Hacker News Reader

Comment by pavlov | Hacker News Reader

I'm a Finn, and always thought that UK could be an interesting place to live some day. This decision completely destroys that possibility because moving to a non-EU country is not a realistic option -- I wouldn't go out of my way to look for bureaucratic headaches. Since the UK doesn't want people like me, I guess it will increasingly become another place I never think about.

This was a major win for isolationism, but it's not clear to me why an island wants to be increasingly isolated. When you're already geographically isolated, wouldn't you want to try to compensate against that by reducing mental isolation rather than actively reinforcing it?

Ultimate independence is when people forget you exist at all.

View on HN

According to the Brexit politicians they don't want isolationism, rather they want to open up the UK to the rest of the world. At the moment they have to privilege economic immigrants from the EU, and make it harder for high skilled workers to come to the country from the rest of the world. There will be a powerful political mandate to institute an Australian style points-based immigration policy ... this can be fine-tuned year on year to bring in the skills the UK needs, rather than an open door to the EU and barriers to everyone else. If you're a high skilled Norwegian worker you may find it easier to come and work and settle in the UK post Brexit than before. I don't think there's any question that the UK will continue with a high level of immigration.

I wouldn't assume the UK "doesn't want" people like you there. I think they just want better say over who comes into their country.

It's very possible, and perhaps even likely, that they will look to implement a similar solution as the US has -- visas for skilled workers, to the extent they have a need for foreign labor, and there might even be direct relationships with high-tech hubs like Scandinavia.

But yes, there will be added bureaucracy, and some people will choose not to go because of it.

>I wouldn't assume the UK "doesn't want" people like you there. I think they just want better say over who comes into their country.

Problem is if you want to say buy a house or something permanent like that then its comforting to know you're not at the mercy of same visa regulation. Thats is no gone & I'm also re-evaluating my plans to move to the UK. Sure I'll get a visa easily anyway but still the uncertainty unsettles me.

I'm old, and I can remember before 1975 quite clearly.

I grew up in Liverpool and we had all sorts of people living there - owning or renting houses - and getting on with their lives. There were enough Norwegians to have their own church. A fair number of Germans, and a Frenchman who ran a well-known cafe (probably lots more I didn't see). We even had Americans, mostly military people but not all. As well as lots of people from the Commonwealth countries, I can remember my first taste of a curry (a chick pea and potato masala on naan bread) and of wonton soup, not to mention cassava chips.

UK mainland is quite large - it does not feel like an island if you know what I mean. There are a lot of pretty diverse communities. Because of our history (ok, maritime power and imperialism) we have been open to most of the world. Most of the male members of my family tree (going back 8 or 9 generations) arrived on boats, most from other parts of the UK but some from other places (the women stayed put - often living in the same house for their whole life). I live in the midlands, quite near a small nondescript field where people think the first (beam) engine was erected - it pumped water out of a coal mine and that is where the industrial revolution began.

If you have skills, there will be a points system and you will get a visa. Just like the US, if you put down roots and want to stay in the UK as your main home, there will be a way of applying for citizenship. Many people here work remotely in a variety of countries where there is no formal 'free movement' agreement and they seem to get on.

PS: Our mountains are a bit crap though. Scotland has some reasonable ones. They call them 'munros'

You're probably not the kind of people they're trying to prevent coming there.

You're right though, I'm sure people will totally forget that the UK exists now.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com