Could You Migrate To The Country You Live In?

The majority of you reading this will be from the U.S.A., the U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Have you checked your own country's immigration rules?

If you were born outside of the country you now live in without question, would you pass the immigration rules?

I live in Australia. I doubt I would "honestly" be able to come to Australia to live and start a new life, if I was not born here.

I have studied the migration rules of the USA, UK, Canada and Australia. And while there are some slight differences, all pretty well have the same policies.

I am too old to get a "work permit" so cannot arrive with a 12 month visa and set myself up as a resident that way. I honestly have no "exceptional" academic qualifications. I don't have one million dollars to invest in starting a business which will immediately employ at least ten people.

The only way I could migrate into Australia, UK, USA and Canada (not counting ancestory priveleges) would be to be offered a job by a company within that country. And the only way the immigration department of each respective country would accept my coming, would be if the company could prove that I would be bringing skills and abilities which could not already be found elsewhere in that country.

I live - and conduct business - in Australia. But by the Australian immigration standards, I am not a desirable person to come and live here.

For those who are interested to see whether you could pass your own country's immigration rules (not including ancestory), see the links below (some have online self-assessment tests)...

USA: http://www.immigration.gov & http://www.bcis.gov (Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services)
UK: http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/default.asp (Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) - Home Office) &
Canada: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.html - (Citizenship and Immigration Canada)
Australia: http://www.immi.gov.au/ (Australian Immigration Department)

Michael Ross


No Immigration Necessary

What I am about to say should be tempered by the fact that I *am* a patriot.

I live in The UK and am a student of history. I have had family killed in wars for the 'freedoms' we now have.

A few years back I came across some local history where a whole Street of young men were killed in the second world war... its easy to forget

And you are right Michael there is now way in the UK I could "honestly" migrate here. Yet there are thousands that use the system and get in without skills or any intention to contribute. In fact they do the opposite... simply by manipulating the system (please note I did not say all)

The UK is also probably the most taxed country in the Western World. 40% of income after £30,000, and 17.5% on goods we buy, we pay nearly £3.50 ($5.50 US) for a gallon of petrol (so 80% tax goes to the Government in tax), we pay another 10% National Insurance which fails to provide an anywhere decent pension and attempts to fund a public health care service with waiting lists so long they are inhuman (so we have to pay privately on top of this to protect our families)

It goes on... we have to pay domestic and business rates and collect VAT on behalf of the Government which is a constant battle of red tape and injustice

Despite all this taxation our transport system is grinding to a standstill... it usually takes me two hours to get home to Birmingham from Stoke... a journey of only 50 miles whether by road or train

But if I had a choice and wanted to emigrate... would it be to the UK? I don't think so.

We have seemed to make the things every decent person strives (and pays their taxes) sub standard or difficult to achieve

Having said all that me and my family have a high standard of living and my kids have had an excellent education. We live safely and are generally happy.

My own sanity is kept by the challenges of being an entrepreneur.... despite the red tape and incessant challenges that should not have to be there. At least I am in a society where that is a possibility.

But we really make it so much more difficult for ourselves... and I often wonder about the 'freedoms' people fought for.

But is the grass greener anywhere else?

Thanks for letting me have my mini rant

Take care,
Andy




Mining Local Gold

Mexico or Canada.