#Stop35k: Why I could be forced to leave my home, job, and fiancé

My connection to England stems from my grandfather. He studied law at Oxford before I even knew that was one of the most prestigious schools in the world, let alone before I ever thought about moving to England.

It’s funny—there are so many books and films about just upping sticks and moving to London. Those films don’t actually go into the difficulty of not just moving countries, but after having decided you want to build your life here, they never tell you how hard it is to stay.

Or rather, how hard the government tries to push you out.

I moved to London in 2011 to do my Masters in International Journalism at City University. Moving to London never actually seemed like a possibility to me before, because it was my ultimate goal to get to New York City. But with $45,000 tuition fees at NYU, a £13,000 tuition fee for City seemed like pennies (although, who knows what students are paying today).

Yes, it was actually cheaper for me to move from Virginia to London than to move from Virginia to New York City.

I always knew that I wouldn’t end up living in my hometown, so when the opportunity actually arose, I just went for it. I already had family in London, who had emigrated from Ghana over 20 years ago now. I also had friends there.

I slipped into my new London life with ease. I’d found where I belonged.

It came easy for me. It’s easy if you have the money. This is very important. You have to be prepared for the visa fees, taxes and cost of living. No one cares where you get this money from, as long as you have it and can pay.

I was lucky enough to have a great deal of support from my parents. Not many people have this option.

I’ve since graduated and have worked, and paid my taxes, in London for five years. My family is still here and we spend time together occasionally, but I’ve made my family too.

The friends I’ve found in London are people I never would’ve met had I not moved here. We’ve become quite the unit, celebrating Thanksgiving together, going on holidays, and being each others’ homes away from home.

I’ve found my fiancé here too, who supports and encourages me without question and without whom I wouldn’t be able to write this.

Home Secretary Theresa May has decided that, from April, a new law will come into effect for non-EU migrants. Anyone who wasn’t born in the UK or EU or does not hold a UK or EU passport will need to earn a minimum of £35,000 a year. This is £8,500 more than the national average salary. Behind this is the pressure to reduce annual net migration to “tens of thousands” and the aim to bring the figure to below 100,000.

The new rules will apply to any Tier 2 (skilled worker) visa holder who wants to settle in the UK after having lived here for over five years. Those who don’t meet this salary threshold will be ordered to leave the UK.

Not only that, but non-EU workers are required to have a work sponsor, have no access to public funds, and pay a health surcharge (on top of National Insurance tax) of up to £500. Visa fees can cost anywhere between £600 to over £1,000 for extensions.

This new law will gravely affect students, teachers, NHS workers and so many in the creative industries. All of whom provide a substantial contribution to the economy.

The idea that the worth of a person in society is based solely on their economic value is draconian and oppressive.

Does the government honestly think that only people earning over £35,000 deserve to settle in the UK? These salaries are rare, even by London standards, let alone across the whole country. Or has this figure been designed instead to scare people and create fear? I believe it’s the latter. That, combined with how poorly communicated these new laws have been, this system is designed to catch out hardworking, tax-paying migrants who might not even be aware they are on the verge of deportation.

I’m sure that there are some people reading this who believe that restrictions on migrants in the UK are a good thing, especially in a time of economic uncertainty, and when people are afraid for the safety of themselves and their families.

I can assure you that I’ve never claimed benefits in the UK — nor am I in any position to, as Tier 2 visa holders have no access to benefits of any kind. I cannot “take” jobs away from any UK citizen, as I have to work twice as hard to prove that my job cannot be filled by someone who was lucky enough to have been born here.

As far as safety is concerned, to target long-term migrants following security concerns that have surfaced only recently seems illogical.

Joshua Harbord set up a petition last week to scrap this new law. It’s now reached up to over 85,000 signatures. The government responds after 10,000 and once it reaches 100,000 signatures it is considered for debate in Parliament.

The non-EU migrants who have lived, worked and contributed to this country for over five years have built homes here. They’ve built relationships here. They’ve built lives here.

There is a strong community of us who need to have our voices heard, even though we cannot vote. We still contribute to this society and to its economy.