Metropolitan

'Aburokyire Abrabor: Ghanaian life abroad.' is a series featuring the stories of individuals who have travelled to foreign countries for the same purpose; the hope of a better life for themselves and their families. Some are stories of success, but others are not so lucky.

In part five, we share the story of a Ghanaian man, who made a decision to travel to the UK and has regretted it ever since.

The biggest mistake I ever made was traveling to the UK. Back in Ghana, I co-partnered in running a business. However, I decided to seek greener pastures, but it turned into a disaster. I've been without a permanent job for about a year and a half now due to the strict 20-hour work limit imposed by my main sponsor, who has no jobs to offer me as per the law, I'm stuck.

I'm living here alone on a Tier-2 skilled visa, limited to working only in health and social care. They suggest finding other occupations or jobs, but who will employ me for only 20 hours a week, 80 hours a month? It's impossible to cover living expenses under these circumstances. Full-time work is only permitted with my sponsor, and if they have no jobs available, I can't seek full-time employment elsewhere in my profession.

The cost of moving within the UK is exorbitant, with bills skyrocketing from Liverpool to London. On top of that, my sponsor currently doesn't have jobs, and searching through agencies hasn't helped much either. It's been the worst of times.

Moreover, every week feels like a struggle, and the little money I have goes towards paying bills. Sometimes, I wonder why I shouldn't face issues of depression and sorrow when people back home think I'm doing well, but inside, I'm crying deeply every day. I can't even go out during the summer because within a few months, I might be evicted from my home, facing homelessness unless something changes.

If I had the chance, I'd choose Canada or America any day over the UK because those countries truly offer opportunities. You work hard with fewer restrictions, and you're good to go. I know firsthand about the high salaries in the USA and the streamlined immigration process in Canada. Canadian agencies have even called me multiple times to relocate, but I lack the funds to do so.

In fact, traveling to England has been the worst experience of my life. If not for the embarrassment of the sponsor recovering my £10,000, I would have returned to Ghana long ago. A year and a half in the UK, and nothing is going well for sure. It's pretty crazy here, and the laws aren't favorable.

I have friends in the USA who are doing much better. I admire the hustle, but the UK is worse with no hope in sight! I never chose the UK; Canada was my initial choice, but a friend suggested I consider my education status for the University of Liverpool, where tuition for my civil engineering masters was too high. So, I switched to sponsorship visas, and that's been my problem since.

Canada CIS even contacted me once to start the process of relocating there. Another agency from Vancouver explained how I qualified for a role in London or Toronto, but the logistics of relocation were challenging at that time. They do sponsor education and skills, leading to permanent residency in Canada after applying for citizenship.

I wanted to move to Canada with my daughter, who is still in Ghana and dependent on me andmy visa. Although she could come to the UK, under current conditions, it's not feasible.

If you would like to contribute stories for publication anonymously, message Karen Mcklaren on facebook or email karen.mcklaren@gmail.com