Britans new Highly-Skilled Migrants Programme (HSMP) program

THE NEW RULE :
The new rules disenfranchise potential non-European migrants over 28 years old and earning UK salaries less than £ 35,000. The Indians(constitute 80% of non europeans in UK) insist that their temporary visas make it impossible to get high-earning jobs and the changed rules make it impossible for them to stay on in Britain as previously promised by the government.

Disenfranchised Indians take to streets in London

The Indians, bearing banners that urged "Home Office, Keep your promise" and "Stop injustice to Highly-Skilled Migrants", claim the British government has unfairly changed the HSMP rules to disenfranchise economic migrants from non-European Economic Area countries.

UK Immigration minister Liam Byrne. Defending his government's right to change immigration rules, the minister said on Thursday, "No one wants this country to be a soft touch on immigration". But he added, "...nor do we want a barricade in place of a border".

Byrne admitted, "Yes we are asking people to prove they've made a contribution to Britain before we extend permission to stay. And yes, we're going to use objective tests of what people can offer. That's because we want the best to come to Britain".



Brown in India, faces NRIs' flak back home-Rest of World-World-The Times of India:
Brown in India, faces NRIs' flak back home

Amit Kapadia of the HSMP Forum told TOI, "Mr Gordon Brown before expecting new Indian investments in UK should first make sure that those same Indians who already contributed and made life saving investments in UK are treated with respect by the UK Home Office and the UK Home Office sticks to the initial promises made to us."

On Wednesday, exactly one week after a demonstration outside the British parliament, which was attended by hundreds of affected Indians, several MPs of the governing Labour Party and main opposition Conservatives and some peers, Kapadia said: "The recent new retrospective changes imposed by UK Home Office on Highly Skilled Migrants disregards the very sacrifices and investments we made in UK."


India warns Britain over 'unfair' worker immigration laws
India has cautioned Britain that it would be the "loser" if its immigration laws are not liberalised to allow freer movement of workers from the sub-continent nation.

Chidambaram's view( Indian Finance Minister ) :

Short of permanent immigration, we are asking for freer movement of personnel who can render services abroad P Chidambaram
Many knowledge workers could go abroad for three months, six months or a year and add to our exports, but they are constrained by a very restrictive visa regime and local tax laws.
If a qualified professional from India is denied entry and that place is taken by a less qualified person from, say, Eastern Europe, surely the UK is the loser

Pledged that India would "play more than our part" in the revival of the stalled Doha round of WTO talks.

We believe that the opening up of trade has helped India considerably. In fact, a significant proportion of our growth is coming from external trade. Exports last year were 103 billion dollars. We wish to remain engaged with the rest of the world and take advantage of a rule-based multilateral trade system


Many UK Indians face deportation
Britain has issued deportation orders to Indian IIM alumni and engineers working here on visas obtained under the Highly-Skilled Migrants Programme (HSMP).
Dr S Ghosh (PhD), an engineer who was the assistant professor at Bahrain University, said: “What a situation to be in! On the verge of being kicked out of the country after being made to sign a declaration that Britain would be my new home and after taking all reasonable steps to fulfill my commitment to do so. There is no way of getting back my job in Bahrain, no hope of finding a job in India. My child’s future is in shambles considering the difficulties of adapting to a new system after studying under the national curriculum of England all through. All this because I trusted that the UK Government would follow the well-renowned British values of honesty, fair play and justice”

Debansu Das, an IIM MBA, said: “It’s not easy for Asians to get high-profile jobs in the UK with higher salaries. I don’t qualify for further extension (of the HSMP visa) due to this retrospective change in rules because of which me and my family are in line for a possible refusal of extension and hence deportation.”

Dr George Joseph, who received his deportation order 14 months after arriving in Britain under the HSMP, added: “I was very attracted by the HSMP programme posted by the Home Office on the website. As per the rules that time there wasn’t much problem in getting the renewal after one year as I had to prove that I have been economically active. I have a Ph.D. in chemistry and many years of work experience and had heard that there was a shortage of science graduates in the UK.Now, says Joseph, Our lives have been turned upside down. We never imagined that the Home Office would unfairly implement HSMP changes with retrospective effect.”


Keith Vaz, MP of the governing Labour Party says

The rule change and application, with retrospective effect, is a slap on the face of those who had gone through the proper process and complied with the regulations only to be left in the limbo regarding their future. We request the home secretary to change the rules

Damien Green, shadow immigration minister of the main opposition’s Conservative Party says

Everyone agrees that Britain benefits from highly-skilled migrants. The government’s decision to change the rules so that people who are already here and want to stay are now disqualified is both unfair and wrong-headed. It is unfair because the people involved have made a commitment to this country which is being flung back in their faces. It is wrong-headed because it sends a signal to highly-skilled people around the world that Britain is an unreliable place to work

An academic and a member of the House of Lords, Bhikhu Parekh, said:

“A lot of these very talented people came to this country after borrowing money or giving up their jobs on a certain promise made by the government. This kind of change in rules mid-stream will only damage Britain’s reputation outside.”