The London living wage has been set at £8.80 per hour and nationaly at £7.65. Neither would give you a salary of £18600 based on 40 hours per week.

Of course a pensioner has to make do with even less. Yet the earnings limit that is set for a settlement visa is £8.94 per hour. So for a settlement visa the Government says the minimum is £8.94 per hour then calculates a living wage at £8.80 for London and £7.65 nationally.

A flaw in the argument I think.

I think the London living wage is calculated bearing in mind that a certain %age of the time it is for one person, whereas the £18,600 for a spouse (no children) means two people 100% of the time.

That's how I'd justify it anyway if it were my responsibility.. not that I agree with the blanket financial minimums for spouse visas.

Edited November 4, 201312 yr by rwdrwdrwd

There is already a topic running on the minimum earnings requirement here; the latest of many.

Do we really need another?

BTW, the minimum earnings requirement is not £8.94 per hour for a spouse or partner, it's £18,600 p.a. How that equates to an hourly rate depends, of course, on how many hours the sponsor works. I currently earn less than £8.94 per hour, but more than £18,600 p.a.

We don't need another thread about the rights and wrongs of HMG's stance on income levels.

The latest discussion is here. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/677797-update-on-home-office-appeal-against-spouse-minimum-income-judgment/

I'm going to close this one.