And Then, It’s All Free...

   My little nest of vipers is spitting bullets today on hearing some lady from the give-em-munt state that our recently arrived newest bestest ever friends will be automatically granted indefinite leave to remain visas. That would be the visa that took us well in excess of two years and a huge chunk o’ change to get.
   Coupled to this was the ‘news’ that they’d also be given lessons to enable them to speak English. Given? That was a requirement of getting a legal leave to remain visa by-the-by. Two things spring to mind. These fellows must’ve been rubbish translators or had complex helping jobs like mopping offices and diplomats homes. Fifteen thousand plus of ‘em?
   This goes back a few years now and may have changed a tad but this was how it was;
English Language Requirement
All applicants wishing to enter the UK as a spouse or unmarried partner of a British citizen or a person settled in the UK must satisfy the English Language Requirement. Prospective applications must pass an acceptable English language test with one of our approved test providers unless they can show that:
They are a national of a majority English-speaking country or they hold a degree taught in English
By taking the test, applicants will need to demonstrate a basic command of English (speaking and listening) at level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference.
   Interestingly, when my little nest of vipers was getting her visa, although she could speak English – along with getting by in Mandarin Chinese,Thai and Vietnamese – this was not accepted without passing an exam and the test could not be taken without first going to an adult college for a year to learn English. English for speakers of other languages. All at great expense.
   Spookily, after the first year at college, and after getting to know the other class members, she discovered that of the twelve members of her class only her and two others were paying. The others had no means to pay so our government, us, were covering those expenses...
   Even more spooky was the fact that after a year of classes and sitting the test, at more expense, the only failures, thus requiring renewal of a two year visa – not cheap – and another year at college – not cheap - and a further test – not cheap – were the three paying students. Go figure. Thus copious bullet spitting today. Yup, I’ve spat a few myself.
   Let’s not forget her visa states she has no recourse to public funds. So no pension or state support of any amount/kind when I’m gone. Nothing. One wonders about all those wot’ve just been invited round ours...

Quote;  H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

“Never make fun of someone who speaks broken English. It means they know another language.”