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Visas/Work PermitsVISA INFORMATION FOR ENTERING THE UK Don’t leave home without it. No, not your American Express, but a visa that entitles you to live and work in the UK. Without obtaining your visa before you leave, you will be unable to enter the UK on anything other than a visitor visa. Immigration officials have the power to turn you away upon arrival, and it does happen. Get sorted before you arrive, with the visa that best suits your plans and circumstances. The UK has a huge variety of entry visas, but in general there are four visas that allow a New Zealander, Australian or a South African to work and live in the UK. Working Holiday Visa This has recently undergone some major changes which are designed to maximise the working potential of young Commonwealth citizens when they come to the UK. Among these changes: - The maximum age criterion has been raised from 27 to 30. - There will be no employment restrictions on type of work or maximum time spent with one employer but you may only work for 12 of the 24 months - Employees will be able to switch into work permit employment after one year in the UK. - Those already in the UK as working holidaymakers will be allowed to benefit from the proposed changes to the scheme with immediate effect. The WHV is valid for 2 years. It MUST be obtained in your own country. No WHVs will be issued from within the UK. You are unable to extend a WHV past two years. If you are entitled to another sort of visa when you leave the country, it is often better to apply for that, as it can be very difficult to change your visa status, and takes up valuable time and earning power. UK ancestry/Patriality visa Those with parents or grandparents who were born in the UK, may apply for a visa which entitles you to work in the UK for four years. There are no restrictions on the sort of work you may do. You must prove your family connections and often must be able to demonstrate you have work prospects when you arrive. If this is a requirement, you need to have a letter confirming you are registered with a recruitment company. The main restriction on this sort of visa is that you must be able to support yourself fully, so are prevented from accessing the social security benefits system. You are also bound to paying your tax and national insurance. As long as you meet these conditions, you may, after the four-year period, apply for an extension of your visa, and eventually qualify for a British passport. In November 2005 a review of this category was confirmed by the Home Office, and it is highly likely this visa may be ceased. Any changes will be added to this site as soon as anything is announced. Marriage/defacto/gay relationship visa If you are married to someone who has a British passport or holds an ancestry visa, you may apply for entry clearance to allow unrestricted work in the UK. You may need to demonstrate you can financially support yourself and have job opportunities upon arrival. In the majority of cases, you will initially be issued with a 12 month visa, which will be reviewed at the end of that period. If you are meeting the criteria you will be issued with a visa to allow you to stay permanently, and eventually qualify for a British passport. Officially there is no policy which covers defacto (known as common-law in the UK), and gay relationships. Visas are issued for defacto and/or gay couples, but Recruitment UK recommends you seek professional assistance if you wish to be considered under these sorts of relationships. Work permits Traditionally the most difficult visa to obtain, these visas are issued to people who have a job in the UK and have specialist skills that an employer has trouble finding in people from the UK/Europe. Applicants must have relevant qualifications and experience for the job they have obtained. However, significant sweeping changes have recently been announced in the UK, meaning the application procedure and time to process them is now quicker and easier. Work permits exist to fill shortages in the labour market and cover a variety of disciplines. Full details are below. Highly Skilled Migrant Visa Introduced in 2005, this is a points based policy related to qualifications, skills, age and work experience. It is becoming a popular option for people worldwide who wish to come to the UK permanently or at the very least for an extended period. GET SMART Without a visa, you are a short term tourist. You should ascertain the options you have as soon as you start to plan your trip. Do not listen to pub stories nor assume your mates’ interpretations of the rules are correct, as invariably they are not. Policy can and does change without warning, so base your decisions on facts from the official channels. Give yourself plenty of time to obtain your visa as processing times are determined by the issuing office, not your travel plans. It is wise to apply for the visa that allows the maximum time you are eligible for. Why? Because.... Once you have arrived you may wish to stay longer than you thought. Work prospects are often better and pay more in the UK than in NZ, SA and Australia. It can be very difficult and time consuming changing visas while in the UK. For full details, application forms and fees you should contact the British High Commission. Forms are available on their websites. New Zealand: Australia: Click here for a full list of UK embassies abroad. PATRIALITY LETTERS FOR NZ CITIZENS For New Zealand citizens applying for an Ancestry visa, a letter from a UK recruitment company confirming your CV has been submitted to them is required. If you are having trouble obtaining such a letter, or are not sure what to do, let Recruitment UK do it for you. This is what you need to do: - email your CV (2-3 pages max) to Recruitment UK Attn: Margaret recruitmentuk@xtra.co.nz WORK PERMIT INFORMATION Work permits are visas for non UK people who have a job offer and the company offering the job is prepared to sponsor the applicant, to allow them to work in the UK. As a result of serious skills shortages in the UK the government has announced changes to policy so work permits can be obtained and issued more easily. One of the biggest changes is a ’fast-track’ work permit which will allow workers in areas of shortage to enter the UK on working visas easily. The aim of fast-tracking these visas is to ease the burden on employers by allowing them to hire non-EU staff. In the past employers had to prove that no other EU candidate could do the job. Work permit extensions have also been increased from four to five years, and it will be easier for employers to renew work permits, including the stamping of passports. The government hopes to cut down the processing time for 80 percent of the applications to one week by early next year. While it is still necessary to have a job offer with the employer being prepared to sponsor the employee, a qualification and work experience are now not required. New criteria require either: New Scheme for Hospitality sector: The great news is that the government has introduced a new sectors-based scheme for work permits and it includes hospitality. This means that work permits can be considered for jobs in any of the following establishments. Cafeterias, hotels, motorway service stations, nightclubs, pubs, restaurants and takeaway shops. Jobs covered are right across the board; chefs, cleaners, concierge staff, food service operatives, housekeepers, reception staff, room attendants, kitchen assistants, waiting staff and bar staff. The work permit must be applied for when you are out of the country. They will only be issued for 12 months with one employer and you have to go away for 2 months at the end of the permit. There is no limit to the number of permits one person can have and they must be aged between 18 and 30. The government action is in response to an acute skills shortage and confirms that there is the huge demand for staff in the UK. Skills Shortages The UK is a big place. And in some areas of work, there are major candidate shortages which makes seeking employment for many, a chooser’s market. The government compiles an approved list of recognised skills shortage occupations and can be heard on a recorded message. phone: +44 114 259 4074. Because the list has been officially approved by Government, it means UK employers can apply to employ a skilled person from outside the country, and obtain the preferred candidate a work permit. For those who are unable to obtain a valid visa to work in the UK, and have a job skill which is on the approved list, the opportunity to work here is a reality. Check Work Permits on this site for more information. Because some shortages have reached chronic numbers, in mid-2000 the Government announced changes to work permit application rules which will facilitate speedier processing, and less stringent requirements for employers. Although not on the approved list, there are many more occupations that are still in short supply. For all who can meet skills shortages, you can often earn more money, have more choice of jobs, and most importantly have job interviews or even a job offer upon arrival. Contact recruitment companies in your sector through this site to ascertain your opportunities to work, and keep up to date with quarterly trends in the market. Remember that recruitment companies are not experts on visa rules and regulations. It is advisable to seek professional advice if applying for a work permit. Further details about obtaining a work permit can be viewed on the official website:
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6 Feb 2012, 6:00pm GMT
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