Ask an Immigrant thread

mbga9pgf

Do you eat babies?

Do you agree that british people are overpaid, lazy layabouts that dont know how good they have it?

Do you read the daily mail or the Express?

Do you think immigrants should work here for at least 5 years before being eligible for state support in any form (including health care) like many other nations?

Do you think we are a 'soft touch' on the 'wrong sort' of immigrant, and if so, how can we improve things?

Do you think Islam has a place in the UKs legal framework or should we tell the Imams to F*ck off home?

Wookster

ringo_24601 wrote: »

So... why move here? (edit: I mean settle, rather than the original reason for coming over)

I came over here to work and travel - my plan was to work for a year and then go motorcycling around Europe. I lucked out workwise and the company I joined IPO'd 3 months after I started and I was offered a permanent job which in hindsight I'm glad I took seeing how Zimbabwe (my birth country) has fallen apart.

Do I call Britain my home? No. I don't think I have one now and think I am more of a transient type who will move globally (within certain constraints, mainly around my partner) to better my opportunities.

mbga9pgf

wookie, I didnt know you were a rhodecian. I have friends from Zim, I really regret our countries reluctance to go over there and sort them all out. Absolute tragedy.

No_Future

I'll keep reading, good idea for thread OP.

bo_drinker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEr92PtR_6Q

Wookster

mbga9pgf wrote: »

wookie, I didnt know you were a rhodecian. I have friends from Zim, I really regret our countries reluctance to go over there and sort them all out. Absolute tragedy.

Its all very sad how things have turned out though I think it would be almost impossible for the UK (or any Western country) to intervene more directly as Mugabe would simply accuse them of recolonisation.

He has played a murderous but canny game.

penguine

I'm from the US. I immigrated to the UK because my OH is British and my job was more transferrable than his. I have never claimed benefits and we have no debts apart from our mortgage. I don't know how much I've paid the govt in taxes but they lost a year's worth of taxes from me by taking that long (through sheer incompetence in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate) to process my leave to remain so that I could start working.

I have dual citizenship now and don't plan to emigrate again. The economy is pretty messed up here but I still think Britain is a great place to live.

obsessed_saver

Wookster wrote: »

Do I call Britain my home? No. I don't think I have one now and think I am more of a transient type who will move globally (within certain constraints, mainly around my partner) to better my opportunities.

I really feel for you Wookster. I can imagine "losing" your birth country is very traumatic.

I came to this country to study in 1997, paying about £10k per year just on university fees. While doing my MSc, I put my CV up on a job website just for fun and got called for an interview and have held a job continously since.

Besides what I get paid from my job, I have not received a single penny from anything (besides interest from my savings) and I don't expect anything to be given to me.

I pay my taxes, and the rent, and the bills.

NHS service is appaling, but luckily I have BUPA private health insurance via my job which I have used to get my knee sorted a few years ago.

I do enjoy life here. The culture, the environment, the people. I have many friends here now - some British, but a large majority are immigrants (some Australians, some French, some Germans, some Italians, some Malaysians).

Do I call Britain home? Unfortunately, no. Some how, I never quite fully settled here even though I've been here for such a long time.

I'm planning to move back to Malaysia soon (within a year) so I can be with my family and old friends again. (And the food!)

nm1213

1. Are you and your family hard working? At least as, and preferably exceeding, the hard work output of a hard working, non benefit claiming family in a Labour constituency.

A - Define working hard? Let's put it this way. I've worked in Canada, and Canadians in general work harder than their U.K./European counterparts. Flip side is that there is no balance between work and life.

2. Have you taken our jobs?
A - Nope, the government made sure of this. It is one of their criteria before letting me in.

3. Have you stolen our women?
A - Nope, brought mine with me.

4 - Why England? I was born here and think its a dump, why not somewhere sunny and nice and pretty (say like a small Greek island).
A - Opportunity really. Got a chance to come out here and work, so why not. Life gives you opportunities once in a while and it would be a shame to turn them down.

5. Do you eat babies?

A - Not yet, but I'll eat pretty much everything.

6. Do you agree that british people are overpaid, lazy layabouts that dont know how good they have it?

A - Can't generalize like this. People of all places can be lazy and don't know how good they have it. I say, let them be, more opportunity for those who love challenges in life.

7. Do you read the daily mail or the Express?

A - No.

8 - Do you think immigrants should work here for at least 5 years before being eligible for state support in any form (including health care) like many other nations?

A - Yes, I do agree, and that is pretty much the way it is right now. I have no recourse to public funds (even says this on my visa). I came here on my own steam, fully expecting to support myself while here. I have no problem with this at all.

9 - Do you think we are a 'soft touch' on the 'wrong sort' of immigrant, and if so, how can we improve things?

A - Yes absolutely. I've worked damn hard to overcome the challenges of moving continents and settling in a place I now call home. I've had to jump through a lot of hoops, and legal immigration is very expensive... and there are many restrictions. Yet, say you go to a place like Brick Lane or Southall... you meet many wonderful people. Sometimes I can't help but wonder how some of them managed to get into the country, knowing just how hard it is to do this legally.

10. Do you think Islam has a place in the UKs legal framework or should we tell the Imams to F*ck off home?

A - I find it very remarkable just how much tolerance British society has towards other cultures, especially when trying to understand extremist sects. I've lived in many countries and have always followed one rule. When in Rome... I always embrace the culture, food, politics, etc. If for example Britian was attacked today, and an open call went out for military duty, I'd volunteer.

ruggedtoast

penguine wrote: »

I'm from the US. I immigrated to the UK because my OH is British and my job was more transferrable than his. I have never claimed benefits and we have no debts apart from our mortgage. I don't know how much I've paid the govt in taxes but they lost a year's worth of taxes from me by taking that long (through sheer incompetence in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate) to process my leave to remain so that I could start working.

I have dual citizenship now and don't plan to emigrate again. The economy is pretty messed up here but I still think Britain is a great place to live.

As an indigenous Brit the immigrants I find the most suspicious are those that are enjoying living here.

They're clearly not doing it properly.