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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be so sad that I can't take up my UK job offer (visa refused)

128 replies

linearfunction · 29/06/2018 20:53

The title says it all, pretty much.

I'm an American teacher. I was so excited to receive a job offer to teach in the UK. It was a lifelong dream come true for me.

But my restricted cos was refused, so no visa for me. They are apparently only giving Tier 2 visas to people with huge salaries, so not teachers.

I am crushed. For the past few months I have been talking about nothing but my new job in the UK to my friends. Now whenever anyone asks me when I am going, I have to explain that I'm not going after all. I wish I had never gotten the job offer in the first place because that would have been better than this.

It is even worse because I keep reading about teacher shortages in the UK. They would rather have a shortage than me. It hurts so, so much.

:( heartbroken :(

OP posts:
ggirl · 30/06/2018 15:44

some nasty comments , sorry OP , I hope you are able to come here and work soon.

Helmetbymidnight · 30/06/2018 15:44

I’m sorry you’re not coming here, op.

Unfortunately, thick brexiteer twats are in the ascendant now so even if you’re a teacher, even if we’re short of your skills, all they can hear is that you are ‘foreign’.

Tilliebean · 30/06/2018 15:46

Wow... some of these responses are horrific. I am an American living here and have done for over a decade. It is a dream, my dream. I don’t have to worry about school shootings or guns, it’s easy and cheap to travel, I have way more holidays here and I have the safety net of the NHS.

I paid through the teeth in visas to get dual citizenship and have never claimed a benefit. In fact I have not been unemployed at any point. Most of my work has been helping British citizens.
Who are any of you to judge someone’s reasons for wanting to legally immigrate? Or hold their country’s horrible government against them? I am afraid for the future of the US, as are many other Americans. The U.K. is a lovely place to be, despite the comments here. I would never go back to the US.

So there are some reasons I have no doubt the OP agrees with for wanting to come here. Not all Americans are so stupid as to just hear the accents and cottages and be hooked, FFS.
And trust me, I meet plenty of British people wanting to immigrate to the US with zero understanding of the reality of living there.

ggirl · 30/06/2018 15:50

My father was part of the brain drain to Canada when I was a child, there was similar bad feeling and comments made then to him and my mum.

CaptainBrickbeard · 30/06/2018 15:56

The sneering, ignorant, small-minded anti-immigrant comments on here are extremely depressing. I’m really sorry, OP, our schools need core secondary teachers desperately. Unfortunately, it seems the bigoted and stupid are holding sway.

huha · 30/06/2018 16:04

Oh well screw them then.

Go somewhere more exotic, that's hot and the sun actually shines all year rather than just 2 months. And where the people are nicer. I think some posters here have done a brilliant representation of how kind the British people are Hmm

AsleepAllDay · 30/06/2018 16:26

Some real rudeness here! I lived in the UK for two years & it was a dream for me too, not because of some bullshit about the royal family or whatever but I was always interested in the U.K.

And I'm trying my best to come back & resume a life there despite the anti immigrant nonsense. I work in a very specialised field that's not on the shortage list but there are few people with my experience

I paid my taxes, didn't get into trouble with the police & had no major health issues. I was confronted with the cold weather and rude people like some of these posters but made friends, had a relationship and contributed to society in a way which harms precisely no one

Plenty of UK teachers are leaving the country because they can get better pay & working conditions elsewhere. It's not the fault of a qualified American who only wants to do good

AsleepAllDay · 30/06/2018 16:29

@polymama from your mouth to God's ears!

Candypinkstars · 30/06/2018 16:36

I would imagine you teach English? English maths and science are the three cores.

There isn't a shortage of those. So as hard as it is, if it is a choice between maths and science teachers getting visas as a higher priority given there is a shortage, I can't disagree with the decision.

It's a shame for you, understood. Reapply again when you can maybe.

AsleepAllDay · 30/06/2018 16:47

Doesn't anyone think that it's actually ridiculous that there is an arbitrary limit on work visas put in place by Theresa May? Only 20,700 people from outside the EU can come every year - which means dentists have to vie with engineers, software developers with architects, pharmacists & vets have to compete every month... EU immigration has fallen so it's a completely barmy policy to put into place.

I come from the land of the points based system and that is actually adjusted according to need & has several avenues for workers (such as state nominated sponsorship), it's pure idiocy to have such a tiny little cap on highly skilled migrants who will be paying tax as residents and bigots who disagree can block me!

Candypinkstars · 30/06/2018 16:55

I'm sure Mrs May has noted your suggestions. A points based system? That has never ever been discusssed in the UK before! What a great idea! Only we have a different system here as we are in the EU and thus have a visa system for non-EU residents!

None if these issues have been debated in the UK at all over the past 2 years. I'm so glad you are able to advise us so wisely.

AsleepAllDay · 30/06/2018 17:01

It is literally a points based system (for the work visa and similar) but my point is that in Australia it's actually constructed to be dynamic depending on the country's needs. Unlike the arbitrary cap which actually WASN'T discussed until the hubbub around doctors and nurses forced a change

Caribbeanyesplease · 30/06/2018 17:01

**mimibunz

tixdy because a lot of Americans have a fantasy about living in England. They hear lovely (some) accents and see the majesty of the Trooping of the Colour and want that to be part of their lives.**

On come on. Give Americans some credit.

Yes there will be daft naive ones out there but with 24 hour news and the internet - it’s a peculiar American that would actively progress moving to the UK with this kind of imagery in mind.

Forty years ago - perhaps

WerkSupp · 30/06/2018 17:40

linear just ignore the nasty comments. I hope you can appeal but if not do consider working in other countries.

Nancydrawn · 30/06/2018 17:57

It sucks, OP, and I'm sorry. It's hitting all kinds of professions in a really bad way. I know researchers who can't accept postdocs because they don't make enough money (there are a few loopholes, but not many). They're high in demand, so they go elsewhere. As you genuinely can't have a world-class facility without a team drawn from across the world, the people losing out are the British labs and universities. Meanwhile, places in the EU and America (and others) are snapping up the best researchers and creating fabulous teams; they have their pick of the litter at the moment. (Who knows if this will change with further immigration restrictions in America, but as it currently stands it's not the target of the horrific American immigration debate.)

Eventually this will catch up with them and Britain will lose out on more and more discoveries, patents, and ideas. Ignore the other posters saying that's just what happens: it's shortsighted, idiotic, and counterproductive to have such a closed immigration system.

brizzledrizzle · 30/06/2018 18:06

@reddwarves

Full-time teaching jobs are as rare as hen's teeth in Australia. That's why lots of Australian qualified teachers are going to the UK

Do you know why? I'm surprised (but not disbelieving you)

calzone · 30/06/2018 21:04

What a lot of unnecessary bitchy comments.

WerkSupp · 30/06/2018 21:19

I would imagine you teach English? English maths and science are the three cores.

Given her username it is probably secondary maths she is teaching. There is definitely a shortage there and particularly in rural parts of the UK. Just hope she has seen the better posts here and can possibly appeal.

French2019 · 30/06/2018 22:00

I'm appalled at some of the comments on this thread. Why are some people so belligerent?

I'm sorry you didn't get the visa, OP. We do need teachers, and it's ridiculous that our excessively politicised immigration rules are keeping you out. Ultimately, though, the loss is ours, not yours.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do next?

Rr3laxingdayz · 30/06/2018 22:50

Sometimes things happen for a reason, for example some better opportunities may occur. Have you looked at teaching English in other countries short or long term, like Asia on a paid or volunteer basis.

minifingerz · 30/06/2018 23:28

Linear, you may have had a lucky escape.

Teaching in British secondary schools can be... um... ‘interesting’ (read ‘horrific’).

But sorry you’re disappointed.

StrangeLookingParasite · 30/06/2018 23:36

What a lot of unnecessary bitchy comments.

I agree. Someone left the gate open at the bitch farm, apparently.

AsleepAllDay · 30/06/2018 23:55

Too many bitchy comments! I've outlined again and again what contribution we migrants make but bigotry wins it seems

You can't appeal the process or find a loophole. I have been trying all year with no success

Original poster
linearfunction · 01/07/2018 00:34

I just found this: www.tes.com/news/letthemteach-world-our-feet-dont-kick-it-away

Maybe those of you who support the movement could share it.

OP posts:
HunterofStars · 01/07/2018 01:01

I'm sorry you didn't get your visa, OP. It's the UK's loss. I'm also sorry you've had some really mean responses on here too.

I really hope you can reapply at a later stage. Flowers