A Canadian lecturer who has previously been ordered by the British government to leave the country despite having a research grant has been awarded Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), officials have decided.
Dr Kevin Parsons, a biodiversity lecturer at the University of Glasgow who lives in Milngavie, Scotland, has been granted a £1.32 million UK government research grant from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) for his work in climate change, which currently employs three other people.
However, the father-of-two reportedly faced deportation despite having a British-born daughter following a number of exchanges with the Home Office, according to his local Milngavie MSP Gil Paterson.
Despite the deportation threats, Dr Parsons has now been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK, which allows him a permanent residency based on his previous “commitment to the UK on a temporary visa”.
Commenting on the outcome, Ms Paterson revealed that she is both delighted that they can remain within the country and outraged at the costs endured, which amount to more than £13,000.
“Dr Parsons contacted me for help because the Home Office was intending to boot him out of Scotland because of what seemed to be an administration error,” she said.
“Naturally, I was aghast that a scientist with a UK Government grant was going to be removed from the UK — even by the Tory standards on immigration, it was totally absurd.” Ms Paterson added. “That more than £13,000 has been splurged on this process is an utter outrage and it casts an eye on how inefficient and crazy our immigration system can be.”