Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to believe the UK should take highly-skilled Venezuelan refugees

162 replies

longfingernails · 05/10/2018 21:59

Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans have had to flee from the inevitable consequences of unadulterated socialism.

Amongst them will be highly skilled workers. We should do our best to seek them out and offer them refugee status together with the right to work in Britain.

If we are selective in our choices, in time they could form as effective a bloc as the Floridian Cubans.

OP posts:
ThePinkOcelot · 05/10/2018 22:07

Where does it end? How would we sift out the highly skilled workers?!!

7salmonswimming · 05/10/2018 22:10

Is a highly-skilled person worth helping/saving more than a less-highly skilled person?

By that measure, you'd refuse somebody who is physically disabled over someone who isn't?

A man in his young 20s with high potential to contribute, than a 5yo girl?

A male plumber rather than a SAHM?

I just can't understand how people can say such things. Don't you hear yourself? Are you human?

longfingernails · 05/10/2018 22:11

We can ask Venezuelan refugees to apply from Brazil, or Colombia (providing they crossed there legally; we don't want to encourage illegals).

OP posts:
Sinuhe · 05/10/2018 22:11

What's wrong with " Home Grown Highly Skilled Workers" ?
(Its about time the industries start investing into young people this side of the Atlantic.)

MsOliphant · 05/10/2018 22:13

Arbeit Macht Frei eh OP?

Let’s bin off the ones that aren’t ‘highly skilled’ Hmm

longfingernails · 05/10/2018 22:15

Sinuhe I believe strongly in skills training. The money for it can come from cutting benefits etc.

At the same time we should actively seek out the best migrants from around the world, especially those who have seen the horrors of socialism first hand and so will be naturally inclined towards free markets and enterprise.

I believe in zero unskilled migration, and unlimited high skilled migration.

OP posts:
Caselgarcia · 05/10/2018 22:15

Surely we should be encouraging change of government in their own country first. I'm sure they would prefer to stay in their own country.

NoLeslie · 05/10/2018 22:16

I believe in treating other people how I'd like to be treated myself. Hth.

Benandhollysmum · 05/10/2018 22:17

We’ve enough here thanks.
THis whole take everyone in, where they going to live? Chuck out low skilled Brits who fall behind on rent to accomdate foreigners? Oh we do that already

longfingernails · 05/10/2018 22:17

7salmonswimming MrsOliphant Brazil and Colombia can adequately help the victims of Maduro, I'm sure.

We can and should ensure the very best people from around the world come to Britain. This is an opportunity.

OP posts:
MsOliphant · 05/10/2018 22:18

Zero unskilled migration would mean a shortage of people to pick up the shit off our streets or clean in our hospitals, so that is ridiculous.

DayManChampionOfTheSun · 05/10/2018 22:18

Oh yes, let's just cut benefits eh? From your op, I imagine the disability one can go first as they may not be as 'highly skilled'.

MsOliphant · 05/10/2018 22:19

What makes you so sure they’d want to come here? Or do you think they’d just be grateful, as refugees?

ArrivisteRevolt · 05/10/2018 22:19

OP, the people on this thread need to get real.

We have a serious skills shortage in the UK and if there are people with those skills leaving Venezuela and looking for a home it would be great if those skilled potential NHS workers came here. Clearly, we cannot rehouse all of Venezuela Hmm

OlennasWimple · 05/10/2018 22:23

All refugees in need of protection from persecution should be given shelter and support whilst it is necessary. Skilled refugees should be able to work, and we should smooth the path for them to be able to use their skills as soon as possible

All highly skilled migrants who have the skills that the UK needs should be able to get the visas for which they qualify

I am deeply unhappy about the idea of sifting through refugees and asylum seekers and giving preferential treatment to those seemed to have the skills we need.

And go and read about "brain drain" to see the damage that approach can do to the re-building of a country in the longer term

longfingernails · 05/10/2018 22:25

DayManChampionOfTheSun No, I don't mean disability benefits. I mean unemployment benefit, tax credits, and similar.

I think we should also scrap the triple-lock on pensions; it's not sustainable. Whilst it was a decent electoral bribe for a while, pensioners aren't exactly going to vote in their droves for Corbyn.

OP posts:
Benandhollysmum · 05/10/2018 22:28

But look at all those brain surgeons and doctor refugees that’s come to uk already...
Haha 😂
Don’t be delusional, if you wanna feed the world prepare to starve yourself doing so, the uk is a small island it can’t take everyone

longfingernails · 05/10/2018 22:32

Benandhollysmum We should encourage unskilled emigration by imposing greater conditionality on spousal and family privileges, having higher minimum income thresholds to remain resident. We should also do a far better job of kicking out illegals.

However we should do everything we can to attract people who will innovate, earn well, build businesses, and bring jobs and prosperity.

OP posts:
7salmonswimming · 05/10/2018 22:36

What are your skills, OP?

Your opinions are toxic waste. Hopefully you stay put in the UK. Don't go around polluting the rest of the world with your ideas. Yuck.

Benandhollysmum · 05/10/2018 22:37

We, Who is we?

Tell me I ask this question to all liberals..

How many you taking in to feed and clothe?

Await for an answer or deflection

MsOliphant · 05/10/2018 22:41

Oh my god you’re like my stepmum, Benand. Vile woman. Ingests the Daily Mail and just spews it out at various intervals, cannot form an intelligent balanced argument when challenged, though.

Funnily enough she’s not known much hardship and lives in an area where she’s very unlikely to come across a foreign immigrant.

JamPasty · 05/10/2018 22:42

the very best people from around the world come to Britain

thank fuck not everyone defines "best" people as just the highly skilled ones. I can think of a lot of unskilled people I'd rather have in this country than skilled ones with attitudes like yours

Benandhollysmum · 05/10/2018 22:46

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Sinuhe · 05/10/2018 22:47

Why do you want to cut benefits? Most people who receive them are actually in need of them.
So in the near future at the benefits office: "....I see you are 35 years old, a single parent ... oh you only ever worked in low skills jobs... NEXT! "

longfingernails · 05/10/2018 22:48

Benandhollysmum I agree that widespread low to mid skilled migration has had an awful effect. Blair has a lot to answer for in this regard.

As I said, we should do everything we can to discourage such people from coming to Britain, and changing the incentives to encourage those already here to leave, as well as massively ramping up efforts to identify and deport illegals.

However there are some uniquely talented people in the world, with a wealth of experience, talent and drive. Any such people should be welcome in this country. Our asylum system should work in concert with that objective.

Oh - and by 'we', I mean the people of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. I think most of them (excluding the MN bubble) would agree with my ideas - clamp down on bad immigration, encourage good immigration.

OP posts: