Please be aware that this information is for guidance purposes only and does not intend to be a full representation of the immigration rules. For full details please visit the UK Border Agency’s (UKBA) website.
The following groups are not subject to immigration control and therefore have no restrictions on working in the UK:
* Nationals from these EU member states (‘Accession State workers’) are free to work in the UK but must register with the UK Border Agency under the Government’s Worker Registration Scheme within their first month of starting employment.
Nationals from the two newest EU members, Bulgaria and Romania, are covered by the Accession Worker Card Scheme.
Asylum seekers whose applications are successful and are granted Indefinite Leave To Remain (ILTR) are entitled to work in the UK without any restrictions. Asylum seekers are not normally allowed to work in the UK whilst their asylum application is being considered, except in very limited circumstances.
British Overseas citizens, British Overseas Territories citizens, British Nationals (Overseas), British Protected Persons and British Subjects are all forms of British nationality which require permission to live and work in the UK. There may be an entitlement to register as British citizens in certain circumstances.
Commonwealth citizens, British Overseas Territories citizens and British Overseas citizens are entitled to work in the UK under the Working Holiday Maker Scheme.
Overseas students studying at UK institutions are entitled to work in the UK, with certain restrictions.
The majority of Academic Visitors to the UK for any period of time for academic purposes and who are not from the EEA require entry clearance to the UK in their own country prior to travelling.
If an individual either has no restrictions on their stay in the UK or is subject to immigration control as above, they should be able to produce the required documentation to demonstrate this.
All other migrant workers are covered by the Points Based System (PBS).
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Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria ø
Cyprus
Czech Republic ≠
Denmark
Estonia ≠
Finland
France
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Germany
Greece
Hungary ≠
Iceland *
Irish Republic
Italy
Latvia ≠
Liechtenstein *
Lithuania ≠
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Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Norway *
Poland ≠
Portugal
Romania ø
Slovakia ≠
Slovenia ≠
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Spain
Sweden
Switzerland Ŧ
United Kingdom
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If you are an overseas national from outside the European Economic Area (EEA), you may need to obtain a business visitor visa before travelling to the UK for your interview. Further information on visitor visas can be found on the UK Government's visa services website.
Migrants to the UK have to accumulate points for factors such as qualifications, prospective earnings and English language competence in order to obtain entry clearance and leave to remain in the UK (visa). The PBS is managed by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) and includes 5 Tiers:
Tier 1 – Highly skilled workers
Tier 2 – Skilled workers
Tier 3 – Low skilled workers (currently suspended)
Tier 4 – Students
Tier 5 – Youth mobility and temporary workers
Tier 1 – If an appointee to a job holds a Tier 1 visa, the University can employ this person for the duration of their visa without obtaining further permission to employ them. An advantage of permission to work under this tier is that it relates to the individual rather than a specific job and is therefore transferrable across different employment. This tier replaces the previous Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) visa and, for post-study work for students, the International Graduate Scheme (IGS) visa. The post-study worker category is designed to provide a bridge for international students who have studied in the UK to find highly skilled work: you would be expected to switch into another category of the points based system as soon as possible and permission to work under the category is only given for a maximum period of two years.
Tier 2 – If the appointee is a non-EEA national subject to immigration control, the University will need to obtain permission to employ the applicant by obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship (CofS). The Certificate of Sponsorship has replaced the previous work permit scheme and is required as part of the process of obtaining a visa to enter/ and or stay in the UK.
Tier 3 – This tier is currently suspended.
Tier 4 – Students who are non-EEA nationals will need to hold a Tier 4 visa to study at the University.
Tier 5 – This Tier is only used to obtain permission for Sponsored Researchers to come to the University to carry out research and use the University’s facilities. It replaces the previous Sponsored Researcher work permit.
This is the route for skilled non-EEA nationals to use to work in the UK if they have a job offer but do not qualify for a Tier 1 visa.
To qualify for a visa in this category, you must have both a Sponsor (employer) and a valid Certificate of Sponsorship which is provided by the sponsoring employer. If you are coming to work at the University you will need to apply in the Tier 2 (General) category.
As the permission to work is only provided for the specific job covered by the Certificate of Sponsorship, when your employment in that job ends so does your permission to work in the UK. Because of this, you may first wish to check whether you quality under Tier 1 as a highly skilled or post-study worker.
The Certificate of Sponsorship is not a document, but a unique reference number which you will need to use when you apply for your visa. The Certificate of Sponsorship replaces the previous system of work permits and is issued by the sponsoring employer. The University is licensed to issue Certificates of Sponsorship.
The Certificate of Sponsorship gives the University permission to employ you. The visa is also required because this gives you permission to enter and/ or stay in the UK and without it you would be unable to take up your employment.
If you change jobs and work for another employer, that employer will need to issue you with a new, separate Certificate of Sponsorship and you will have to apply for a new visa attached to the fresh Certificate of Sponsorship.
Non-EEA Nationals who are:
This is a points-based visa. To pass the points-based assessment you must score a total of 70 points, as follows:
You should use the self-assessment points calculator to check you are eligible for a Tier 2 Skilled Worker (General) visa. If you do not score enough points, your application will be refused. We will therefore not issue a Certificate of Sponsorship unless you have provided us with evidence that you have met the points requirements.
You are also strongly advised to check at this stage that you can provide all the related documentation you are required to send with your visa application.
Further guidance on completing the visa application form will be available here shortly. In the meantime detailed guidance and advice is available from the UK Border Agency for out of country applications and in country applications.
To issue a new Certificate of Sponsorship, the University must meet the following criteria:
No. As the Certificate of Sponsorship is not a document but a unique reference number, it can be used to apply for a visa either in or out of the UK. However, the application process and application form is different depending on whether you are applying from inside or outside of the UK. Further information is available from the UK Border Agency for out of country applications and in country applications.
You will need to make an application for a visa for each dependant when you apply for your own visa. Full details are available from the UK Border Agency website.
The Certificate of Sponsorship will give you permission to work for the duration of your contract up to a maximum of 3 years in the first instance. An extension to a Certificate of Sponsorship can be issued for a further 2 years. After 5 years continuous service on a Certificate of Sponsorship, you can apply for permanent residency in the UK (also known as settlement).
Once we have received all the required documentation from you and your recruiting department, and you have confirmed that you have used the PBS calculator to check you have enough points to qualify for a visa, a Certificate of Sponsorship can normally be issued on the same day.
No. The cost of the Certificate of Sponsorship is met by the University.
You can apply as soon as you have been issued with a Certificate of Sponsorship. You will need the unique reference number (URN) for your visa application. Remember to use the self-assessment points calculator to check you have enough points to qualify before the Certificate of Sponsorship is issued. You are also strongly advised to check at this stage that you can provide all the related documentation you are required to send with your visa application.
The current waiting times if you are outside the UK are available on the UK Visas website; and, if you are in the UK, on the UK Border Agency’s website.
If you are in the UK there is a premium postal service available at no additional cost (at the time of writing). To be eligible for this service you must meet the following criteria:
The UK Border Agency aim to make a decision on fast track applications within one week, although this is not guaranteed.
Alternatively, you can pay for a same day service by appointment at the UKBA’s public enquiry offices. You are strongly advised to read all the advice given on the website before making an appointment to ensure that you are able to provide all the information required for this service.
The fee for a Tier 1 visa varies depending on your circumstances and details of current fees can found on the UK Border Agency web site.
You will have to pay for your visa, however, once you start your employment at the University you can then claim 50% of the cost back from the University.
The fee for a Tier 1 visa varies depending on your circumstances and details of current fees can found on the UK Border Agency web site.
You will have to pay for your Tier 1 visa as it allows you to work for any employer in the UK. However, the University may be able to reimburse you or contribute to the cost in some cases.
No, your work permit remains valid for your employment with the University until it expires. However, if you leave the University to work for a new employer in the UK, you will need a Certificate of Sponsorship and you will have to apply for a visa under the new Points Based System before you start work with the new employer.
No, work permits are no longer issued and you will need a Certificate of Sponsorship instead. The University will issue you with a Certificate of Sponsorship, and you will need to apply for further leave to remain (visa) under the UK Border Agency's transitional arrangements.
Yes. The work permit (or Certificate of Sponsorship) is only valid for the job you currently hold, so if you change employment you will need further permission to work for a new employer. The University will therefore need to apply for a Certificate of Sponsorship for you as a fresh application and you will need to obtain another visa under the new Points Based System. You will need both the Certificate of Sponsorship and new visa before you can start work.
The University would be required to provide confirmation of the naming on the grant rather than proof that the vacancy has been advertised.
Your student visa entitles you to work up to 20 hours a week during term time, and unlimited hours during vacations. You may also work full time after the end of your studies for up to four months as long as your student visa has not expired. However, this visa is not intended for use for longer-term employment, for which you would need to apply for another visa under either Tier 1 or Tier 2 (for which a Certificate of Sponsorship would therefore be required).
Potentially yes, if you are successful in applying for a vacancy at the University and you have enough points to qualify for a visa. If you are a PhD student with current leave to remain in the UK (with no work restrictions) either under Tier 4 or under the old student rules, are in the UK and have studied at least twelve months of the PhD then you can switch into Tier 2 at anytime and work full-time in the role while the Tier 2 application is pending ie you can start work on your student visa as long as it is in date and the above applies. Further details are available from the University’s International Office website.
The UK Border Agency has granted the University a licence to issue Certificates of Sponsorship. To comply with the licence, the University has a number of duties, including carrying out an annual check of the immigration documents held by all staff who have limited leave to remain in the UK (visa) of any type.
No, you will not be eligible for public funds during your time in the UK as a Tier 2 migrant. Public finds are defined as income-related benefits paid by the state. They include income support, income-based job seekers allowance, housing and homelessness assistance, housing and council tax benefit, working families' tax credit, a social fund payment, child benefit and any disability allowance. Benefits paid as a result of your employee contributions whilst working, such as the state pension, are not considered to be public funds. Social housing is not considered to be a public fund either. Claiming public funds when you are not eligible is considered to be benefit fraud and it is a criminal offence.