AN Australian man, living in Worcester with his city-born wife and their two children has fallen foul of what he believes are immigration rules he calls ‘a rip-off.’

Last week, after the engagement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was announced, Worcester City Councillor Richard Udall contrasted the presumed ease with which Ms Markle would be allowed to come and live in Britain, and take UK citizenship, with the difficulties many other UK citizens have in bringing their foreign wives or husbands to this country.

Jan Maruska, is one such foreign-born husband.

Originally from Australia, he lives in Warndon with his wife Helen and their teenage son and nine-year-old daughter.

But while Jan works, in his first year here in 14 years he was made redundant and also needed an operation.

he said: “That meant I didn’t earn over the £18,000 amount- so now I have to apply for a visa every two and a half years. Last year that cost me £800 for the visa application plus a £500 NHS surcharge.

“It’s a total rip-off.”

Jan met Helen in 2001 and the couple lived in Jan’s native Sydney for 12 years, getting married and starting a family, but they decided to move back to Helen’s birthplace of Worcester three years ago after Jan’s parents died.

Mr Maruska, who works as a clerk in Droitwich, said: “I was on my own in Australia and my wife is local to here so we decided to come back. But because in that first year I earned less than £18,000 it’s been made really difficult.

“I think I’m a model citizen. I work, I don’t have any criminal record, we own our own house, our kids are in school.

“I’m not spongeing off the state, what more do they want me to do?