U.K. introduces English test for immigrants

[IndigoSkies 168]

At least you acknowledge there is no right to immigrate. So what if any country wants to set the bar high for people to immigrate? It's their country. You meet the requirements or you don't immigrate. I don't see this as being inhumane. This guy can go home if he wants to marry this woman or he can pay for her to learn English over in Pakistan.

We all understand that a sovereign country can set whatever rule it wants for immigrations. But the humanist in me is dismayed. Let's say a couple live in UK. They're originally from Pakistan. They send money to their old mother in an village. But now that the mother has become 71 years old, they think it would be best to bring her to UK so they can care for her. But they cannot bring her here anymore. No matter how much money you throw at it, you can't teach a 71 years old lady a new language, especially one that's as complex as English. Therefore this is an inhumane rule. To keep husband and wife apart is also inhumane, IMO.

I'm all for restricting immigration when deemed necessary. But think of all the families that are going to break up or drift apart. If that doesn't sting your heart even a little bit, I'm sorry for you as you are dead inside.

Knowing the level headed people in UK, I'm sure they will have many exception to the rule.

[KaiserD 12]

Forget English, she can't even write Urdo. How's she going to learn English to come to UK? She can't.

Then imagine how isolated such a person is going to be once they arrive and the only person they can communicate with is their husband/wife and any other immigrants/people that speak the language. What if the husband works and the wife is at home and someone important knocks at the door (like they need to cut the water off because a pipe line is broken or something). What if she's having a baby, going into labour and she's on her own?

It's not even right to dump someone from a foreign country with no means to look after themselves, the English speaking spouse/family member can't be with them 24/7 unless they don't work at all.

If someone can't read/write their language, how are they going to fill in the forms?

If it is only the most basic words, tapes/written literature should do just fine, as long as they don't ask for Shakespeare.

So, would this class as an epic fail?

Maybe that's why there's hardly any signs in Cornish any more For the whole 10 people who speak it! lol

[mawilson 2,133]

This is a stupid rule, IMO. They should make it a requirement once you enter the UK to be enrolled in English class. I'm just imagining the reality here. Say a Pakistani man lives in UK for ages but he married in Pakistan a poor woman. Forget English, she can't even write Urdo. How's she going to learn English to come to UK? She can't. So this perfectly fine wedding is going to break apart. Nice going UK for enacting a law that makes no sense. Why don't they just come out and say they don't immigrants anymore. I mean UK doesn't have to allow immigrants. Why go about this in a inhumane and rather dubious way?

They *are* saying it, except the message is, "we don't want illiterate immigrants."

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

We all understand that a sovereign country can set whatever rule it wants for immigrations. But the humanist in me is dismayed. Let's say a couple live in UK. They're originally from Pakistan. They send money to their old mother in an village. But now that the mother has become 71 years old, they think it would be best to bring her to UK so they can care for her. But they cannot bring her here anymore. No matter how much money you throw at it, you can't teach a 71 years old lady a new language, especially one that's as complex as English. Therefore this is an inhumane rule. To keep husband and wife apart is also inhumane, IMO.

I'm all for restricting immigration when deemed necessary. But think of all the families that are going to break up or drift apart. If that doesn't sting your heart even a little bit, I'm sorry for you as you are dead inside.

Knowing the level headed people in UK, I'm sure they will have many exception to the rule.

I think you underestimate 71 year olds. That being said I too am on the fence on this. I like the idea, but think they should have the opportunity to learn it in the UK if they need to. Kaiser, or someone mentioned this but I can't find it anywhere.

[sachinky 464]

Makes perfect sense.

I wouldn't immigrate to Germany unless I was able to construct a few basic sentences in German.

I do think 65 year grandmothers should be exempt from this rule but it is NOT 'inhumane' to expect the younger immigrants -- spouses/siblings/children -- to know the language of the land they are now going to become residents of, and perhaps, even citizens in the future.

I ran into a young Indian family (mom-dad-son-daughter) at O'Hare. They didn't speak A WORD of English. Not even enough to ask where terminal three was or where they could pick up their luggage from. They asked me (in Hindi) to help translate for them to the immigration official when their turn came to process the paperwork, so I did. But it made me wonder, how were they ever going to survive in the U.S.? Unless they planned to cling to their USC petitioner 24/7? It's one thing to speak broken English with a heavy accent but to be unable to construct even a simple sentence such as "Excuse me, where's the restroom?" is going make the new immigrant's life extremely difficult.

Edited June 10, 2010 by sachinky

[KaiserD 12]

like the idea, but think they should have the opportunity to learn it in the UK if they need to

I'm certain this is already available but it looks like it might be cut.

Now that is not a good idea.

It makes sense to have a really basic assistance/requirement, then something more substantial available once they arrive.

Love the new PA by the way, this is my favourite from the most recent. They've been making some great stuff lately, especially the Lookouts story.

[Heracles 417]

We all understand that a sovereign country can set whatever rule it wants for immigrations. But the humanist in me is dismayed. Let's say a couple live in UK. They're originally from Pakistan. They send money to their old mother in an village. But now that the mother has become 71 years old, they think it would be best to bring her to UK so they can care for her. But they cannot bring her here anymore. No matter how much money you throw at it, you can't teach a 71 years old lady a new language, especially one that's as complex as English. Therefore this is an inhumane rule. To keep husband and wife apart is also inhumane, IMO.

I'm all for restricting immigration when deemed necessary. But think of all the families that are going to break up or drift apart. If that doesn't sting your heart even a little bit, I'm sorry for you as you are dead inside.

Knowing the level headed people in UK, I'm sure they will have many exception to the rule.

There is obviously going to be some sort of exemption to this. For anyone under 40, this is an excellent requirement. Australia actually has a cultural test on top of this. An immigrant must study what Australia is all about and what is the underlying culture, including things like national sport, prior to being granted PR and so on. I think there is absolutely nothing wrong with that and it also prevents a lot of the problems Europe is now having. That is, it minimizes culture shock. The worst thing you can do is simply allow people to enter willy-nilly and not explain what the foundation of the country is all about, like equality, law and order etc.

[Darnell 8,478]

This is a stupid rule, IMO. They should make it a requirement once you enter the UK to be enrolled in English class. I'm just imagining the reality here. Say a Pakistani man lives in UK for ages but he married in Pakistan a poor woman. Forget English, she can't even write Urdo. How's she going to learn English to come to UK? She can't. So this perfectly fine wedding is going to break apart. Nice going UK for enacting a law that makes no sense. Why don't they just come out and say they don't immigrants anymore. I mean UK doesn't have to allow immigrants. Why go about this in a inhumane and rather dubious way?

It's not immediate testing at the border, or even before she crosses.

That spouse will have SOME YEARS to handle all - at least 2 years living IN the UK, to 'study up' and pass the exam. Expect a rush of Pakistani-in-UK private training classes to start up, you betcha - to handle this exact situation that you've described.

Edited June 10, 2010 by Darnell

[Krikit 1,163]

Baiting post removed and post quoting it. Original text returned below. Any further baiting will result in administrative action being taken.

Have been chastised once in past 24 hours. Won't rise to bait.

My application for a spousal visa in 1996 at the British Consulate in New York went something like this:

Vice-Consul: "Well Mr Smith, it looks like I was at school with your father and my son was at your college at Oxford, so we're all chaps here. Does your new bride have her CV?"

(girlish giggle from me)

VC: "Well, this looks fine, Mrs Smith. Top school for you too! Have you filled in your application? Good. Now you two go have a slap up lunch and come back in two hours and the visa will be waiting for you."

The longest bit of the visa process was taking the train down to the city from Connecticut and back. Those were the days.