₦airaland Forum

justwise:
The church encouraged her, provide a cover for her, link her up with under table jobs and a lot more but ultimately it was her decision to go along with such thing.

Goke7:
. I still have a pending application in the US and even with Trump am not expecting anything. My wife is also seeking teacher licenses in some Canadian provinces to explore opportunities there and once it clicks we are out.

Goke7:
Bro, as I said earlier, the signs were all there, and getting a COS was never a guarantee of anything. I had it, and it vanished into thin air. I feel people should be more open-minded and be ready to either return to Nigeria or move elsewhere! I even appreciate those who have made up their minds, despite any immigration circumstances, to return home someday!

HustlaOfLagos:
This...

I remember when this conversation several moons ago on this thread and people were saying the grass isn't greener etc. Some will even tell you that "Na because e easy for you advice full your mouth" which does not even make sense

My friend that entered Canada after me is due for his passport next year while I am still waiting for new policies and how it will affect me. Even with the PR and citizenship enroute, he is still looking at EB1A so he can tap into the business opportunities in the US

Fortune favours the brave and those who prepare for contingencies or have alternate plans. It is not easy, but nothing good comes easy at the end of the day

Goke7:
Bro, as I said earlier, the signs were all there, and getting a COS was never a guarantee of anything. I had it, and it vanished into thin air. I feel people should be more open-minded and be ready to either return to Nigeria or move elsewhere! I even appreciate those who have made up their minds, despite any immigration circumstances, to return home someday! So the excuse of getting caught off-guard doesn't hold much, I knew how some folks discouraged me from coming into this country initially, and these inconsistency in UK immigration policies were their major reason, so it's not something that started today, that is how the UK has been programmed to always rise against non-British according to their moodswings, the Europeans were chased away, the windrush generation had their own share, and these were folks that were more intergrated into the system compared to recent migrants. Everyone ought to be aware of this now and stop assuming things may be different.

Teedol:
Well said, IMO, an average Briton is a racisit and xenophobe, this is reflected in the government decisions over the years on employment and immigration policies.

"Data indicates the UK has high levels of anti-immigrant sentiment within Western Europe, with a documented rise in racist and xenophobic incidents, particularly surrounding the 2016 Brexit referendum and continuing into 2025. While not describing all citizens, this trend involves widespread anti-immigration attitudes, racial, and religious-based hate crimes (nearly 99,000 in 2023-2024), driven by political discourse, media, and far-right groups".

Teedol:
Well said, IMO, an average Briton is a racisit and xenophobe, this is reflected in the government decisions over the years on employment and immigration policies.

"Data indicates the UK has high levels of anti-immigrant sentiment within Western Europe, with a documented rise in racist and xenophobic incidents, particularly surrounding the 2016 Brexit referendum and continuing into 2025. While not describing all citizens, this trend involves widespread anti-immigration attitudes, racial, and religious-based hate crimes (nearly 99,000 in 2023-2024), driven by political discourse, media, and far-right groups".

Teedol:
Well said, IMO, an average Briton is a racisit and xenophobe, this is reflected in the government decisions over the years on employment and immigration policies.

"Data indicates the UK has high levels of anti-immigrant sentiment within Western Europe, with a documented rise in racist and xenophobic incidents, particularly surrounding the 2016 Brexit referendum and continuing into 2025. While not describing all citizens, this trend involves widespread anti-immigration attitudes, racial, and religious-based hate crimes (nearly 99,000 in 2023-2024), driven by political discourse, media, and far-right groups".

Goke7:
Even me I still feel foolish for not making smarter decisions I should have made earlier if I knew all I know today.

The best time to even take steps is when there’s no pressure or issue at all with your current status so you can have a clearer mind to strategise. Once you’re under pressure like have just few months left on your visa then the tide is already against you.

Anyone on healthcare visa already have experience and skills in demand in Australia, Canada or New Zealand and these countries keep adjusting their immigration policies to attract ready made labour from the uk. All the time folks are using to sign petitions here or attend meetings to protest new policies can be deployed to explore these countries and even age limits barriers are being removed depending on locations so what’s the fixation on the uk about? Some say it’s distance, moving families and all sorts of excuses I don’t understand that compared to the risk of losing status or being denied or delayed ilr at the end, does it worth it? Your full uk driving licence already makes you drive ready in Canada or Australia so me I don’t even understand sef! But what do I know but to siddon look!

Bukad:
Please can you share any hints on how to transfer these skills to Austrialia or NZ for work visas or PR?

HustlaOfLagos:
And she could not even marry for papers or try to change status within 8 years? Constant survival mode for 8 years makes 0 sense to me

Zahra29:
Unfortunately it's extremely difficult to regularise when one falls out of status. Even if she had a genuine marriage, Home Office would tell her to go back to her home country to make a spouse application unless it is virtually impossible to do so e.g. her home country is Gaza. They've also recently tightened the rules so that if she went back to apply, she would be subject to a re-entry ban for 1 year or more.

The only visa statuses she could change to in- country is the parent of a British or settled child, or under private life after she's lived in the UK continuously for 20 years. Both visas would put her on a 10 year route to settlement (with visa renewals every 2.5 years).

The government is now looking to add a penalty to increase this settlement route to up to 30 years (part of the earned settlement consultation) - which means that it could take her 50 years to settle from when she arrived in the UK. Hopefully these proposals are abandoned as it's crazily insane.

Wherever possible, overstaying should never be an option. It's not easy.

Goke7:
Even me I still feel foolish for not making smarter decisions I should have made earlier if I knew all I know today.

The best time to even take steps is when there’s no pressure or issue at all with your current status so you can have a clearer mind to strategise. Once you’re under pressure like have just few months left on your visa then the tide is already against you.

Anyone on healthcare visa already have experience and skills in demand in Australia, Canada or New Zealand and these countries keep adjusting their immigration policies to attract ready made labour from the uk. All the time folks are using to sign petitions here or attend meetings to protest new policies can be deployed to explore these countries and even age limits barriers are being removed depending on locations so what’s the fixation on the uk about? Some say it’s distance, moving families and all sorts of excuses I don’t understand that compared to the risk of losing status or being denied or delayed ilr at the end, does it worth it? Your full uk driving licence already makes you drive ready in Canada or Australia so me I don’t even understand sef! But what do I know but to siddon look!

Bukad:
Please can you share any hints on how to transfer these skills to Austrialia or NZ for work visas or PR?

Goke7:
Bro, as I said earlier, the signs were all there, and getting a COS was never a guarantee of anything. I had it, and it vanished into thin air. I feel people should be more open-minded and be ready to either return to Nigeria or move elsewhere! I even appreciate those who have made up their minds, despite any immigration circumstances, to return home someday! So the excuse of getting caught off-guard doesn't hold much, I knew how some folks discouraged me from coming into this country initially, and these inconsistency in UK immigration policies were their major reason, so it's not something that started today, that is how the UK has been programmed to always rise against non-British according to their moodswings, the Europeans were chased away, the windrush generation had their own share, and these were folks that were more intergrated into the system compared to recent migrants. Everyone ought to be aware of this now and stop assuming things may be different.

LionInZion:
It took this reply and re-reading your initial post to fully grasp the context of your message, sorry blame it on half booted brain as I was still in bed when I made that comment 😀

My comment must have been triggered by the first phrase of your post about lot of folks getting carried away...... which I misinterpreted to not planning or lack of awareness.

Though I'm not completely comfortable with the getting carried away phrasibg, in the end I guess we're on the same page that despite all efforts, returning will still be the only way out for many folks. It's the reality we found ourselves in, unfortunately.

Goke7:
Bro am not offended at all o am even ready anytime to explain myself cos I just feel too empathetic towards many in the uk and to see that despite all their hard work one policy can send everything down the drain, it’s from that perspective I express my concern and opinion as I feel people deserve better for all what they have invested in this country and if they can get a safe landing either back home or elsewhere I’ll encourage it anytime

Goke7:
A lot of folks were just carried away living in the uk on visas, all the signs were there, historical facts were there but somehow folks just continue to hope and wish for miracles. The uk system is an unforgiving system and brutal with no mercy, as long as you’re on a visa even if it’s a work visa you got to have a contingency plan and anticipate the worst. It’s what it is. I was on a skilled visa with a global firm but redundancy hit and I got laid off, my saving grace was my wife was also on a skilled visa as a teacher so I switch to become a dependent. I still have a pending application in the US and even with Trump am not expecting anything. My wife is also seeking teacher licenses in some Canadian provinces to explore opportunities there and once it clicks we are out. Honestly I don’t know how folks can completely rely on the Uk if you’re not yet on ilr even folks who are citizens are moving out then you that’s on a visa you’re behaving as if it’s your own country, people get mind o! And they continue to gaslight themselves, Issorite. We will all learn to streetwise by fire by force!

HustlaOfLagos:
This...

I remember when this conversation several moons ago on this thread and people were saying the grass isn't greener etc. Some will even tell you that "Na because e easy for you advice full your mouth" which does not even make sense

My friend that entered Canada after me is due for his passport next year while I am still waiting for new policies and how it will affect me. Even with the PR and citizenship enroute, he is still looking at EB1A so he can tap into the business opportunities in the US

Fortune favours the brave and those who prepare for contingencies or have alternate plans. It is not easy, but nothing good comes easy at the end of the day

jedisco:
Miracles... hehe. I sometimes go on the student visa thread and the rate at which folks spiritualize study visa approvals leaves me shaking my head. I only hope they are clear-eyed about the current realities. I hope to partly retire in 9ja someday (and visit often) but I understand the 'enjoyment' I'm seeing is much easier to access due to the pedestal migration gave me. Oddly, I have stumbled on the 'backtoIndia' reddit page with stories of many well-established Indians in the west going back. If 9ja maintains progress, a return move would grow in popularity

Life has no one cheat code but many times, folks sit, don't take or seek opportunities and later blame events when things don't go their way. Of course, many would have sought opportunities but still get caught.

Pray tell, how did your wife get into teaching? I have a relative who I've tried to ginja to seek wider opportunities. They seem settled on a care visa but now have a QTS license. Getting a part-time teaching assistant role they can combine with care in the interim before pivoting has been tricky. I have tried to egg them on to get some UK teaching experience and explore Canada but they are not keen. As per the teaching, what are the available routes to entry for someone who is QTS certified?

All said, its tough out there. I do hope you get something soon.

jedisco:
Hehe... 'Grass isnt greener' a.k.a 'it's thesame everywhere'. When I saw those pushing that I knew the ulterior motives involved. I've been and the grass dey different.... e green die sotay peace of mind wan kill me.


On my recent return to Canada from the UK, it was the first time I used my British kpali to 'go home' and true, it felt surreal. However, on return to Cana, as we landed and I got out my PR card, I became emotional. The whole 6yrs aiming for British ilr and passport came flooding back. Same ILR I got in Canada even before I stepped foot there. Like play, I'm almost 1yr in with 2 left before the kpali. Funny thing is that over 365k of such direct PRs/ILRs would be issued this year and next. This is outside other routes/pathways. Yes, they took in a lot (esp diploma students) and have also pared back/introduced caps but the conversation has moved past that. Focus is on building the economy not increasing performative wickedness.

jedisco:
Just before Christmas, Essex University announced that it would close its Southend campus this summer due to a big fall in international students, who pay much higher fees. The move will affect 800 students, as well as staff, but it will also have a huge impact on a city that has come to depend on the university in many ways.

I thought most universities have stabilised. Another campus which includes a nursing school closes.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/04/essex-university-southend-campus-closure-seaside-deprivation

Teedol:
Well said, IMO, an average Briton is a racisit and xenophobe, this is reflected in the government decisions over the years on employment and immigration policies.

"Data indicates the UK has high levels of anti-immigrant sentiment within Western Europe, with a documented rise in racist and xenophobic incidents, particularly surrounding the 2016 Brexit referendum and continuing into 2025. While not describing all citizens, this trend involves widespread anti-immigration attitudes, racial, and religious-based hate crimes (nearly 99,000 in 2023-2024), driven by political discourse, media, and far-right groups".

justwise:
This your IMO is wrong and not based on fact, an average WHITE BRITISH? Maybe...just maybe, come to think of it..all the recent harsh immigration policies are not coming from white British office holder, all coming from people like...Suella Braverman, Shabana Mahmood and our long lost sis Kemi.

HustlaOfLagos:
There is a reason this is the pattern[b] unless you want to pretend you do not know the MO

justwise:
[/b]

I genuinely don't know..so please go ahead and educate me

justwise:
This your IMO is wrong and not based on fact, an average WHITE BRITISH? Maybe...just maybe, come to think of it..all the recent harsh immigration policies are not coming from white British office holder, all coming from people like...Suella Braverman, Shabana Mahmood and our long lost sis Kemi.

Mcleo007:
A front, that is. These individuals follow the guidance of higher powers, who are obviously white British.

Furthermore, I don't think that most white British people are racist. If they were, the country would not have as many Black and Brown people as it does now. One thing I realize is that this wave was always going to occur; it's just a shame it's happening now.

Goke7:
With QTS he or she can apply for teaching roles that can sponsor work visa the challenge now is that the salary thresholds are higher now over 30k and how many schools can even pay then what’s the specialisation? Does he or she teach science subjects as they are more in demand especially in secondary schools which could be easier to get into than primary schools but must be ready for the demands of handling teenagers in a peculiar uk society. Truly it’s tricky especially getting visa sponsored roles as many organisations and schools now avoid it. The part time assistant teaching role can be a good start (that’s how my wife started over 3 years ago when things were much easier) or going through agencies that can offer such opportunities!

HustlaOfLagos:
The peace of mind and certainty is bliss and I hope to experience it one day.
Having one's status swinging like a pendulum is not a good place to be tbh. I mentioned last year that UK has the worst immigration deal out of all the developed English speaking country but its the grass some folks focused on ; they do not have PR options, do not grant jus solis , immigration fees are like x5 of everywhere else and immigration policies are dependent on the whims of people who do not seem to understand the system

Canada actually provides a sensible pathway without crying about students and changing rules every 7 days. .. this means you can actual settle and contribute like the UK wants but without making an enabling environment for.

In 3 years time, I am sure the UK folks will begin another round of crying about shortages here and there abi no be UK again