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14 February 2012 – 20 February 2012
Issue 450
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£31K: DON'T PANIC, YET Experts say proposed income restriction likely to be revised - but immigration crackdown imminent
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by HEATHER WALKER proposal by UK Immigration Minister Damian Green that suggests non-EU migrants earning less than 31k after five years will not be welcome to stay has made many South Africans extremely concerned and confused. We contacted some immigration experts to find out the real implications of this proposal. How likely is it that such a restriction will come into force? According to Catherine Maclay of Platt & Associates, “The UK government is quite serious about sticking to its election promises to reduce net migration. The government has tasked the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) with researching labour market trends and needs as well as the country’s economic requirements, to design a more ‘selective’ system of immigration, especially permanent migration to the UK. However, she said it was important to remember that these recent announcements are about proposed changes to the immigration rules. “They aren’t in the immigration rules as yet and until such time as changes to the immigration rules are made, these remain proposed changes. Any changes to the rules which may be made in coming months may also be challenged on a number of legal grounds which should also be borne in mind.” Verity Marshall, acting manager of Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants, echoed Maclay’s
out images of the new notes on www.thesouthafrican.com/business Check
INSIDE:
SA POWER 100: Charles Barlow | p10
Renaissance Capital Managing Director, Head of Mergers & Acquisitions (New Markets), on what it’s like being part of the high stakes world of mergers and acquisitions.
What you can do with rights l p4 MANDELA SENDS RAND INTO TAILSPIN: President Jacob Zuma displays the first new R50 note bearing the image of Nelson Mandela. On Friday the news that Zuma would announce something of “national importance” with Reserve Bank Governor Gill Marcus and Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan on Saturday, sparked fears of major policy or personnel changes and a flurry of nervous selling ensued. However, the revelation turned out to be that Mandela’s image would soon appear on all bank notes. Image: BuaNews
view. “The key thing to bear in mind is that this 31k income threshold is just a proposal, and has to go through much consultation before being passed into law. Chances are that it will be heavily fought against in the courts should it go ahead.” Marshall added that she thought the plan was unfeasible as it ruled out
people doing essential work who are on a lower salary than 31k. Is 31k a blanket figure or will exceptions be made? Laura Pinto, UK casework manager at 1st Contact believes it’s quite likely the government will implement an income threshold but it may not be as high as 31k. “The Migration Advisory
Committee (MAC) report puts through a number of suggested figures – 31k is on the higher end. It’s also likely, according to the report, that if you’re married, your spouse’s income will also be taken into account and may mean your required income threshold will be lower,” Pinto said. continued on page 3...
On his recent visit to London, Justice Edwin Cameron, Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, shared his optimism on the state of human rights in SA.
Upstairs with Aletia | p8 Aletia Upstairs, a Londonbased SA-born cabaretist and singer-songwriter of jazz and chanson, performs her intriguing new show, In These Shoes, on 23 February.