UK Tightens Immigration Rules for Foreign Spouses
In a controversial decision the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom has recently upheld the legality of immigration rules that imposed requirements on its British citizens to have a certain level of income before they are able to bring their spouses into the country. These contentious “Minimum Income Rules”, which came into force in 2012, had been challenged by four couples who asserted that they breached their basic human right to have a family life.
The rules require that, before being allowed to bring a spouse to live with them from another country outside the European Economic Area, a British citizen (including a recognized refugee) must have a minimum annual income of at least £18,600 (around CDN$30,600). The couples who contested the rules had argued that the income threshold was set too high, particularly since it increased with each additional child that needed to be supported.
This addition of a set income requirement reflects a stark change from the previous rules, which prior to 2012 had required only that the spouses could establish an ability to support themselves without needing to avail themselves of welfare payments from the UK government.
Although the UK Supreme Court’s ruling confirms that the rules did not violate human rights legislation, it also recommends they be amended, since the current incarnation does not adequately account for the best interests of the children, and neglects to consider other sources of income that the spouses might have.
This UK development is in stark contrast to the immigration policy in Canada, where applicants must prove only that they have enough income to provide basic needs for the spouse or his or her dependent children. (Although those who want to sponsor parents or grandparents are subject to specific income-level requirements and a new process for applying starting in 2017).
And by announcement made December 15, 2016, the Canadian Government has indicated that the department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will be speeding up the processing for spousal sponsorship applicants, as part of its commitment to family reunification. Most applications will be processed within a year of a person applying.
At Russell Alexander, Family Lawyers our focus is exclusively family law, offering pre-separation legal advice and assisting clients with family related issues including: custody and access, separation agreements, child and spousal support, division of family property, paternity disputes, and enforcement of court orders. For more information, visit us at RussellAlexander.com
