Strange press release

This item was released today...


http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/europeanfundthirdcountrynational

HUH?    Check the last entry in the table!!!     What's that all about?

This is so strange I can't even BEGIN to think of what to think.  It's just out there in another orbit altogether.   

UK Borders got a grant from the European Integration Fund towards the points-based system? Why is that bizarre? Am I missing something?

I'm also not seeing why this is strange!  Hopefully with the extra funding they won't need to raise visa fees for awhile (haha, wishful thinking, I know.)

The European Integration Fund is aimed at newly-arrived legal migrants (that is migrants who have arrived within the last 5 years) who are not asylum seekers, refugees, EU or EEA nationals and who have not come to the United Kingdom in a short-term visa category such as students.

I wonder if it might have something to do with the fact that family members aren't included in that list - the PBS is getting a huge chunk of change, as if that's the only way for migrants to come to the UK legally.  So the visa fees for managed migration will be subsidized by the EIF while those for family migration visas just increase, and increase....

I wonder if it might have something to do with the fact that family members aren't included in that list - the PBS is getting a huge chunk of change, as if that's the only way for migrants to come to the UK legally.  So the visa fees for managed migration will be subsidized by the EIF while those for family migration visas just increase, and increase....

I did notice that as well...but I can see why they'd need the extra cash to finance the new PBS specifically- they haven't (yet) done anything drastic to family visas.

Yeah, but it also seems strange in a sort of "one of these things is not like the others" way - a bunch of colleges who get around a hundred grand each in funding, give or take a bit, and then WHAM! UKBA gets two million.

Yeah, but it also seems strange in a sort of "one of these things is not like the others" way - a bunch of colleges who get around a hundred grand each in funding, give or take a bit, and then WHAM! UKBA gets two million.

That is what I was thinking.  Little independent projects and the government gets way more. 

That is what I was thinking.  Little independent projects and the government gets way more. 

But is that honestly really surprising? It makes sense to me...maybe I'm the only one!

My guess is that this is part of the move towards an EU wide system for non-EEA nationals.

Vicky

My guess is that this is part of the move towards an EU wide system for non-EEA nationals.

Vicky

I read it again several times and it's just TOO STRANGE! 

Integrating short-term visa holders?  HUH?

Where did the 4.5 million quid suddenly disappear to in one fell swoop?  Totally weird.

I did a bit of Googling. The budget for the fund, Europe wide, is 825 million Euro for the period 2007 – 2013, divided as follows:

    * 768 million distributed among the states on the basis of objective criteria expressing the number of legally staying third country nationals ('solidarity');

    * 57 million (7% of the total annual resources each year) for Community actions.

That's around 165 / 11 million euros a year.

http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/funding/integration/wai/funding_integration_en.htm#part_1

Would you mind googling on where UKBA's 4.5 million disappeared to?

A colour laser printer and a cupboard full of toner cartridges I expect. (Don't ask)

Well...

I suppose if they found the best deal on eBay, then it's alright...   

Well, it would appear that I'm not the only one getting a bit fed up with the govt acting like a pissed teenager with their dad's credit card...