Thakrar (Cart JR, Art 8, Value To Community): UTIAC 19 Sep 2018

(1) The fact that an application for permission to appeal involves the assertion that a person’s removal from the United Kingdom would violate his or her human rights does not, without more, engage that part of the second appeal criteria, which allows permission to appeal (or permission for a ‘Cart’ judicial review) to be granted, on the basis that removal constitutes a ‘compelling reason’ for the appeal to be heard. If the position were otherwise, the second appeal criteria would lose their function as a restriction on the power to grant permission to appeal in immigration cases.
(2) Before concluding that submissions regarding the positive contribution made by an individual fall to be taken into account, for the purposes of Article 8(2) of the ECHR, as diminishing the importance to be given to immigration controls, a judge must be satisfied that the contribution is very significant. In practice, this is likely to arise only where the matter is one over which there can be no real disagreement. One touchstone for determining this is to ask whether the removal of the person concerned would lead to an irreplaceable loss to the community of the United Kingdom or to a significant element of it.
(3) The fact that a person makes a substantial contribution to the United Kingdom economy cannot, without more, constitute a factor that diminishes the importance to be given to immigration controls, when determining the Article 8 position of that person or a member of his or her family.
(4) If judicial restraint is not properly maintained in this area, there is a danger that the public’s perception of human rights law will be significantly damaged.

Citations:

[2018] UKUT 336 (IAC)

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Immigration

Updated: 01 February 2022; Ref: scu.628740