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International Students: Working in the UK - Work Visas Special (Web Chat)

Date:2 November 2009

Time: 13:00 - 14:00

Details: Do you have any questions about work visas for working in the UK including the latest regulations and what your options are?

A member of the University's International Advice Team will be online to answer your questions about UK work visas for international students.

User
Expert
Moderator

Sarah (Moderator)
Hi everyone and welcome to today's webchat. I'm Sarah and I'll be moderating today's chat. Please send in your questions for Laura and Amanda. There'll be a time delay as they have to type the answers to your questions!

Laura (Expert)
Hi Everyone. My name is Laura; I'm one of the international student advisers in the International Advice Team. I am here to answer any of your questions about working in the UK after your studies.

Amanda (Expert)
HI Everyone, I am Amanda a careers consultant in the Careers Service. I am here to help Laura with answering the queries, particularly with questions around employers and applications.

Nat
Hello I am an international stu and studying accounting .I am in my final yr. I was wondering that can I do the trainee job which is full tyme and permanent or I can only apply for part time trainee/ temperory job. I got my stu visa b4 the new rules of march 09. Also can you tell me what rules apply to me regarding work placements and internships

Laura (Expert)
Hi Nat, You're not allowed to pursue a career by filling a permanent full-time vacancy whilst you are on a student visa. However, once you have finished your course in June next year you are allowed to work full-time for up to 4 months but only in a temporary capacity. If you want to do a trainee job you would need to switch into one of the work categories after you have been awarded your degree.

Salah
I am a PhD student in School of Materials Science and currently due to finish my Thesis. Meanwhile I have been looking for jobs around and most of the employers are asking for work permission primarily. Do I need to finish my Viva first to be able to apply for jobs? can I apply for work visa (Tier 2) without finding jobs?

Laura (Expert)
Hi Salah. You can apply for jobs while you are waiting for your viva but you are not allowed to start working full-time until you have passed your viva and completed any minor corrections. You cannot apply for Tier 2 until you have been awarded your PhD; you will also need a job offer from an employer (certificate of sponsorship) before you can apply for Tier 2.

Amanda (Expert)
Hi Salah, I just wanted to add the perspective of employers to Laura's response. You can start applying to employers before you have your viva. Some firms may be happy to sponsor your application under tier 2 (although they will need to wait until you have passed your viva/made corrections before they can progress the sponsorship). Alternatively, the employer may want to hire you with a tier 1 visa such as Post-study work. Some firms are happy to progress your application without you having the tier 1 visa already, and some will want you to have it before accepting and processing your application.

sunshine
hi can you please tell me if we can apply for PSW Visa just a week before student visa expires? Also if we apply from the uk for a post study work visa, is it necessary to provide a uk residential address?

Laura (Expert)
Hi Sunshine. You can apply for PSW if you have been awarded your degree in the last 12 months and you meet the maintenance requirements. You can apply for PSW anytime before your visa expires; you would need to supply a UK address if you are applying in the UK so UKBA can send your passport back to you.

sally
Am i allowed to work full -time, my visa is limited leave to remain, i am writing up my thesis?

Laura (Expert)
Hi Sally. If you are writing up your thesis you are still considered to be a full-time student and you are therefore not allowed to work full-time. You can work a maximum of 20 hours a week while you are writing up your thesis. Once you have passed your viva and completed your corrections you are allowed to work full-time for up to 4 months.

Salah
Once I have passed my Viva, will be offered my degree?

Laura (Expert)
Yes, once you have passed your viva and completed any minor corrections your School will award you your PhD and then you will be eligible to apply for Tier 2 or Tier 1.

Salah
Thanks Laura - What about the high skills worker visa that apparently doesn't need a letter from employers??

Laura (Expert)
Yes, you could apply for Tier 1 - Post Study Work or Tier 1 General. You don't need a job offer to apply for either of these routes but Tier 1 General is based on age and previous earnings so you need to check if you meet the points using the points calculator: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/pointscalculator

JJ
Hi Laura, Sarah, and Amanda I'm an international postgraduate student and studying IT project management. I have work experience for 10 years at IT comp in Seoul, Korea. I'd like to get a job after studies next year. I know there're several routes to apply for work permit visa. what can I do to get Tier1 postgraduate work permit? and when should I prepare for?

Laura (Expert)
Hi JJ. You can only apply for Tier 1 - Post Study Work once you have been awarded your degree. It is quite easy to apply for Post Study Work as long as you can supply a letter from the University that confirms you been awarded your degree and you have had £800 in your bank account for the last 3 months. I would advise you to put £800 in a savings account now so you will be sure to meet the maintenance requirements when you come to apply.

Wenbo
Hi, I am a Phd student and am going to graduate soon. If I couldn't find a job then what type of visa should i apply for please? Do I need my graduation certificate to apply for the new visa please?

Laura (Expert)
Hi Wenbo. You do NOT need a job offer to apply for Post Study Work or Tier 1 General but you need to show you have enough money to support yourself while you look for work in the UK which is why you need to show you have had £800 in your bank account for the past 3 months. You don't need to submit your degree certificate for PSW if you haven't received it yet but you do need a PSW letter which is available from the Student Services Centre that confirms you have been awarded you degree.

sunshine
hi thanks. can you please specify if the uk address we provide should be one where we must be staying? can i apply from the uk and then go back to my home country till i get the visa? also, i am planning to apply for jobs after getting the PSW Visa , so is it ok if we dont have any job offers at the time of application for the visa? regarding the 800 pounds, is it ok to have them in either a current account or savings account?

Laura (Expert)
The address should be the one you are living at because this is the address they will send your passport to so you need to be there to sign for it. If you apply in the UK you won't be able to travel while your application is being considered by the UK Border Agency. You don't need to have a job offer when you apply for PSW. You can show the £800 in a savings or a current account but you must make sure the balance has not dropped below £800 even for one day or your application will be refused.

sunshine
hi laura, can you please tell me if the entire application procedure for PSW can be completed in a week and how much time will the university take to provide the letter? do we have to print the entire application form for tier 1 PSW or is there any other way to get the form? i would also like to know if it is necessary to send the application form by post or where can we hand it in directly and how much time does it take to process the PSW if we hand in the form directly? thanks about the information relating to the uk address, is it ok if i provide the hotel address, as i would be staying in a hotel till i get the visa?

Laura (Expert)
Hi Sunshine. PSW applications take at least 4 weeks to be processed by the UK Border Agency. The Student Services Centre can produce the letter immediately if your award is on the student system but you will need to come to the Student Services Centre to request the letter. You can apply for PSW in person but it is more expensive to apply this way. However, you will receive a decision on the same day. You can list the hotel's address if that is where you are sure you be staying while your application is being processed.

sunshine
thank you laura... do we have to print the entire application form for tier 1 PSW or is there any other way to get the form? Can we apply for PSW in person from Manchester or do we have to go to Liverpool for that? What is ICFN? Is it necessary for all nationalities? How can one apply for it?

Laura (Expert)
You would need to print out the whole form and submit every page otherwise the form might be returned as invalid. If you want to apply in person you need to go to one of the Public Enquiry offices in Liverpool, Derby, Croydon etc. The ICFN is the identity card for foreign nationals; if you apply for a student visa extension you would receive your visa in an ICFN. If you apply for PSW you would not be issued with an ICFN; the visa would appear in your passport.

Paula
Hello experts, Do all companies accept the tier 1 visas? Do I have to wait until I have the visa before I apply to a company?

Amanda (Expert)
Not all companies do accept the tier 1 visas. Although the company does not have to conduct a labour market test for tier 1 visas, some are concerned about the short-term nature of the visas. If a firm has a graduate training programme over a number of years and a long term view of your employment with them, they can be nervous about what happens after the 2 years of a PSW visa. They may worry that you will return home or not be able to secure the next visa. However, it is fair to say that more and more companies are seeing the possibility of the tier 1 visas. I think the key is to discuss the visa situation with the employer in advance.. you could mention it on your covering letter too. That way, if the employer is not familiar with the tier 1 visa, they can learn more. If you look at the CV School on the international students microsite of the Careers Service there are some suggested sentences for covering letters in the "dictionary of key phrases". www.manchester.ac.uk/careers/international/ - see CVs and applications at the bottom.

beckybaecon
hi Amanda and Laura, I'm a final year student. I'm looking for a job after graduation, and i also plan to take a postgraduate course later. My question is, could I apply for the PSW visa twice? After that postgraduate course, i may also find a work here.

Laura (Expert)
Hi Becky. Unfortunately you can only apply for PSW once so you need to decide when is the best time to use it. Some postgraduate courses are not eligible for PSW; you can't use PG Certs or PG Diplomas to apply for PSW.

ak55
Hi i am undergrad student currently in second year. i wanted to know when should i apply for working visa in my thrid year?

Laura (Expert)
Hi Ak. You can't apply for any of the work visas until you have been awarded your degree but you can apply for jobs before you have the work visa.

sally
In tier 1, there are points for past earnings , what kind of evidence should be provided for such past earnings, specially that PhD students don't work for full time for 3 or 4 years and it is quite hard to provide an evidence of past earnings before the begining of the PhD study.

Laura (Expert)
Hi sally. Yes, this is a problem for students who haven't been working during their PhD. UKBA have recently changed the rules on this so you can no longer use earnings from before you started your course. You must provide evidence of earnings from within the last 15 months.

uday
Hi Laura, I'm an international PG student and have been awarded postgraduate diploma in Global Business Analysis from Manchester Business School. I wanted to know whether am eligible for applying PSW permit?

Laura (Expert)
Hi Uday. Unfortunately you cannot apply for PSW with a Postgraduate Diploma unless it is a PGCE (Teaching Qualification). To be eligible you must have an Undergraduate or Postgraduate degree.

Salah
so Amanda - I have got a job interview tomorrow, if they ask me about work permission what shall I say?? as i mentioned earlier that I am writting up my thesis that will be finished in 3 weeks time, as I am doing the final corrections now.

Amanda (Expert)
Salah, the firm may ask you if you have the right to work in the UK. You will need to explain that your right is based upon your current student visa. Before your student visa expires in xxxxx(month) you will be applying for a Tier 1 visa or looking for an organisation to sponsor a Tier 2 visa for you. You may want to explain that the Tier 1 visa will allow you to take any job unrestricted for 2 / 3 years (depending on the visa) and that there is no action required on behalf of the employer. You could ask the firm whether they are familiar with the Tier 1 visas, or whether they sponsor Tier 2 visas. I think the more you know about the visas the better.

hoai.le
hi Laura. I'm an international student doing my final year in accounting finance. I would like to know about the finance requirement when applying for 2 year visa after graduation. as i am still a full time student therefore it seems not possible for me to gain gbp 20000 income as i seen in some document. thanks, Le,

Laura (Expert)
Hi Hoai. You only need to show you have had £800 in your bank account for the last 3 months to be eligible for Post Study Work. Tier 1 General and Tier 2 award points based on past or future earnings but PSW does not have this requirement.

Nat
Can i indulge myself into full time voluntary work to gain experience

Amanda (Expert)
Nat, you can take voluntary work to gain experience in the UK, that is often a good idea - particularly if you can set up something in a relevant organisation. However, there are still visa restrictions on voluntary work. As I understand it, voluntary work still counts as part of your working hours (eg) your part-time hours allowance. I will ask Laura to confirm, please hold on.

Sarah (Moderator)
We're almost half way through today's webchat. Thanks for the questions so far. Laura has had a lot of visa related questions sent in, so please bear with us as she has to type all of the answers out. If you have any questions about employers and job applications, send them in too as Amanda is here to help.

Microbe
Hi! I'm 2008-2009 batch student- now working as a Microbiology Scientist. My student visa expires in Dec 09. Am I eligible to apply for general visa? I read that PSW visa can't be extended further; whereas general can be.

Laura (Expert)
Hi Microbe. Do you already have leave under Post Study Work? If you have come to end of your 2 year Post Study Work visa you will need to switch into Tier 2 or Tier 1 General if you want to continue to work in the UK. Post Study Work cannot be extended past two years.

Microbe
No. I'm still on student visa, which exprires in Dec this year. My confusion is to whether apply for PSW or general.

Laura (Expert)
It would be easier for you to apply for a Post Study Work visa as you only need a UK degree and £800 in your bank account for 3 months. Tier 1 Gneral is harder to apply for.

Microbe
Thanks for the information Laura. Can my employer apply for extension once the PSW expires- or is it that its just not extendable?

Laura (Expert)
PSW is not extendable past 2 years but you would be eligible to switch into one of the other work categories after the 2 years.

Paula
Thanks Amanda. Is there any easy way to know if companies accept applications from international students?

Amanda (Expert)
There is no easy way unfortunately. Companies often specify on their website (usually under "who can apply") whether they accept applications from students who do not have indefinite leave to remain in the UK. However, not all firms do this. We also asked all our exhibitors at the fairs whether they accept applications. You can see this on the relevant fair websites at http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/students/aboutus/even.... There is a section called "Information for international students" and it is under "Exhibitor stance". If not, collect one of our fair guides from the fair, it is in there too. The main piece of advice is to ask the employer in advance to check. Filling out an online application form can take a lot of time, so it is important this time is not wasted. You could find that you are telling firms about the tier 1 visas, and it could help to influence them. Not all firms are clear about the visas and what they mean.

hoai.le
when i use the point based calculator, should i use tier 1 general for tier 1 post study work? which one is more easier to apply? thanks

Laura (Expert)
Tier 1 Post Study Work is much easier to apply for because you are awarded points for your UK degree and your maintenance whereas Tier 1 general awards points for age and previous earnings so you are less likely to be eligible for it.

Salah
Thanks Amanda - Is the duration of Tier2 visa depends on the Firms certificate letter? or do you think the Tier1 visa is better? if they ask which type of these Visa is better, what shall I say?

Amanda (Expert)
Tier 1 is usually the duration of the contract or 3 years whichever is smaller as I understand it. Well, I guess that will be based upon your own thoughts. The tier 2 visa needs a labour market test, and it ties you to that company doing that job for that time. It also means that if you lose the job, you lose the visa. The tier 1 visas do not depend on the job, so they give the person more flexibility. The company does not need to get involved at all. However, the post-study work visa does not count towards the years in the UK needed for permanent residence. You could tell the employer that there are advantages to both visas... and let them decide with you. Some firms who are familiar with visas and have done it for years like tier 2. Those new to visas often like tier 1. Tier 2 visas require the employer to be on a sponsor register too, so it can put off an employer who is not already on the register.

Salah
thanks Amanda - very useful

Amanda (Expert)
No problem Salah, you could check out the sponsor register online to see if the company are on it too. I will post a link here in a moment... just off to find it.

Amanda (Expert)
Salah, and others. Here is the list of sponsors. You can get to the pdf from the link on the right. http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/employers/points/sponso...

michelle1832
Hi, I just graduated from my masters, I want to apply for PSW, but I just got £800 in my bank account yesterday, which means I might short of 3 months criteria, is there anything I can do about it?

Laura (Expert)
Hi Michelle. Unfortunately the UK Border Agency is very strict so if you can't show that you have £800 for 3 months your PSW application will be refused. When does your visa expire? Perhaps you could apply at the end of Jan and by then you will be able to meet the maintenance requirement, if not, you would have to go home and apply from there.

michelle1832
Thank you Laura, my visa expires at 31st of January, and I've got enough money from 1st November, but I was told that we need to post all the materials a week before the expire date, which means I might short of the money for a week also.

Laura (Expert)
Yes, this might be a problem if you can't show you have had the money for the full 3 months. You might have to apply from home instead but you will need to show higher maintenance requirements of £2800 for 3 months.

Paula
Hi Experts, does it matter if my work experience is from outside of the UK?

Laura (Expert)
Any work experience will help you to gain employment in the UK, whether it is from the UK or not. Voluntary work counts towards the limit of 20 hours a week during term-time but it is a useful way of gaining work experince in a specific area.

Salah
thanks Laura, Amanda and Sarah

Amanda (Expert)
Thanks for your questions Salah, and good luck with your interview. By the way we do have a good video online about interviews that you can watch from our website. Have you seen it?

Here is the link: http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/students/downloads/vi...

Salah
Laura - would you please mind to give us some info about the durations of PSW and Tier1 and Tier2 Visas?

Laura (Expert)
PSW visas are granted for 2 years. Tier 2 is granted for 3 years in the first instance (or the duration of the sponsorhip) and it can be extended for a further 2 years. Tier 1 General is the same - you would be granted leave for 3 years in the first instance and then you could extend for a further 2 years.

sally
Amanda:how can I get voluntary work in a primary school? i am interested in teaching children in primary stage?

Amanda (Expert)
Sally, we do have some volunteering in schools opportunities run by the University. It is called Students in Schools. Contact is WP@manchester.ac.uk. A good idea is to write speculatively with a CV and a covering letter to local primary schools to see if you can volunteer also. I know that the University schemes are often very popular. We have a directory in our resource centre with all the school contact addresses in there too. We do have some really good teaching information in our Resource centre. Our starting point sheet is great. You can download it at: http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/students/downloads/pu...

sally
Thanks Amanda, i have some questions about how international students could go into teaching here in the UK, it seems a very complicated process, do you have any experts in the careers service that i could contact?

Amanda (Expert)
Sally, it is probably best to email me them and between myself and the careers consultant that specialist in teaching I would say we could help you. It is complicated, but why not send me a message in the first instance. Send it to careers@manchester.ac.uk with the title "FAO Amanda Conway"

sunshine
thank you laura since i will apply for PSW i dont have ICFN? is the International Graduates Scheme (IGS) applicable to MBS PG students?

Laura (Expert)
You don't have to have an ICFN card to apply for PSW nor will you be issued with one when you apply. ID cards for PSW will be introduced next year. The International Graduate Scheme ended in June 2008 and it was replaced with PSW.

Paula
Will employers expect me to have lots of work experience when I apply to them? I have a little work experience from at home but have not worked while I've been studying here in Manchester. Will this be a problem?

Amanda (Expert)
Paula, Employers often expect you to be able to demonstrate relevant skills, qualities and career motivation. That does not necessarily have to come from directly relevant experience or from the UK. If you can provide examples of how you have used & developed your skills and if you can clearly articulate why a career area interests you, then that is the key. However, it is often a competitive process so having work experience can realy help. Overseas experience is definitely valuable, but it is important to be able to make sense of it and make it relevant to the recruiter. Lastly, it is good to be able to demonstrate how you have made the most of your time during your studies. if you have not worked during your time in Manchester, think about other ways you have developed skills, experience or career insights and how you can articulate those too. We have a lot of information on making applications and demonstrating skills which should help you. If you have not managed to do anything outside your studies, consider how you can take this forward and begin to get involved too. We have a good section of our website on getting experience here: http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/students/improveyourj...

JJ
Thanks Laura, Amanda! You said that the post-study work visa does not count towards the years in the UK needed for permanent residence, student visa does not count either?

Laura (Expert)
Tier 2 and Tier 1 General count towards settlement and you would be eligible after 5 years. If you want to use your student visa towards settlement you would need to have been legally resident in the UK for 10 years.

Microbe
Thanks for all the info- Amanda, Laura and Sarah. It's been a really informative session.

Laura (Expert)
Thanks Microbe; I'm glad it helped you. There is more information on our website at:

http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/crucial-guide/acad...

michelle1832
Thank you Laura,that's really helpful

Laura (Expert)
Thanks Michelle. If you have any further queries you can contact the International Advice Team on 0161 275 5000 (Option 1) or you can email us on iat@manchester.ac.uk

Amanda (Expert)
Thanks everyone, it has been a really busy chat. Thanks for your questions. Best wishes, Amanda

Laura (Expert)
Thanks for all your questions; I hope you found it useful.

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