Foreign graduates ruling is lesson to authorities

20-Jun-08
The House of Lords ruling that declared immigration changes for international medical graduates (IMGs) to be unlawful should serve as a lesson to the authorities.
The changes were a political gimmick in response to the looming jobcrisis resulting from poor workforce planning, job cuts and the MMCfiasco.
Hundreds of families were uprooted, and many left the country with theircareer hopes dashed and drowning in debt.
Some had to compromise on their training, which is unheard of forBritish graduates. This second-class treatment meted out to non-EUgraduates did little to help the situation. Instead, it created anatmosphere of distrust and uncertainty for IMGs.
What's more, the DoH did not try to negotiate an amicable solution andkept appealing until it could do nothing more.
On the positive side, the fight helped IMGs to demonstrate unity and putup symbolic resistance to unfair and abrupt changes. No one disagreedthat the system needed regulation but the way it was done was shamefulfor a developed country that has always stood for its values.
I now think twice before even medium-term commitments as I may wake upand find that I have been asked to leave the country because the ruleshave changed.
Dr Kamal Sidhu, High Heaton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.