Is the United Kingdom becoming hostile to Christianity?
One of the world’s largest missions agencies will lose 66 staff members from its British office after United Kingdom Visas and Immigration officials stripped away its license to sponsor visas.
Following an inspection by the UKVI office earlier this year, Operation Mobilization – known as OM – can no longer bring in missionaries from outside the European Union to staff its UK office. Non-European employees and volunteers currently sponsored by OM must leave the UK within the next two months.
Gary Sloan, OM’s UK director, told Christianity Today, “We have seen the expectations and requirements on visa sponsors increase dramatically in recent years, and unfortunately, along with many similar organizations, we have been unable to keep up with those requirements quickly enough in a way that immediately satisfies the UKVI,”
OM’s current immigration difficulties parallel those of Youth With A Mission – or YWAM. It faced having more than 300 missionaries and their families booted from Britain last year.
Prior to YWAM’s predicament, British immigration officials also revoked Wycliffe Bible Translators’ sponsorship license in 2014.
Also in 2014, the UK evangelism group Nations Trust had its license downgraded, preventing the organization from issuing new visas but allowing it to continue to sponsor existing employees.