After paying the Immigration Health Surcharge I think I may punch someone who suggests immigrants are a drain on the healthcare system...

Oh give us a break..... as soon as you enter the UK (after paying your 624 per year for whatever visa to entered under) you could have a stroke/heart attack and pay nothing more at point of service for your hospitalisation/rehab and on going care and treatment for years.

You've been in Canada for some 14 years; the British tax payer has kept the NHS going. Do you expect just to waltz in and be able to use it without giving some contributions up front?

The UK spends roughly £2000 on the NHS per person per annum. £624 is a relative bargain.

I just mean from the point of view that British people (at least when I lived there) assumed that immigrants contribute nothing to the NHS. to use your terminology "Waltzing in and then Waltzing out" with contributing nothing.

It's not a statement of I shouldn't pay this, it's a statement of Immigrants immediately do there bit to help support and sustain the healthcare system. If an immigrant got a job right away they would contribute the same amount instantly as well as providing an injection of cash into the system. I think this is a great thing, but I think peoples attitude towards immigrants "stealing our healthcare" could dull slightly.

The immigrants being referred to are not paying the IHS.