Immigration

[VinnieK]

The traditions are important as well: I say we boot out anyone who refuses to say hello/goodbye to the fairies when going over fairy bridge.

[Cronky]

STOP - ABSORB TOO MANY CULTURES.

 

Sorry if I was misunderstood. What I truly meant was that people who move to the Isle of Man (or any other country for that matter) should 'adopt our culture, our language and our traditions'.

[Albert Tatlock]

they shoudl be grateful for the opportunity to partake in our education and health systems, and work to integrate themselves within our culture.

 

Apart from learning to speak, read and write in English, what do you mean when you say they should work to integrate themselves with our culture, and how are we going to legislate for that?

Manx 'knowledge test', job and a work permit, enough money to afford a place to live, enough money to go home (bond if required) - and tell them not to work so hard and "slow down a bit yessir - you're making me look lazy". Also - fixed number of retirees allowed to settle each year and not the carte blanche numbers currently arriving buying up desperately needed 2/3 bedroom houses.

[VinnieK]

Manx 'knowledge test', job and a work permit, enough money to afford a place to live, enough money to go home (bond if required)

 

That's fair enough, but apart from the Manx 'knowledge' test all those are practical measures, not cultural ones. Even then the test at best guarantees awareness of the host culture, not integration or adoption of it.

[Khunbaan]

Think about how many thai wifes and phillipino are here on a visa? Then bring over their children who have to be educated and free health care. Add up the numbers you will be shocked.

[sarahc]

Hooray! This thread is going racist!

[manxman8180]

Isn't it funny how when someone mentions immigration, the majority automatically think of people who are somehow less worthy, or have less to offer our Island. (references to far eastern and eastern European are soem examples).

 

And that somehow, these people are only out to drain our social care system and generally rape and pilage on our shores.

 

Whilst 'macmannin' uses a vulgar tone, the point is there somewhere in their post. Immigrants are any and all who now live here but were not born here. Doctors, Dentists, care workers, nurses, skilled workers in a variety of industries. As well as the easily targetted less skilled (but still required) workers.

 

There are far more 'Manx' people who sponge from the State, many for several generations, and it it these who should be seen as a concern.

 

Immigration has been a necessity for this Island, to prosper as it has. I think there should be some form of control (and the Work Permit system is a poor substitute), however, judging by the colour of skin or ethnicity should not even come into the equation.

 

It should be based on what they can offer for the Island, closely mirrored to the needs of our growing economy.

[mojomonkey]

It was only a matter of time, and it makes me angry and sad at the same time. We live a global community so why can't we get along. There are good and bad people in every country.

 

As an aside, do the Manx that emigrate from the Island get the same sort of reception. I sincerely hope not.

[Static]

http://www.manxradio.com/readNEwsItem.aspx?id=8854

 

No apols if this has been posted before.

 

Whats a "senior officer" doing deciding whether we should have more immigration and has he considered the social implications to our housing lists and the demand for housing for people who are being imported to work at salary levels which won't sustain house purchase.

 

Is this officer prepared to meet the longterm additional costs of social housing and care or are the locals just going to end up paying in future for this cheap labour market so many businesses are profiteering from now??

 

Its about time the politicians accepted the responsibility to make decisions on these matters

 

No "immigrants" qualify for social housing until they have lived here for 10 years sp please get your facts right before posting rubbish.

 

If employers can't find "Isle of Man workers" to fill jobs then they are entitled under the work permit scheme to employ anyone who has the right permissions to reside in the UK as that is where the borders start. This includes ANY EU citizens.

 

If a worker comes here, takes a low paid job and then finds they can't afford to live here they will soon move to a part of the UK where they can afford to rent a house so what are you worrying about?

 

And why should "locals" have to end up paying for anything in the future?

 

for your information I'm a "local", fully signed up "Isle of Man worker" and also official "resident" (I've even qualified for my pension supplment now!) and I'm an immigrant. and in 10 years time, if these new immigrants stay here then they will be the same and entitled to the same.

[Static]

Think about how many thai wifes and phillipino are here on a visa? Then bring over their children who have to be educated and free health care. Add up the numbers you will be shocked.

 

So? And of this shocking number of Thai and Philipino wives, how many of them do you think also work and pay tax into the system here? You'll find that a lot of them are working mothers becuase their husbands aren't rich.

 

And so what if they being their children here? It's no different to a "local" marrying a European woman with kids.

 

If you were to marry anyone, from anywhere, they would then be entitled to live here and take advantage of our health and education services. They would also legally be entitled to a VISA to live with their new husbands.

[oldmanxfella]

The Island has always had immigration and in the past its largely been positive for the Island and its created a reasonably diverse Island identity. For instance we've had a great Italian influence since the war, and its as much a part of the Islands national identity as anything else. Which is good.

 

I think the problem and the fears now are people looking back at the UK and seeing what a craphouse many areas have become because of the mass immigration of people who are doing all the low level jobs that people don't want to do, or who have no jobs at all. Then you have the UK's total inability to control its own borders with shoddy rules on asylum that seem to discriminate against genuine asylum cases (the current debate on Iraqi interpreters not being able to get through) in favour of letting in a tide of dross who just send the crime rates up and create all manner of social issues. Many areas of the UK are virtual no go areas, and local authorities are ramping up council tax to cover the costs of housing and schooling for people who are not economically productive.

 

Its right that the Island has the debate but whilst the UK's system is so rubbish what hope do we have? If you can get into the UK you can get into here and that is a fact. Its also glaringly obvious to point out that work permits only keep check on people who come to work here. They don't stop people coming if they have no job but can support themselves (not necessarily through legal means) so any gangmaster or drug dealer could become an Island resident tomorrow and if they're earning cash in the UK and don't need to work the authoritties here have no idea they're here. they don't need a permit, they don't need anything at all

 

People have got the whole issue of work permits wrong - they are not immigration controls, and they are not stopping people coming here. If one person moves here and gets a work permit 8 other members of the family could come and live in the same house not one needs a permit and all will ultimately have rights to benefits, health services, schooling etc - so discussing work permits as immigration controls is just a waste of time.

[Khunbaan]

Sorry Static but your wrong, a thai wife has no legal entitlement to join their husband in the uk or iom. They have to prove a number of things and are not automatically entitled to come here.

However why should the iom support the wife and children of foriegn immigrants? If they want to be together why not live in thailand? Do you think the thai government would support the familly. Answers on a postcard.

[CharlieB]

We've have had a consultation process on the all island speed limit (sort of). Yet our own immigration policy is a no go? kinda suggests its not open to discussion.

[sarahc]

Even when it was the bears, I knew it was the immigrants!

 

[Grianane]

http://www.manxradio.com/readNEwsItem.aspx?id=8854

 

No apols if this has been posted before.

 

Whats a "senior officer" doing deciding whether we should have more immigration and has he considered the social implications to our housing lists and the demand for housing for people who are being imported to work at salary levels which won't sustain house purchase.

 

Is this officer prepared to meet the longterm additional costs of social housing and care or are the locals just going to end up paying in future for this cheap labour market so many businesses are profiteering from now??

 

Its about time the politicians accepted the responsibility to make decisions on these matters

 

No "immigrants" qualify for social housing until they have lived here for 10 years sp please get your facts right before posting rubbish.

 

If employers can't find "Isle of Man workers" to fill jobs then they are entitled under the work permit scheme to employ anyone who has the right permissions to reside in the UK as that is where the borders start. This includes ANY EU citizens.

 

If a worker comes here, takes a low paid job and then finds they can't afford to live here they will soon move to a part of the UK where they can afford to rent a house so what are you worrying about?

 

And why should "locals" have to end up paying for anything in the future?

 

for your information I'm a "local", fully signed up "Isle of Man worker" and also official "resident" (I've even qualified for my pension supplment now!) and I'm an immigrant. and in 10 years time, if these new immigrants stay here then they will be the same and entitled to the same.

 

 

I appreciate your comments but if you'd read my thread carefully you would have seen the word FUTURE. I know exactly how the housing, work permit systems operate. The point I'm making is that a cheap labour source now will inevitably, as the new residents become residentially qualified, produce a much greater demand for housing in the future and reduce even more the ability of existing residents social housing needs to be met, and we aren't even meeting now.

 

Importing labour with higher skills will enable those immigrants to joint the housing market as they will be on better salaries. The trouble is the majority of immigrants presently appear to be in low paid service industries and will therefore have the biggets impact on the islands social housing.

 

Finally it won't be 10 years. I suspect strongly that this impact will start to be felt in the next 3-4 years and that young manx families will suffer.