Work Permit/ Work VISA

Since 2010, the U.K. government has made stringent rules for the workers outside the European Economic Area, to migrate and work in U.K. It is a point based visa; in other words, the individuals applying for the U.K. work permit  are obliged to score certain points. The old Work Permit System of U.K. has been replaced by Tier 2 Work Permit System. The processes and stages in the Tier 2 system are altogether different from the previous system.

Requirements for Employers:

• The employer of the individual applying for work permit should initially ‘register’ himself as a ‘sponsor’ for Tier 2 and obtain a sponsor licence.
• Only after being registered, he can issue the certificate of sponsorship
• It is vital for the employer to have proof showing that his business is genuine and has requirement for the intended job
• He must also be able to prove that he has nationally advertised the business and could not get employee from inside the European Economic Area

Process after Receiving Certificate of Sponsorship: The individual seeking work permit for the U.K. can apply only after receiving the certificate of sponsorship from the employer. He also requires the points to be claimed and the evidence for the same in order to get Tier 2 work permit issued. Tier 2 Work permit is usually issued for the time period of 3 years.

The generic category of U.K. work permit is no longer available. However, there are other avenues available which allow the individuals to work in the country. Under Tier-2 work permit there are four categories of skilled workers:

1. Tier 2 (General): This category is for the individuals, who are qualified professional and migrate to U.K. with a skilled job offer and certificate of sponsorship, in order to fill the job offer that cannot be filled by a skilled, settled orker. Under this category, the company or employer himself applies on the behalf of employee or the applicant. It becomes the responsibility of the employer to prove that candidates are eligible and suitable to fill the position. However, the applicant has to obtain minimum 70 points.

2. Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer: This category is for the employees of multi-nationals who are being transferred to the U.K. branch. The candidates need to have certificate of the sponsorship from their company or he employer. This category is further divided into four sub-categories including:

   • Long-term staff?

   • Short-term staff

   • Graduate –trainee

   • Skills Transfer

   The employees can either be sent on long-term basis or for frequent short visits and applicants need to score minimum 50 points.

3. Tier 2 Minister of Religion: This category is for the applicants who want to migrate to the U.K. as religious workers to perform recognized religious duties. It includes applicants who are either Ministers of Religion, or missionaries or members of religious orders. The aspiring candidate has to earn a minimum of 70 points.

4. Tier 2 Sportsperson Category: This Category of Tier 2 work permit is for the elite sportsperson and coaches who are recognized and established internationally at the highest level and will substantially help in the development and growth of their sport. The candidates need to have a licensed sponsor and must show a valid sponsorship certificate with an endorsement number by a governing body. The endorsement is required to confirm that the sponsored candidate is internationally acclaimed. It is also a point-based system and applicant is required to score minimum of 70 points.

Study VISA

The U.K. has always been a ‘holy grail’ for zealous students who want to achieve heights through their academic knowledge. From the sublime and ultimate campuses of Oxford and Cambridge to tech-savvy and state-of-art of campuses of UCL and Imperial College, the U.K. offers world- renowned and time-honored education system. Studying in the U.K. not only provides the students with most contemporary academic qualifications, but also gives them an edge over their competitors. This is the reason, that every year thousands of international students come to the U.K. to be a part of this vibrant, top-notch and leading-edge education system.

The U.K. student visa is a point-based visa system. To be eligible to apply for a student visa, you are required to gain minimum of 40 points, 30 points out of which are for the ‘confirmation of acceptance of studies’ from the university, college or school, where you are intended to study. Moreover, the university, college or school chosen by you must be on the ‘register of sponsors’ kept by the UKBA.

The individuals who are willing to apply for the Student Visa for the U.K. can apply under following categories:

Tier 4 (General) Student Visa: You can apply for this visa category, if you are 16 years old or over and you:

• have been offered a place on a course with a qualified education provider
• are able to speak, read, write and understand English
• are from the country that is not in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
• have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course 
• have CAS number (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) sent to you by the education provider after offering you a place on the course

Documents Required:

• Proof of CAS number (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) by the education provider
• Proof that you have enough funds to support yourself and to pay for your course
• Proof of parents or other legal guardian consent, if you are under 18
• A current passport or other valid travel documentations
• 2 Passport–sized colored photographs
• Additional documents depending on your circumstances

Tier 4 (General) Student Visa permits the individuals to work between 10 to 20 hours per week during term periods and they may undertake full-time job during vacation periods.

Tier 4 Student (Child) Visa: The applicants, who are between the age group of 4 and 17 and want to study in the U.K., can apply for the Tier 4 (Child) Student Visa. The applicants need to have a licensed education provider, who acts as a sponsor and confirms the enrolment offer.

The applicants applying for this visa are required to provide following documentations:

• Proof that you have sufficient funds to maintain and accommodate yourself or to be maintained or accommodated by host

• Proof that you have enough money to pay your course-fee

• Proof that you have been accepted into a recognized course of study at an approved U.K. institution

• Proof of your CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) by the education provider

• Proof of your parents’ or guardians’ approval for your travel, reception, and care arrangements

• Additional documents depending on your circumstances

• A current passport or other valid travel documentation

The applicants who become successful to obtain Tier 4 (Child) student visa are granted visa for a period in accordance with the duration of the intended course. This visa category helps the applicants to develop an educational base in the U.K.

Student Visitor Visa: An applicant who intends to do a short course of study in the U.K. can apply for a student visitor visa. When you apply for Student Visitor Visa, you can:

• go for a short course of study in the U.K., like: an English language course or a training course.

But you cannot:

• study at a state school
• work or carry out any business
• marry or register a civil partnership
• extend this visa beyond 11 months
• bring family members with you
• get public funds

You can apply for Student Visitor Visa, if:

• You are accepted on a course to learn English

• You are studying at an overseas higher education institution and part of your course is to be carried out in the U.K.

• You are already enrolled in an overseas course and want to go to the U.K. for a short period of research

While applying for this visa, along with all other documents, you need to show the proof that you have enough money to pay for your return or onward journey.

Study as a Child Visitor: If you of are under 18 years of age and want to go to the U.K. for a short study course, you can apply for (Child Visitor) Study Visa. The place of study where you are accepted on a course must be:

• Accredited by Accreditation U.K., Accreditation Body for Language Services, British Accreditation Council, Accreditation Service for International College or
• An organisation that is licensed to sponsor Tier 4 migrants

Under this visa category, you are not able to study at government funded school, unless you come to the U.K as a part of an exchange programme or educational visit.

Documents Required:

• Current passport or other valid travel documents
• 1 Passport–sized colored photograph
• Proof that you can support yourself during your trip or proof that you will be financially supported by your parents or carers
• Contact details of at least one parent or guardian in your home country
• Details of the place, you are intended to stay and your travel plans
• Details of the course and of the institution where you will be studying
• Your parents need to provide additional documents like: written consent, full contact details, proof; you are living somewhere suitable etc., if you are travelling alone
• Specific information about the person, if someone is accompanying you to the U.K.

Child Visitor Visa enables you to stay in the U.K. for six months or 12 months, if an academic visitor e.g. a researcher or teacher is accompanying you. You can also apply for long-term visa visit, if you have sufficient proofs to show that you are required to make continuous visits over a longer period of time. You can stay for 6 months of period during your each visit and your visa can last for 1, 2, 5 or 10 years, depending upon your requirements and valid proofs verifying the same.

Business VISA

The U.K. is the one of the strongest and affluent business capitals of the world. The country is the hub of international trade and industry with world’s robust and ardent businesses, which altogether make the country a must-go place for the entrepreneurs. As the U.K. government is dedicated towards the upgrading and development of British Economy, stringent rules and regulations are formulated for the allocation of U.K. Business Visas, so that only the quality applicants can enter or come to U.K. to establish business.

The U.K. government offers various business visas and schemes for the aspiring applicants, who wish to enter the U.K. for establishing world-class level businesses. The following types of business visas are granted including:

• Tier 1- Exceptional Talent Visa: This visa category is for the individuals who are renowned world-leaders in their skilled area or are endowed with industry-leading talent in the fields of science and arts and want to work in U.K. Aspirants are obliged to make initial applications from abroad. Moreover, the applicants who are already in the U.K. under other immigration categories are not allowed to switch to this category.

  Eligibility Requirements:

  • Applicant needs to obtain at least 75 points

  • 75 points can only be scored, if the applicants have endorsement from a ‘designated competent body’; an organisation, responsible to decide whether the applicants are internationally recognised.

  • Applicant is required to meet additional requirements, if he has been a student in the U.K. and has received financial scholarship from the government or an international scholarship agency.

  Entitlements:

  The applicants who become successful to obtain The Exceptional Talent Visa are granted temporary residence and are permitted to live, work or set up a business in the U.K. without any restrictions. They have access to public schools and subsidised tertiary education for the dependents.

• Tier-1 Graduate Entrepreneur Visa: This visa category is for the Non-European graduates recognised by higher education institutions of the U.K. for having developed world-class creative ideas and entrepreneurial skills. This visa category permits the U.K. government to retain such non-Europeans in the U.K., to establish new or more businesses, after their graduation.

  Eligibility Requirements:

  • Applicant is obliged to score 95 points?

  • 75 points will be scored if the applicant has an endorsement from a ‘Higher Education Institution of U.K.

  • Applicants must score at least 10 points for their English language ability

  • 10 points are granted for the maintenance of funds.

  Entitlements:

  The applicants who become successful to obtain Tier 1-Graduate Entrepreneur Visa, are permitted to live and work only for the business established by them and work in other employment not more than 20 hours per week.

• Tier-1 Entrepreneur Visa: This visa category is for the individuals who want to enter the U.K. to start a new business and to get actively involved in running that business.

  Tier-1(Entrepreneur) Visa Requirements:

  • Applicant is obliged to have a minimum of £ 2,00,000 to start the proposed business
  • Applicant can open any business, but must work full-time to make the business a success
  • The business opened must create full-time employment for the two EEA nationals
  • Applicant needs to take a share of liabilities
  • Applicant is obliged to have sufficient funds to support himself, till the business becomes profitable
  • Applicant needs to have a controlling interest in the business
  • Applicant must have a reliable business plan
  • Applicant must meet English language ability requirements
  • Applicant needs to have sufficient funds, specified by the U.K government while applying

  The applicant of Tier 1- Entrepreneur Visa initially gets a 2 years visa. He can apply for further 3 years extension, till the business is operating and investment has been made and 2 jobs have been created. Spouses and dependent children can join the applicant on this visa and free to work and go to school.

• Business Visitor Visa: The U.K Business Visitor Visas are for the applicants who wish to visit the U.K for business purposes like:

  1. Attend Interviews
  2. Conferences
  3. Conduct site visits
  4. Arrange or negotiate deals
  5. Sign contracts
  6. Deliver International goods

  Other than these, categories of people enlisted below can also apply for the Business visitor visa:

  1. Academic Visitors
  2. Film Crew
  3. Representative of Overseas News Media
  4. Professors or Researchers
  5. Religious Workers
  6. Advisors, Consultants, trainers, or trouble-shooters
  7. Persons undertaking one-off training
  8. Overseas Company’s Employees
  9. Doctors

  Documents Required:

  1. Invitation letter from the U.K. company/business/establishment
  2. Valid Passport
  3. Documents related with finance and employment
  4. Documents related to a accommodation and travel details
  5. Documents verifying your intention for visit

  While you are applying for the Business Visitors Visa, you need to demonstrate that you are intended to visit the U.K. for no more 6 months. And, also you want to visit the U.K. for a genuine business activity. You also need to show that you have sufficient funds to maintain and accommodate yourself.