₦airaland Forum

The United Kingdom Thursday said it will ‘significantly’ increase visa fees and immigration health surcharge (IHS) to help fund pay increases in its public sector.

“First we are going to increase the charges that we have for migrants who are coming to this country when they apply for visas and indeed something called the immigration health surcharge which is the levy that they pay to access the NHS,” UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said at a press conference.

He said if the government is to prioritise paying public sector workers more, the money had to come from somewhere else because he is not prepared to increase people’s taxes and does not think it would be responsible or right to borrow more as it would only worsen inflation.

“All of those fees are going to go up and that will raise over a billion pounds. Across the board visa application fees are going to go up significantly and similarly for the immigration health surcharge for migrants who are coming to this country legally…,” Mr Sunak added.

He noted that it is the appropriate thing to do as neither of these fees has been increased in recent times even as general costs have continued to increase, adding that it is a significant contribution to helping the government pay public sector workers.

Public sector workers in the UK including teachers and health workers have recently embarked on strikes demanding a pay increase. Accepting the recommendation of the independent pay review body, the government has now agreed to a pay increase of between five and seven per cent.

This pay increase will be funded by foreigners coming to the UK through increased visa fees and health surcharges, the prime minister said.

The surcharge is currently £470 per year for students and those on Youth Mobility Scheme visas and £624 per year for all other visa and immigration applications. The same amount must be paid for any dependents.

Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/foreign/world-foreign/609796-uk-to-increase-visa-fees-health-charges-for-migrants.html

UK visa application fees are about to increase “significantly,” says PM Rishi Sunakpic.twitter.com/2FUT430oqg

— Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) July 13, 2023

Ghenghen

This is bad

The UK has definitely run out of ideas on how to improve their earnings. That's why they are turning to taxing immigrants.

By the way, I was just studying how countries around the world tax their people. I realise that the UK should be the highest in the world.

Honestly, I hail Nigerians who live in the UK. How can someone cope in a country where you can pay income tax of about 45% coming from a country where you pay peanuts in taxes?

In summary

Everyone siddon for your country and build it

I thought they wanted to stop immigrants from coming in?

So if they stop the migrants, how would they see funds to implement increase in health workers salary?

It seems they aren’t serious.

...to help fund pay increases in its public sector.

Broke ass JewK.

This is like pimping your daughter so you can eat.

ODUBEZE:
I don't know what people are looking for in UK oooooo

Very soon, reasonable people will start blacklisting them

I looked for professional development in the UK and I got it.

Lol Wahala for people wey still dey see UK as option of Japa....

SmartPolician:
The UK has definitely run out of ideas on how to improve their earnings. That's why they are turning to taxing immigrants.

By the way, I was just studying how countries around the world tax their people. I realise that the UK should be the highest in the world.

Honestly, I hail Nigerians who live in the UK. How can someone cope in a country where you can pay income tax of about 45% coming from a country where you pay peanuts in taxes?

You only pay more tax if you earn above a threshold.

And even with the taxes, the country is still 100000000 times better than naija.

SmartPolician:
The UK has definitely run out of ideas on how to improve their earnings. That's why they are turning to taxing immigrants.

By the way, I was just studying how countries around the world tax their people. I realise that the UK should be the highest in the world.

Honestly, I hail Nigerians who live in the UK. How can someone cope in a country where you can pay income tax of about 45% coming from a country where you pay peanuts in taxes?

as long as most residents see what the money is been spent on,they would continue to pay it with happiness. The NHS alone is enough justification.

Mindlog:
I looked for professional development in the UK and I got it.

Good for you

The ppl immigrants and natives are seeing the good effects of their taxes.

It's good, let's us stay back and put our country in order

Nigerians inclusive.

Infact, Nigerians especially

This increase here and there is just a matter of fact that if you have money it will not affect you even if you are in your country, you have money then you don't have problem yeah that is just the real deal.

I'm pretty sure Nigerians will start avoiding the UK, at least those for MSc.
the incentives for them are already wiped off. higher cost equivalent in naira, no dependent, increased visa cost and insurance.
why will anybody be willing to waste £45k for a masters degree in the UK when there are good alternatives like SE Asia, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Canada?

A win for the common man.

Make the globe trotting political elites sit their ass up and do the needful

We will still survive, God no go shame us.

Do you blame them, we all desire to migrate to the UK, the day I went to the IOM office in Abuja to run my TB test really pity for Nigeria as a country.

I was more curious about the number of candidates that came for their Test as well, I was given tag 41 waiting for my turn the number then was up to 80+ and still counting before I was called to enter another room. Still, people were coming in.
Mind you these were on the UK candidates, the Canadas, Australians, etc have their buildings separate.

IOM still has an office in Lagos as well I don't know the number of applicants there but I believe it will amount to a reasonable figure.

A test in an IOM center for adults costs over 57,800 per candidate. Statistically, IOM makes an average of 9-10 million naira every day for TB scan alone. With that figure in my head, I can only weep for this country.

Another one that pains me so much is the IELTS exam, why subject Nigerians to an English proficiency test, an MSc applicant from Nigeria has over 16years if not more in his/her study life, using English as a mode of instruction, all these are avenues to remit money back to their countries I guess.

Nigerians spend so much money just to travel out but do I blame them fix this country and all this queuing in Embassy will reduce drastically.

You-Kay is just making money off Nigeria's predicament despite the fact that it's one of the most terrible places to relocate to currently

Chai..

Though Nigerians are not specifically targeted here.

Definitely, we can survive well.

The lord is on our side, the bookie will fill the balance.

Let's gatherer and take our share.

https://www.nairaland.com/7742016/high-stakes-lets-play-hopefully

Ok, noted.

GOOD FOR THEM,
EVERY COUNTRY IS TRYING TO DO ANYTHING TO HELP AND TO FAVOUR THEIR CITIZENS AND TO IMPROVE THEIR WELLBEING.


SO I DON'T BLAME THEM,
UNLIKE OUR COUNTRY NIGERIA, OUR LEADERS ARE MAKING NIGERIANS TO SUFFER MORE.

EVIL NIGERIA LEADERS.




RECENTLY,I DON'T REALLY LIKE TRAVELING TO U.K FREQUENTLY ON LIKE BEFORE.






JESUS IS THE ONLY SAVIOUR


WEALTH IS GOO.

Okay
This is kinda bad

I will stay put in my dear native land and make it here come what may. Sad that some people fixated on japa will make their money here and go and get fleeced in the quest of obtaining a visa.