Latest news with #Tariq
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
I'm a skilled immigrant who's paid my £37K in taxes. Labour's new visa plans could send me packing
Tariq*, a 35-year-old software engineer from southern Asia, has invested £22,000 of his money on visas and NHS charges so he could build a life in London. He arrived in 2020 as a masters' degree student, attracted by the UK's post-Brexit message to the world that it needs skilled migrants and welcome talent. 'I believed that promise,' he says. After completing his postgraduate degree, in 2022 Tariq found a job as a senior software engineer in the world-leading tech sector that prime minister Keir Starmer is pegging plans for economic growth upon. He moved on to a five-year skilled work visa - a route to obtaining indefinite leave to remain - and his wife and young daughter joined him. Now, the family's future is in disarray - and he's not alone. Tariq fears he could be forced to leave the country by the government's sudden overhaul in immigration policy, which has left those already here on skilled work visas fearing they will have to wait a full decade to secure the right to remain permanently. The working visa gives employees just 60 days to find a new job if they are made redundant - an impossible demand for young families. 'My nine-year-old daughter, who started school here and came at the age of four, speaks only English and has no cultural or linguistic connection to our home country. If we are forced to leave because of a change that did not exist when we applied, the trauma for her and for children like her would be unimaginable,' he says. 'My family and I have invested our savings, trust, and lives into building a future here. I came in good faith, under clearly written government rules that stated we would be eligible to apply for ILR after five continuous years. We feel stranded, in limbo. What many people don't realise is that we can't rewind our lives, we can't go back in time and undo the decisions we made when we first entered the system.' Also feeling trapped is tech product manager Giang*, a high-skilled and highly-paid employee who is almost at the end of his five-year wait to obtain residency after moving from a previous tech position in Singapore. He has paid more than £37,000 in income tax in the last year alone, and together with his wife has invested more than £30,000 in the UK stock market. 'We bought an apartment just recently, we are expecting a baby and we are preparing to launch our own business in the UK,' he says. The family is 'living in limbo' waiting to discover their fate since the immigration white paper dropped. 'I want to make plans for my family but there is no information for me,' Giang says. 'I've paid a lot of tax and really feel unwelcome and feel prevented from integrating into the community because if I lose my job I have to pack up and leave the country within 60 days.' If he had known that extending the qualification period was a possibility, Giang says he would have opted to pursue his career in the US or another European country. He is now considering moving his family back to his home nation. 'I'd take a 20-30% pay cut, but my net income and purchasing power would be much better. I want to stay in the UK for the job market and tech industry opportunities. It's a big sunk cost for us, but it would be a bigger risk continuing to invest for five more years knowing I might lose the job,' he says. 'If they can move the goalposts now, I'm really concerned that in the next couple of years they could move again so that settlement is always a dangling carrot for us and we never get it.' Both men agreed to speak to Yahoo if we protected their identity, due to fears that their jobs or families could be at risk if they were seen to be speaking out. Yahoo has seen documents that verify their identities and UK tax commitments. Experts warn that the new immigration policy is destroying the global reputation of the UK's tech sector as a place where high-skilled talent is welcomed and can thrive - putting plans for rapid economic growth at risk. There are 54,000 skilled migrants working in UK tech, and the number is rising each year. When the white paper on immigration was first published in May, including plans to move to a 10-year settlement period for new arrivals, the industry's leaders warned it could cause problems. Antony Walker, deputy CEO of TechUK, said: 'As the demand for skilled workers in fields such as AI, cybersecurity, and quantum continues to grow, it is crucial that the UK grants and maintains immigration pathways that enable tech companies to access the talent they need. A well-designed and fairly priced visa system is essential to maintaining the UK's global competitiveness.' Dr Robyn Klingler-Vidra, reader in political economy and entrepreneurship at King's College London and an expert in start-ups, told Yahoo that UK tech was already suffering under existing 'innovator' visa rules, which grant migrant entrepreneurs just three years to establish a business - too short, according to experts. Now the industry is in danger of losing its highly skilled workforce too. 'The overall sentiment or narrative that's been projected outside of the UK is one of, do I want to go to the UK in the first place? It's logically inconsistent to say we want the UK to be a world leader in these areas but then when people with families, with lives, try to bring their skillset to the UK, they're then met with a reality that doesn't fulfil that ambition," she says. Sir Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology at Manchester Business School, says talented migrants should not worry; the UK will create exceptions to the rules to protect their investment in British industry. But that alone will not change a dangerous perception of Britain that is now being spread outside the UK. 'It's not about rationality, it's about emotion. The vast majority have nothing to worry about even if they lose a job, but that's not the reality experienced by these people who are emotionally worried that, if they lose their job, their visa will expire. The government should be thinking about this and they should be aware that it's a problem,' Professor Cooper says. 'I'm more worried about what message the UK is sending out, about what people who are currently in the UK in the high-tech industries are saying to people back in the countries they came from.' Tanmay Datta, a 30-year-old software engineer originally from India who now works in British fintech, says he is now dealing with stress and anxiety as a result of the uncertainty. He was due to achieve residency in 2026, and is paying around £35,000 a year in income tax - higher than the salary thresholds for some migrant visas to the UK. His partner, who his visa states as his dependent in the UK, is also a higher-rate taxpayer. 'We have had to put all our major life plans on hold. We feel unable to make significant decisions, such as starting a family or moving house,' he says. In the last week, the government has confirmed that some workers will be able to qualify for settlement earlier than 10 years, but has not clarified how its proposed 'earned status' will operate. There is currently no fixed timescale for implementation of the proposals set out in the immigration white paper.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Albion confirm plan for out-of-contract Lamptey
Tariq Lamptey has agreed a one-year extension with Albion. The right-back was out of contract this summer amid doubts for those who follow the club as to whether he would be moving on. He offers Albion specific qualities and tactical options down the right-hand side and – perhaps significantly – is well-suited to a wing-back role. Advertisement Head coach Fabian Hurzeler said: 'We're delighted Tariq is staying with us. 'He wants to help the team achieve our targets and gives us great options in wide areas. 'We are looking forward to Tariq being part of our journey next season.' Lamptey first came to prominence under Graham Potter during the Covid era of empty stadia. He was signed from Chelsea midway through the 2019-20 season in something of a coup by the Seagulls, soon after he had made a stunning Premier League debut for Frank Lampard's side at Arsenal. He has since gone on to make 122 appearances for the club so far, with his five goals including an important equaliser at Aston Villa last season and a stunning curler at Leicester. Advertisement He has has also given 12 assists and earned senior international honours with Ghana. Albion have also secured Abdallah Sima, Seb Jensen, Harry Mills, Odel Offiah and Jamie Mullins on contract extensions. Sima is perhaps a surprise given he appears to have little part in Hurzeler's plans based on last pre-season. But he has done well on loan at clubs including Rangers and Brest and will have sale value. Offiah had a decent season on loan at Blackpool, where he continued to learn his defensive trade under former Manchester United centre-back Steve Bruce.
Borneo Post
29-05-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
LHDN Sabah collects RM5.7 billion in 2024, targets RM6.2 billion for 2025
Tariq KOTA KINABALU (May 29): The Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) of Sabah collected RM5.7 billion in taxes for 2024. LHDN Malaysia Chief Executive Officer Datuk Dr Abu Tariq Jamaluddin said this year the agency is targeting higher collections compared to last year, with a goal of RM6.2 billion for Sabah. 'This target has increased as the 2024 collection showed a positive response, exceeding the previous year's figures. 'LHDN will also continue to monitor the performance of companies that evade paying their due taxes. 'They can make installment payments, and it is the responsibility of the Sabah LHDN to ensure these companies comply with the payment schedule,' he told the media after paying a courtesy visit to the Head of State of Sabah, Tun Musa Aman, at Istana Seri Kinabalu today. He also stated that the purpose of the visit was to introduce the new director of LHDN Sabah, Datin Dayang Halimah Awang Ahmad, who replaces Azrul Hisham Shamsudin. Additionally, Tariq mentioned that LHDN Sabah conducted 'Operasi Pematuhan (OP) Tombak' in Tawau from April 23 to 25. 'LHDN has also carried out several special operations to ensure compliance, including OP Tombak, to monitor adherence to income tax regulations and the Electronic Stamp Duty Assessment and Payment System (STAMPS),' he added. During the visit, Tariq was accompanied by Dayang Halimah, Deputy CEO (Special Branch) Ahmad Khairuddin Abdullah, State Operations Director (Corporate Tax Audit) Paul Anak Sarip and State Operations Director (Collection) Naharuddin Nurdin.
Maroc
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Maroc
IOI Meetings, Recognition of Morocco's Political & Institutional Leadership -Kingdom's Ombudsman
The holding of the decision-making meetings of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) in Rabat is a recognition of Morocco's political, institutional, and administrative leadership under the enlightened guidance of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, said the Kingdom's Ombudsman, Hassan Tariq, on Tuesday in Rabat. Speaking at the opening session of the IOI's Board of Directors meeting—held as part of the Institute's decision-making sessions taking place in Rabat from May 12 to 14—Tariq emphasized that the Moroccan model promotes participatory citizenship through the strengthening of administrative justice, the independence of national institutions, and the constitutionalization of institutional mediation. The Institution of the Kingdom's Ombudsman occupies a significant place within the IOI, having built strong relationships with its international counterparts and participated in numerous activities, which has enabled it to take on an active role within the organization's governing bodies, he stated. Tariq also stressed that these gatherings offer a valuable opportunity to strengthen cooperation among Ombudsman institutions internationally, providing a privileged space for sharing visions, ideas, and experiences among members. For her part, IOI President Nashieli Ramirez Hernandez stated that the meeting reflects the commitment of Morocco's Ombudsman Institution to the promotion and protection of human rights. She noted that this annual meeting is a major event for the Institute, offering a valuable occasion to engage with all participants on issues of global significance, while highlighting that the IOI represents a diverse network—composed of national and local institutions tirelessly working in their respective domains—united by a common objective: the defense of human rights and the promotion of good governance. Meanwhile, IOI Secretary General Bernhard Achitz noted that the meeting brings together mediation institutions from across the globe, who share their experiences and discuss best practice models with the aim of enhancing the Institute's effectiveness. He added that the discussions will also focus on human rights and their protection, affirming that mediation institutions play a crucial role in many countries as defenders of fundamental rights. MAP: 13 mai 2025
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Several District 6 Republicans vying for vacant Charlotte council seat
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Charlotte's City Council is looking to fill a vacancy and a total of nine Republicans from District Six that were eligible, applied. Tariq Bokhari gave up his position representing the district in south Charlotte after accepting a role with the US Department of Transportation under the Trump Administration. One of the top contenders is Krista Bokhari, Tariq's wife, who blasted the council last week for their reported six-figure settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings. Jennings had threatened to sue the city because of texts sent by Tariq during a disagreement over police body armor. MORE | 'Our council should have had the full story and the full understanding of what occurred,' Bokhari told Queen City News. Bokhari said she greatly enjoyed solving constituent issues while Tariq was in office and has not ruled out if she will run for the seat in November. 'I would probably have the most information and have my finger dial of what the needs are of the district better than anyone else,' said Bokhari. Other applicants include Charlotte Observer columnist Andrew Dunn who told Queen City News, 'I thought you know I have some relationships and knowledge of the General Assembly in Raleigh, maybe could I pitch in for a few months and help get something done for the city I love.' Former council member Andy Dulin also applied. He believes he will be a good fit because he already knows what is required for the job and can hit the ground running on his first day. The council hopes to announce their selection on Monday, May 19. The appointee's first meeting would be on June 2 and that appointee would serve through December when the elected successor takes over. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
