Do you think the new £38K income visa threshold for UK spouse visas is fair?

[zendeveloper]

It is set at the same level as for work visas.

Feels completely crazy to me, but then, I am also an immigrant (although the changes don't affect me), so probably too sensitive to the topic. Would be interesting to hear MN opinion.

No. It's judged by the fixed salary in employment contract. Overtime and extra bits of waitressing work and selling stuff on ebay to get some extra cash don't count.

This law doesn't just punish immigrants, you do realise It punishes English and N Irish and Scottish and Welsh men and women who have married foreign wives and husbands. It punishes their British children. It punishes their extended families in Britain who don't get to have these beloved members of their family live and work here.

These threads highlight the ignorance around immigration.

You listen to the government spewing falsehoods, making out the system isn’t punitive enough and wonder how they even think such nonsense will wash… Then you come to MN or listen a radio show and realise there is a genuine audience for their foolery ☹️.

I think I may have to divorce dh and marry dd's bf to get him in the country! 😂

I guess it goes on the law of averages. So you may never have used it but the next immigrant uses it lots. Or you get hit by a bus next week and have a month in ICU? I agree it seems unfair though on a personal level and many people will pay a lot and never use it.

Perhaps the government could fund it properly, instead of pretending we (immigrants) are the reason it is on its knees? In reality, it's a lot easier to blame immigrants as the reason for a failing NHS than point out the obvious: an ageing population, not enough funding, and not enough workers.

According to statista.com, the only region in which people earn more than the increased financial threshold is London. How does it make sense? This is simply wrong and I think it's borderline discrimination and human right issue.

Yes, definitely, that too.

I probably should’ve made it clearer that my post refers to the immigrants who come, leaving their family behind and intend to bring them over at some point. They’ll be free to, and are usually found working every hour they can to facilitate that or to send money back home to finance them.

With their family left behind, they’re usually free of caring responsibilities, so have more freedom.

Some with caring responsibilities often attach themselves to community support (their village of neighbours/fellow immigrants/church community or extended family) so they share childcare, again facilitating the 70hrs work need.

For those who can’t / don’t have a support network, this will be even more punitive, as you’re unable to upskill or work double hours. What do you do- 🤷🏽‍♀️. It is shit.

My wife got a work visa, because it was much easier (far less documentation needed). If the spouse works, they can do the same. And if not then surely some kind of minimum salary is reasonable such they can pay for the cost of them living here?

which is why both professions are exempt from the threshold presumably.

You know, there is so much about this that pisses me off. Particularly the attitudes of people in these threads who have been lucky enough to fall on their feet in their lives and so never have to worry about money.

The rules also penalise people based on where they live in the country. I live in one of the most expensive counties that pays the crappiest wages.

It’s also so short sighted. My longer term prospects are great, and my foreign partner is almost qualified in a trade in his country, which will mean a decent salary when he comes here. If he comes here, at this rate. But by the time we have reached that point, or saved enough money, we probably won’t be able to have children.

The other stupid thing is that so many of the jobs listed for the work visa don’t have a hope in hell of meeting the financial requirement. Are we supposed to just ignore than we need cleaners and bin men and retail workers and bus drivers to keep our country going? Those are important jobs that need doing and yet people on this thread are saying people who don’t earn 38k are making poor lifestyle choices. What do you think your nail tech, coffee server or house cleaner is on? It’s not 38k. They’re good enough to help you maintain your lifestyle but apparently not good enough to fall in love with whom they choose.

The attitudes of people here are sick. We aren’t talking about independent foreign workers coming over, we are talking about British nationals being told they should not love who they love.

But they won’t be able to bring their spouses/kids.

Oh yes this times a million!

Quite. But why should the bigots let the annoying facts get in the way of their prejudice and self righteous indignation!

Yes, but now they can no longer blame the EU for everything, they need another scapegoat. Surely you don't actually expect them to take any real responsibility for the state of the country and our public services after 13 years in power?

So you were talking about where you “live” when in fact you were talking about people you know. Minimum wage is going up to nearly £24k next year for a 40 hour week.

Which is still significantly less than £37,800.

Yes, you’re right but we shouldn’t be importing people to work on minimum wage. I have shared the median incomes on here as have others.

This is the problem. People say they want less, but then object to whichever category is targeted. The reality is the boat people are a tiny fraction - so to make real changes means stopping people coming who we currently need to do jobs British people refuser to do. Which means collapsing entire sectors such as care homes.

Importing people to work on minimum wage? This thread is about spouses. I think it's abhorrent to put a price (a largely unachievable one st that) on the right to family life in your own country.

Minimum wage cannot support a family.
And just above median income is not unachievable.

It doesn't need to support a family. It's a spouse visa. It needs to support a single additional adult. If you want to start means testing having a family I'd suggest you start with those who actually have recourse to public funds.

Well a couple are likely to want to have a family. The amount needs to reflect this.

But they are not stopping you having a family life. You are stopping yourself.

You could train for a better job, work more hours, marry someone who already has the right to live in the same country, marry someone who’s firstly here on a work visa in their own right then apply to change visas with their income calculated, You could go to their country where often they may wish to reside with their partner surely. Hell go to a completely new country together where there is no magical visa rules.

Technically nobody Has the right to live wherever they want. You have to meet which ever countries requirements be that marriage or working status or skill set. Some countries might have nicer or easier rules and some will be much harder to enter.

I mean on here the standard is can’t afford to live where you want tough shit earn more or move cheaper else where as you don’t have the right to live in that one area. Migration is no different.