353

It's shameful!

WEBlue

I do agree. And along those lines, IMO, the politicians are stoking a real yet covert xenophobia, fueling a dishonest political discourse that blames "foreign others" (defined however one wishes) in their midst for all of British society's ills. This attitude never bodes well for any nation--just look at the history books.

Also there's the issue of child-raising politics--those spouses (male or female) who take on the direct raising of children in the home do not "officially" pay into a social benefits sytem, yet the job they do raising kids is SO vital to society as a whole . . . If that job is not done well (usually for no official wage either), then the whole social contract is in danger.

This is true of all the "caring" roles, looking after vulnerable family members is never paid well--if at all. Yet that's an extremely important role that should be recognised & valued, not penalised. To base one's value to a society on a salary is so counter-productive to the human family--it divides people, divides societies, and is bound to hurt rather than strengthen the social fabric of any country.

rebeccajo

My husband is the UKC, so he'd be my sponsor. He'd have to go back ahead of me and find work.

My husband works in social care. He works directly with developmentally delayed individuals. He loves the job. He's also quite good at it. He's eternally patient and has a huge heart.

As you probably know, this kind of work pays - well - crap. But what would society do without people like my husband to help care for these individuals? His earnings are not enough to satisfy the new rules. I suppose some people would say my husband should just look for work that pays better. I don't agree with that. As if the job has no value.

Daily Mail readers tend not to imagine that they are just one head injury away from being in my husband's care. How much then would they pay for someone to wipe their bottom?

UkWinds5353

Your husband sound like a great guy! And in my opinion, people in the medical field deserve appreciation for the sacrifices that come with the job, one of which is lower pay.It's a slap in the face to now deny a Brit in the medical field, re-entry into the UK with their new spouse based on finances.Personally, I think there should be an exemption for returnees that are in the medical field.

Everyone should know that people in the medical field don't make loads of money so why penalize them further by having them jump over legal hoops just to get back into their own country. There should be a repatriation law for health care workers, similar to that of the student loan law in America for teachers. People that become teachers in America can take out student loans and have the loan forgiven as long as the student use their skill to help the under privilaged for one year.

Everyone in the Uk can or does benefit from the NHS at some point in their life.What better way to show appreciation for a system that protects the health of the British population than to care for the workers of that very system?

SanDiegogirl

I think you have a rather rosy view of the student loan forgiveness program in the US. It certainly does not forgive the loan for a mere one year helping the underprivileged

http://www.finweb.com/loans/do-you-q...rgiveness.html

You need to pay back a minimum of 6 years of debt plus be paid a VERY low wage before you qualify.

As someone who paid into the NHS for 50 years I think the majority of working UK citizens do show their appreciation of the NHS workers - by paying their taxes which go towards paying the wages of the workers.

I've yet to meet a qualified medical worker who is on the breadline, and in the States some medical worker do make loads of money.

Care workers do not, unfortunately attract high salaries since many jobs in that area do not require specific qualifications. Such is the territory.

rebeccajo

And such a care worker should be forbidden to bring a non-EU spouse to the UK?

UkWinds5353

I stand by my statement.

http://www.collegescholarships.org/l...orgiveness.htm

If you read the above link it does STATE, and backs up my comment that there is full or partial forgiveness for student loan debt.I mentioned that a teacher receiving the forgiveness must perform in a capacity that does help the under privilaged. Chances are they(American teachers working in this role) will be under payed, and if you compare that to the type of pay earned by individuals in the UK NHS,I would venture to say they too are under paid as well. Many people do these jobs for years, and others care enough to take on this noble job for an entire career. Where is the conflict with my comparison?

Number #2, Just because you pay taxes does not guarantee that a government will think enough of your nation's population to have Universal care. America has spent far more per person on health care yet we still do not have a right to health services simply because we pay taxes.Keep in mind that one of the reasons why the UK has Universal Care for it's citizens is in large part due to price controls built into the system.It is not a for profit type system like here in America.Meaning, those that do work in the NHS are working for wages that are kept to a minimium on purpose in order to control cost.

Considering that these workers are under paid, and APPARENTLY under appreciated, they should be viewed as more than people that should feel lucky to have a job. I value my health and any health system which can help me maintain it, deserves to be thought of as more than just an after thought. I wonder if that type of thinking is the product of people taking things for granted. But to each its own.

Giantaxe

If you're standing behind this statement:

then you're largely incorrect and/or incomplete and SanDiegogirl is essentially correct. You already have to have been teaching for five years to be eligible, meaning you will have been repaying student loans for five years at that point. Additional requirements are that it must be a federal loan (many loans to students aren't) and that you teach in a designated low-income school (you mention this). And finally, loan forgiveness is capped at "up to $17.5k" (a fraction of what many students end up with in debt). Here's a link to the relevant federal government page:

http://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans...charts/teacher

I don't know how they deduce what portion of that $17.5k you're eligible for.

UkWinds5353

I'll accept that my figures were on the low side.But the fact that all or part of the student loan debt can be forgiven is factual.

SanDiegogirl

Not at all - there is no forbidding such a person from returning to the UK with his non-EU spouse. There are, however, rules for doing so. One of which is that a certain minimum financial requirement must be met in order for said couple to be able to support themselves in the UK without recourse to public funds.

The minimum requirement is now that the UK citizen should earn 18,600 UKP per annum in order to support the couple.

This is not a huge amount- it is less than the average for the UK and is said to be the minimum a couple would need to live a standard/average life in the UK.

If this requirement cannot be met (and in many cases of returning ex-pats neither individual has a job to go to) then savings/assets need to be available for living expenses.

If neither of these requirements can be met, it begs the question as to why the people are making the move back to the UK in the first place.

michael rothwell

me ukc and my wife usc got our visa in may to start from august but will not be moveing there till like october does this affect our visaas it was granted before this comes in to affect thanks

rebeccajo

Does it?

Do you understand how the savings shortfall requirements work?

rebeccajo

No it doesn't.

michael rothwell

I think you have to have some guide lines and i dont think anyone wants handouts with out paying into the system.
On my wifes visa it has no recourse to public funds now I take it once she has paid into system for a period of time she will allowed to use nhs system.

The main reason I am leaving the usa is I cant get a job and I dont want to be on unemployment and gave up my entiltment once I knew we would be applying to move to uk.

I paid into the system but you don't get any real benifts here till you have paid in 40 quarters or 10 years or you become a citizen which I havent also I miss my kids and grankids who on paid vaction in us would be hard as most companys dont give more than 1 weeks vaction in first couple of years

Sorry to have gone on a little we cant expect everything for nothing thanks

SanDiegogirl

Once you are legally resident in the UK, your wife will be eligible to use the NHS. She just needs to register with an NHS doctor. The public funds are more to do with housing benefits/job seekers allowance/tax credits etc which she will not be eligible for.