Heather immigrated to the UK from Canada in 2009. Over the last 11 years, she has been on three different UK visa types (student, work and partner). Her first application for indefinite leave to remain in the UK under the 10 year Long Residence route was rejected in 2019 due to excess, work-related absences. In November 2020, she secured indefinite leave to remain through a second application as a partner of a British citizen. Over the last decade, Heather has experienced first-hand the pressures of the UK immigration system and UK public discourse on immigration, her visa status a constant background insecurity in her work and family life.  She joined the JCWI Executive Committee in 2020 with the intention to make good use of her lived experience in support of other migrants in the UK.
Heather holds degrees from McMaster and York Universities (in Canada) as well as from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Professionally, Heather has been working in the sustaina…