British Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that to prevent radicalization, Muslim women immigrants will have to prove to the government that they can speak proper English within two and a half years or face the possibility of being deported from the country.
This requirement would apply to immigrants who arrive in the country with a spousal visa after October of this year.
The requirement currently in place for women immigrants entering the country on a five-year spousal visa is to at least have a basic understanding of English. Cameron is not blaming women specifically who can’t speak English, but is singling out Muslim men who keep their wives hidden away at home with no job or financial standing of their own.
A government source said:
“At the moment, too many Muslim women are treated like second-class citizens who may speak only basic English at best, and have no jobs or independent financial standing. It means they are in no position to speak out against the influence of the radical Imams, however strongly they feel about it”.
British Prime Minister David Cameron
Cameron spoke to BBC Radio 4 and said: “People coming to our country – they have responsibilities too.”
He was implying that those who want to live and be a part of the U.K. as a citizen must also be willing to embrace the country’s values, and heritages, including being able to speak the country’s native language.
Cameron pledged to fund 20 million pounds ($28.7 million US) towards English language classes for Muslim women immigrants who face social isolation, with a warning that they could face deportation if they do not reach certain language standards by the two year mark.
Britain is not the only European country to apply these standards to immigrants. Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands have similar tests.
