Visa Fee Increases: the impact on staff and students at SHU

On the 13th of July, the government proposed a range of hikes to visa fees and surcharges as a way to fund public sector pay rises. While everyone can agree that the public sector needs pay rises, the planned increases to migrant fees are a political choice to pit workers against each other.

The IPPR spelled out several progressive tax options available to the government to fund public sector pay rises without impacting inflation that do not involve robbing one group to pay another. Moreover, many migrants are public sector workers themselves, who should not have to pay higher visa fees to support their own pay increase.

On the 6th of September, SHU UNISON passed a motion ‘Stop Planned Visa Fee Increases’ which called upon Unison Higher Education to urge the government to abandon these plans to raise the fees. However, the situation is changing rapidly.

On the 15th of September, the House of Commons published a research briefing which explains that visas and related fees have risen significantly above inflation and above processing costs. Then, on the 18th of September, the Home Office officially announced 15-35% rises to visa fees, which will take effect on the 4th of October. They also announced a 66% rise to the Immigration Health Surcharge (a fee which migrants pay upfront for each year of their visa to fund the NHS in addition to their taxes), which is meant to take place later this year.

How this will affect students and staff at SHU

Firstly, any migrant staff or students will be directly affected by the cost of their visa renewals. Depending on their visa, this is likely to be an increase between £1,000 and £2,000 depending on the route. For example, a two-year graduate route which costs the Home Office £103 to administer, will go from £1,963 to £2,894; three-year skilled worker visas which cost the Home Office £151 will go from £2,591 to £3,932. These unexpected rises during a cost of living crisis will be felt by migrants and families, and are likely to force those with fast approaching visa renewals to make some hard decisions about their finances.

There are implications for university finances which have potential knock-on effects for all university staff and students, as International Student Fees are projected to make up 25% of HE provider total income. As fees become prohibitive to potential students, university budgets may need to tighten accordingly. Additionally, there has been a 19% increase in the cost to the university to sponsor international students and certificates of sponsorship for skilled workers have gone up by 20%, which will have a direct and immediate impact on university budgets and forecasts.

Even where the university does not pay these costs directly, there are concerns from the research and development sector that the fees will actually level down the UK and have a detrimental effect on the HE sector. Sheffield specifically is one of the cities which benefits the most from international students. According to HEPI, International students have boosted the UK economy by £41.9 billion, and have provided a net figure of £1,930 per resident in Sheffield Central alone in 2021/2022.

So, what can we do about it?

The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) fee increase of 66% which makes up the bulk of a migrant’s visa cost has not yet been agreed by the House of Commons or the House of Lords. Write to your MP and urge them to lobby to have this voted down.

Additionally, the 10-year route to settlement disproportionately affects women and minorities. You can write to your MP to urge them to cap the routes to settlement at 5 years, to stop migrants from having to pay high fees on average every 2.5 years for ten years.

Sign this petition to stop the fee increases, and ask your network to do so as well. If it receives 100,000 signatures Parliament will have to debate it.

Hallam UNISON will be campaigning for this to be taken up by other branches and unions across higher education. If you want to know more or get involved, please get in contact with us.

Kayla Kemhadjian – Hallam UNISON member

 

UNISON INTERNATIONAL: GAMBIA BIJILO PROJECT

Yorkshire and Humberside Region have been supporting a project in Gambia for several years and have received donations from a number of Branches.

This year their new goal is to raise £20,000 to build more classrooms for the Bijilo School.

Region is appealing to Branches to help support the project which our Branch will discuss at the February Branch Committee meeting.

 

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM, FASCISM, ISLAMOPHOBIA & ANTISEMITISM

Saturday 19th October

9.30 till 16.30

Friends House,

173-177 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ

 Johnson, Trump & The International Far-right: How do we unite to defeat them?

Speakers include: Gary Younge, Journalist • Miguel Roldan, Spanish firefighter • Louise Raw, author • Richard Burgon MP • Emma Dent Coad MP • Alex Mayer MEP • Claude Moraes MEP • Julie Ward MEP • Jean Lambert, Green Party • Mark Serwotka, PCS General Secretary • Kevin Courtney Joint General Secretary NEU • Tony Kearns Deputy General Secretary (postal) CWU • Jane Loftus, CWU Vice President • Nita Sanghera UCU Vice President • Anas Altikriti, Muslim Association of Britain • Ged Grebby, Show Racism the Red Card Chief Executive • Mohammed Kozbar, Finsbury Park Mosque Chairman • Unmesh Desai, GLA Member, Labour, City and East London • Damien Gayle, Journalist • Ben Chacko, Morning Star editor • Rakhia Ismail, Islington Councillor • Gerry Gable, Editor/Publisher, Searchlight • Sabby Dhalu and Weyman Bennett, Stand Up To Racism

Sessions include:

  • Challenging the rise of racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism
  • Windrush, Grenfell, deaths in custody – The fight for justice
  • Reporting racism – The media and the growth of racist ideas
  • Solidarity forever – Refugees and migrants welcome here
  • A coordinated international movement against Trumpism & the far-right
  • Love Music Hate Racism – culture & the anti-racist movement
  • Fighting Islamophobia in the age of Boris Johnson

SHU UNISON Branch has passed a motion supporting the conference and have agreed to pay for two delegates from the branch to attend (paying for tickets and transport down – there is a Sheffield coach going down)

 If you would like to attend please email both Lucinda Wakefield ( l.m.wakefield@shu.ac.uk) and Ana Yousaf  (f.yousaf@shu.ac.uk) as soon as possible so that we can book tickets and coach seats in good time.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL WORKERS MEMORIAL DAY

 Wreath laying ceremony and speeches by The Memorial Tree

outside Sheffield Town Hall, Pinstone Street

12:30- 13:30

FRIDAY 26 APRIL 2019

“Remember the Dead – Fight for the Living”

International Workers Memorial Day is a big event this year with plenty of rousing and inspiring speakers’ present- there’s also a wreath laying service at the Town Hall memorial tree in which we as a branch have been asked to participate.

If your about next Friday and can spare a bit of your lunch break please attend as it’s important we show our support- it’s good for our members and the general public. If enough of us can attend on Friday, we’ll raise our banner high in a show of strength and solidarity with our fellow Trade Unionists.

 Will Tierney
UNISON SHU Health & Safety Officer

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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY NOMINATIONS

International Women’s Day, observed since 1909, is a global celebration of respect, appreciation and recognition of women’s economic, political, and social achievements, while continuing to call for greater equality.

Sheffield Hallam plays an active part in recognising and promoting this day. In 2015 a number of activities and initiatives took place, one of which was identifying and celebrating our inspirational female staff and students.  Senior leaders, peers and colleagues were invited to nominate women who had inspired them or others. Over 30 individuals were recognised and 23 profiles were published on our dedicated Celebrating IWD webpage.

If you know someone who has triumphed despite life’s obstacles, achieved challenging goals (either within or outside the workplace), is recognised by others as a role model, has inspired/motivated others, is an ordinary woman doing extraordinary things.

◾For staff nominations please complete the staff profile template and send to Katie Leeman – c.leeman@shu.ac.uk

◾For student nominations please completed the student profile template and send to Kayleigh Gray – k.gray@shu.ac.uk

The closing date for entries is: Midday, Monday 25 January

THE BIG RIDE

In May our International Officer proposed a motion on the big ride campaign which was raising funds and awareness of the plight of children in the area MECA.

The Big Ride took place between 1-9 August with riders cycling from Edinburgh to London.   Redspokes sponsored the event which was supported by the TUC, Trade union branches and various community groups.

Ciaran Wakefield participated in the ride and collected sponsorship of which our branch donated £100.

.Read Ciaran’s journey.

big ride 1big ride 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

big ride 3