Tuesday, November 4, 2008

BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION INTRODUCES NEW LAWS


The British High Commissioner in Ghana Nicolas Westcott has announced the commission’s plans of introducing new law when applying for a visa to the United Kingdom. Our aim is to make getting of visa as easy as possible for anyone with legitimate reasons to travel to the U.K. “We also want to make it as clear as possible who we regard as having a legitimate reason and therefore to avoid people wasting their money and experiencing the disappointment of having refused visas”. He disclosed this in a workshop on migration: Challenges and solutions at the British Council in Accra. He said the new rule will be introduced in the form of a Point Based System (PBS) for travelers to U.K who wish to come for work or study. Visas for short term visitors and those applying for permanent settlement are not included and will continue to be dealt with as now, he said.
Mr. Westcott further stated that, the point based system will be consolidated into five tiers over eighty existing routes to work and study in U.K.The first tier will be for highly skilled migrants and this was introduced in U.K February this year and was rolled to India in April and finally world wide in June the same year. He added that, the 2nd and 5th tiers will encompass the skilled and temporary workers and this is scheduled for a global rollout in November. Tier 4 covers students and is scheduled to be rolled out for spring next year. The tier 3 which is for low skilled workers he said was currently on hold. He reiterated that applicants will earn points for their qualification, previous earnings, competence in English language and ability to support themselves and their independents. “They can calculate before they make their application whether or not” if they meet the requirement, they will be granted a visa for 3years not the existing two. The Commissioner also highlighted on his outfits fight against illicit drug trafficking through the “Westbridge Project” and also talked of plans of signing agreement with Ghana government to allow prisoners serve their terms in their respective countries. In a statement by Ms Johanna Awotwi a legal practitioner of the Migration Information Bureau (MIB) of the Ghana Immigration Service, said between the year 2000 and 2008, about 22,527 people have been deported or repatriated from Spain Italy U.S and China. She said her outfit was committed to cubbing irregular migration and promoting legal migration through effective public education among others.

BY; MICHAEL FATHER AMEDOR

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