WORK PERMITS
There are
several types of permit under this category, and choosing the
most suitable is essential to a successful application.
Full
Work Permit
It is
the employer who applies for the permit, not the prospective
employee. The work permit is granted to that employer, and
does not allow work for anyone else. Unless they already hold
a work permit for a different employer, candidates should
not be in the UK when their prospective employer applies for
a work permit.
Work permit applications are considered by the Works Permits
(UK) which is now part of the Home Office in the UK; processing
generally takes between one and two months, and can result
in a permit lasting from 6 months to 4 years.
The full
work permit is usually granted to employ high level executives/managers,
and those with rare technical skills, which are not readily
available in the UK and the European Union. Candidates should
be paid the normal rate for the job in the UK. It is easier
to obtain a work permit to employ someone who is transferring
employment from an overseas subsidiary to a UK subsidiary
of the same company.
Our firm
has assisted many employers and employees in obtaining work
permits and also arranging entry clearance from the relevant
British Overseas Mission.
Case
Studies
Training
& Work Experience Scheme (TWES)
Permits
authorising training or work experience are issued for a particular
training or work experience under the Training and Work Experience
Scheme (TWES). It is the employer who applies for the permit.
The permit will only be issued on the understanding that the
person intends to return home on completion of the training
or work experience. The scheme operates to assist businesses
and organisations in their international development and to
help other countries by increasing their skills and experience
of their citizens..
To qualify,
the training should normally lead to a recognized professional
qualification. It may be possible, but more difficult, to
come under this scheme if the training leads to an occupational
skill rather than a qualification.
The holder
of a permit for training or work experience should be admitted
for the period specified in the permit. This can be a period
of up to three years for trainees and one year for work experience.
There should be a condition permitting the trainee to take
or change employment only with the approval of the Work Permit
(UK).
Case
Studies
Other
Work Permits
Entertainers,
sports people, and models have their own, less stringent,
category. Depending on the circumstance, it may not even be
necessary to apply for a permit, especially if entering for
a period limited to six months as a visitor. As most people
in this category work on an international level, they do not
normally wish to make their permanent home in the UK.
Key
workers: So called 'key worker' permits are often granted
to those who, while not high level executives, have language,
cultural, or culinary knowledge rare in the UK. This category
of permit is often used for hotel/restaurant managers, head
chefs, highly skilled waiting staff and senior hotel receptionists.
'Key worker' permits will not generally be granted/extended
for more than a total of 3 years. Thus, they do not lead to
permanent residence.
Case Studies
The Highly Skilled
Migrant Programme
HSMP has been launched by the UK Government to allow the individual
with exceptional personal skills and experience to come to
UK to seek and take work or self-employment. The programme
aims to provide an individual migration route for highly skilled
persons who have the skills and experience required by the
UK to compete in the global economy.
Summary of changes to HSMP from 31 October 2003
- Reduction
of points threshold required for HSMP approval to 65 points
- Introduction
of Young Person Assessment for those aged under 28.
- Introduction
of 10 points allowance for those with a skilled partner.
UK
Immigration Consultancy Ltd. can provide you professional
assistance in the above process.
