Right to Work in the UK
Important Notice
The Home Office for the United Kingdom has announced a major overhaul of the immigration system which will be phased in throughout 2008 and 2009. The new application system will be entirely points based. To the best of our knowledge, the old visa system remains in effect until Summer 2008 (as quoted by the Home Office). TimePlan strongly advises you to check the UKvisas website www.ukvisas.gov.uk regularly for current and up to date information about the changes taking place this year.
Visas
In order to enter the UK to stay and earn money, it is not enough to simply have a passport from your own country. A visa lets you live and work in the UK for a pre-arranged length of time. There are a variety of options available to teachers, each with its own criteria and restrictions. The most common visas our teachers hold are:
Working Holidaymaker Visa
Citizens of certain countries between the ages of 17 and 30 can apply to come to the UK for an extended holiday of up to two years. You can work for up to 12 months of your holiday, but the holiday – not work – should be the main reason for your stay in the UK.
Ancestry Visa
Commonwealth citizens aged 17 and over can apply for this visa if they can show proof of a grandparent born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. You must intend to support yourself through employment in the UK, as there are limitations on an ancestry visa holder’s access to public funds. This visa is granted for five years.
EU Passport
If you possess a passport from a member country of the European Economic Area (EEA) you are entitled to work in the UK. Some countries are required to register on the Worker Registration Scheme. Please see the European Citizens section of the Home Office’s Border & Immigration Agency website www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/eucitizens for more information.
UK Passport
Those eligible for a UK passport include people who were born in the UK, have been naturalised in the UK or can prove legitimate descent from a mother or father born in the UK. You can see whether or not you are eligible at the Home Office’s Identity & Passport Service on www.ips.gov.uk.
Highly Skilled Migrant Programme – now Tier 1 (General) of the Points Based System
The former ‘Highly Skilled Migrant Programme’ is now the first tier to be introduced of the new Points Based System. It is designed to attract applicants with the very highest skills wishing to work in te UK. Visas will be granted based on an applicant’s age, qualifications, work experience, previous earnings, English language skills and funds available. A points-based calculator is available online if you wish to see whether or not you have enough points to qualify for this tier.
Points-based calculator: www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/pointscalculator
Other visas are available, including Right of Abode and Spousal. For a complete list of visas offered by the Home Office, please visit the UKvisas website on www.ukvisas.gov.uk.
Biometric scanning is now mandatory when applying for a UK visa. This consists of fingerprint scans and a full-face digital photograph. You will need to visit an approved Visa Application Centre (VAC) to have these procedures done and you will need to submit the biometric information along with your visa application.
This information is provided by TimePlan as guidance only. Always refer to the British High Commission in your area for current and official information about working in the UK.