31 March 2010
Mary Bowers, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article7081849.ece
Beneath the sash window of a care home in Wimbledon, lit by a shaft of spring sunlight, Lady Cicely Mayhew sits in the leather chair she occupies most days. Now 86, she reminisces about her adventures as the first female British diplomat, and her childhood growing up in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. It’s a trip down memory lane made all the more enjoyable by the attentive acknowledgement of Johannesburg-born nurse Irene Mahasela.
(more…)
March 31, 2010
Photo credit: Rose Eclarinal, ABS-CBN
16 March 2010
Rose Eclarinal, ABS-CBN,http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/03/16/10/pinoy-senior-carers-uk-file-judicial-review
LONDON – It is time to extend compassion and care to Filipinos who came to the UK to care for Britain’s elderly. This is just one of the goals of Kanlungan, a non-profit, charitable institution, in taking cudgels for embattled senior carers who were denied Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK.
Thirty-three year old Jenny Labaria was denied the application of ILR because of the 5-month gap in her work permit. She came to the UK as a care worker in 2004.
“(I’m) very stressed actually. Wala kang peace of mind. Financially nadi-drain na. Kasi nagbabayad ka ng fee for the solicitor. Yes, very unjust towards us,” said Labaria.
(more…)
March 16, 2010
7 June 2009
Inquirer, Veronica Uy, http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20090607-209231/RP-migrants-at-UK-Parliament-on-rights
MANILA, Philippines—The organization of Filipino migrants Kanlungan has spoken at the Houses of Parliament to highlight the plight of undocumented migrants in the United Kingdom.
The public discussion at the Westminster Palace in London on June 2 focused on recent researches detailing ways to irregular status as against the impact of regularization programs amidst the worldwide recession that’s also gripping UK. (more…)
June 7, 2009
A Public Forum on the Points Based System (Tiers 2 and 4)
If you are in the UK on a student (Tier 4) or work permit visa (Tier 2), you need to be aware and understand the recent changes in immigration law.
Since November 2008, the UK Border Agency have been implementing new policies concerning and affecting your immigration status. As a result, many migrants who are already in the UK to study or work have to satisfy the requirements of the Points Based System. Failure to do so may result to migrants becoming irregular or undocumented.
To shed a light on these issues and develop a community response, Kanlungan will hold a public forum to discuss the following:
1. understanding the Points Based System (Tiers 2 and 4) and its new approaches
2. Employers certificate of sponsorship
3. Where and how to get proper advice
4. What actions we can take
Please join us on this public forum on:
Saturday, 12th June 2010, 2:00-5:00pm
Praxis Training Room
Praxis Community Projects
Pott Street, London, E2 0EF (map here)
Tube: Bethnal Green (Central Line)
Speaker: Steve Symonds, ILPA (Immigration Law Practicioners’ Association)
For enquiries, contact us
June 6, 2010
Please see the video output of the successful workshop/seminar by Kanlungan, in cooperation with Sondra Cuban of the University of Lancaster, in October – November 2009, held at Praxis.
Workshop on Deskilling of Health Care Professionals by Kanlungan
February 22, 2010
Vote for Migrants Rights! is a joint project of Kanlungan, Migrante UK and CHRP-UK, that aims to highlight pertinent issues and aspirations of Filipino migrants in the UK and their families that they want to put forward this Philippine election season.
The project aims to gather issues and opinions from different Filipino migrant community organisations and individuals in the UK, in the light of producing a consolidated migrant agenda of the country. A national consultation is planned to take place on 17 April 2009 in London, where selected delegates from different migrant organisations across UK regions will gather to unite on their issues and endorse our own agenda.
To visit the website go to: http://votemigrantsrights.wordpress.com
February 8, 2010
Calling all care workers with gaps in your visa!
When the government changed the work permit requirements for senior care workers in 2007-2008, many care workers lost their right to extend their visa. A campaign was launched by Kanlungan and other organisations against these changes and the Home Office responded by offering concessions to those who needed to extend their work visas.
However, some of you ended up having a “gap” in your visa. The gap is the period between the date when your first visa expired and your new visa (gained as a result of the concession) began. Recently, some of those who gained visa extensions through the concession have applied for indefinite leave to remain since they have worked in the UK for five years. However, we have heard that some of these have been refused because of the “gap” in their visa. (more…)
November 10, 2009
Appeal for Financial Support for Victims of Philippine Typhoon Kestana (aka Ondoy)
Kanlungan would like to thank all donors to the Typhoon Ondoy Relief Fund. We have gathered a total of £798.13 which will be forwarded to Citizens’ Disaster Response Center (CDRC).
For the complete list of donors, click here.
Citizens’ Disaster Response Center (CDRC) is a non-government organization that pioneered and continues to promote community-based disaster management in the Philippines. CDRC operates nationwide through a network of regional centers affiliated with the Citizens’ Disaster Response Network and through people’s organizations.
November 10, 2009
Training: “Advocacy Based Approaches to the Deskilling of Migrant Health Professionals”
Saturday 31st October 11 a.m. – 5.00 p.m.
@ Praxis (community centre) Pott Street, London E2 0EF
Tel: 020 7729 7985
Buses: 8, 106, 254 and 388
Underground: Bethnal Green Station
(Central Line)
Are you a former health care professional who feels deskilled and wants a change? This training will help you to gain support and advocacy to move in this direction. Taught by Sondra Cuban, PhD, of Lancaster University, you will start a portfolio of hidden but important skills and knowledge about advancement and advocacy in the UK that aims at collective empowerment for students in social care. The goals are: (more…)
September 23, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
17 September 2009
Overseas Filipino Workers in UK gear up for protest on Arroyo visit:
- Protect the rights of senior care workers in the UK
- End Arroyo’s labour-export policy
Migrante UK will stage a picket protest on Friday, 18 September 2009 in front of the Riverbank Plaza Hotel at 3:15pm, where Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is scheduled to give a keynote speech about Philippines’ supposed economic resilience and growth amidst the global crisis during the Economist-led 2009 Emerging Market Conference.
“The supposed stability of the Philippine economy is paid for by the blood and sweat of Filipino migrants through taxations and remittances. How dare Arroyo brag about this when she did nothing to address the problems faced by Filipino migrants in the UK?” lamented Rafael Maramag, coordinator for Migrante UK.
Migrante UK, together with the Kanlungan alliance of Filipino organizations in the UK, are actively campaigning for the right to UK settlement of Filipino senior carers who have fallen victim due to the changes in immigration rules. Kanlungan is set to file a judicial review against the UK Border Agency to challenge the latter’s rejection of settlement applications of affected senior carers. (more…)
September 17, 2009
Citizenship Act
Kanlungan’s public forum on Citizenship Act last Saturday 12 September 2009 had a good turnout. With over 50 people in attendance, the venue was packed with guests who were keen to learn about the new act on Naturalisation and Immigration.
Mr. Steve Symonds of ILPA gave a concise yet clear sharing on naturalisation provisions in the new act covering subjects on probationary citizenship; active citizenship, which could vary the length of the probationary period; and other new or amended requirements before a naturalisation application: absences in the UK, continuous employment, family association and qualifying leave.
Moreover, Symonds also stressed prospects to further influence how or whether to implement the Act, which is envisaged to be commenced by the UK Government in July 2011 with impending UK General Elections set next year playing a major factor. Meanwhile, UKBA released two online public consultations in relation to aspects of the naturalisation process, which we are all encouraged to respond:
1.Earning the right to stay: A new points test for citizenship http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/aboutus/consultations/221878/earning-the-right-to-stay/
Responses due 26 October 2009
2.Charging for immigration and visa applications http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/aboutus/consultations/221878/charging09/
Responses due 1 December 2009
During the open forum, students also posited queries on Tier 4 of the Points Based System and sponsorship licence. Over all, Kanlungan’s forum identified human rights issues of old and new migrants under the current trend of immigration policies.
The forum was attended by representatives from Migrants’ Rights Network (MRN), Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), Cordillera Student Association (CSA), Igorot UK, UNISON and member organisations of Kanlungan Alliance.
Full appended text of Steve Symonds’ lecture here.
Kanlungan’s Judicial Review for Senior Carers
Mr. Raman Purewal of Aston Brooke Solicitors, a law firm which Kanlungan has been working closely with on this endeavour, set out the background of the proposed group Judicial Review for Senior Care Workers (SCW’s).
He highlighted the ‘gaps’ incurred by SCW’s in their visas and work permits in applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain which are being used as basis of refusal by the UKBA. He stressed that these ‘gaps’ are a direct result of the changes made by policy changes of the UKBA and therefore not the fault of the SCW’s themselves.
Furthermore, Purewal put forward guidelines in determining gaps in SCW’s visa or working permit. Some SCW’s who were present had the chance to enquire firsthand about their respective cases.
If you are a Senior Care worker under work permit, please contact Kanlungan.
For full text of Kanlungan’s proposed Judicial Review, click here.
September 14, 2009
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