cherdano, on 2016-June-26, 07:32, said:
It is always a bit of a nerve-wracking process. It is a process in which you have no due process rights, not even a standing to complain if a decision goes against you. There is a lot of paperwork to get right, and in theory your application can get denied just for getting one of the formalities wrong. Well, in the case of the UK, also in practice - the home office is notorious for doing that. And it's not just your own mistakes that could cost you - you also depend on your employer, whose interests don't completely align with yours.
I say all of that from experience of my own (in the US) and friends (in the US or in the UK). Now take into account that most of us (post-docs or permanent employees at highly respected universities, caucasian, a lot of friends to ask who have gone through the process, etc.) are probably among the most priviledged VISA applicants around.
I have experience of going through all the paperwork. After all, I am a naturalised citizen. I originally came here on a work permit many years ago....
And I am of an Asian ethnicity; it should not be too difficult to imagine the kind of difficulties I may have faced applying for visas (whether for the UK or elsewhere in Europe).
As for dealing with Home Office / Foreign Office, I have a personal examples which tells me it's not going to be bad.
- At the end of my work permit period, I was eligible to apply for permanent residence. The whole process took 2-3 days, and required my personal involvement for 15 minutes (filling some sections of a form, signing, and submitting my passport + other documents).
- Due to a technical issue with my wife's application, she was initially not granted her permanent residence (she had been visiting her parents when I applied for mine). She called the Home Office helpline. And while it took her 30+ minutes to get through to someone, once she started talking to them they were able to guide her through all processes and get everything sorted. It probably took a day of her personal involvement --- which in the context of a permanent (or at least, multi-decade) plan to reside in the UK was not too much to ask.
- I've had many friends and colleagues from my native country visit the UK on business and/or tourism. And despite their skin colour (Asian, like me), I have never heard of anyone being turned down.
What is common to all of the above and people like Helene or you? We are all highly qualified / skilled professionals.
In summary, no -- I absolutely do not think Helene or you have to worry about being asked to leave. This country needs people like you. And will continue to keep the doors open for a wide variety of skilled professionals to come & reside here.