Job Discussion Forums

[scot47]

I know a number of UK TEFLers who have been trapped by legislative changes. If your spouse is non-EU there are in come/capital requirements for bringing him/her back to UK

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Spouse_Immigration-UK

[Teacher in Rome]

One way this could be worse - by restricting re-entry to any Brit who can't demonstrate an income of £18,600 p.a. Given the woeful state of EFL wages in the UK, the majority of British EFL teachers would find themselves permanent expats...

[Hod]

There is a loophole which will work well with TEFLers.

Only the UK has this minimum salary requirement. Not only this, but the application process involves very heavy and long-winded paperwork for which you pay over £800.

The rest of the EU, though, is far easier. Once there, you can "exercise the economic Treaty right was so that you could come back to the UK with your family members under EC law". You obviously can't spend a weekend in Paris before doing this. You need to have been resident and earning a nominal amount in the other EU country for a "reasonable" time.

After this, there will be no application fee to bring your non-EU spouse to the UK, the paperwork to do so will be minimal in comparison, there is no minimum salary requirement and your spouse will have a full working visa.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surinder_Singh_route

The UK Border Agency are not happy about this, and so choose not to publicise it on their website, but they cannot prevent anyone relocating to the UK under the Surinder Singh Route. It worked for me and took about six weeks.

[scot47]

Surinder Singh is a good example of how EU membership can actually improve life for many - despite the rants in the jingoistic tabloid press. It is surprising how many affected are still unaware of the changes in Nationality Law. many still assume that marriage confers citizenship ! (As it did in the old days.)

[fat_chris]