What are the consequences of changing policies for family migrants in the UK?

Caroline Oliver and Juan Camilo give a talk for the COMPAS Breakfast Briefing series. here has been considerable change in policies affecting migrants coming to and live in the UK as family members over recent years. Last year on 9th July 2012, the entry requirements were revised to incorporate an increased income threshold for the sponsor of non-EU spouses, while the period of time before they become eligible for permanent residence (and in which they face limited access to certain benefits) has been extended. Reasons given for such policies are to decrease the burden on the state and to foster integration. What impact have such policies had on the lives and experiences of family migrants? One year on from the changes, the briefing will offer evidence from two projects: an 18-month project carried out at COMPAS at the University of Oxford on the effects of post-entry restrictions and entitlements on family migrants' integration in the UK, which is part of a four country European study; and an investigation carried out at the Migrants' Rights Network on the consequences of the new entry rules. The briefing examines the impacts of the changing policy regime on family lives, the life decisions that families make and consider emerging findings on how such policies affect their integration within British society.