UK Immigration News

The current contractors that processes payment for many UK immigration, visa and work permit applications will change, effective Monday, 19 June, 2006. Persons submitting applications are asked to note that addresses for submitting applications will change in many cases, so they should take especial note of the correct address for their form(s). Some of these forms themselves are changing, which should not be confused with the contractors processing the payments for the process.

As of 19 June 2006 a new application form will be available and required for Tier 2 work permit applications for postgraduate doctors and dentists.

Previously, an exemption was granted for all dental and medical graduates employed in "training positions" related to their field.

All non-EEA residents and those not graduated from a UK university will now be required to apply for work permits and visas in accordance with normal immigration policy.

A new work permit quota for the Sectors Based Scheme Food Manufacturing sector was agreed to and became effective as of 01 June, 2006. The new quota is now set at 1,840 total work permits and is subdivided:

• Fish Processing - 230

• Meat Processing - 1110

• Mushroom Processing - 500

First discovered six years ago, a loophole that allows immigrants to illegally use a fabricated National Insurance number toward their residency process has now been closed down.

Individuals who wish to work in Britain must have a National Insurance number. It is used to deduct taxes, determine national insurance contributions, and to generally track movement of an individual through the work force. Various benefits are also allocated based upon these statistics.

As of June 22 applications for extension of stay, indefinite leave and transfer of condition and no time limit applications will have to be made on new forms.

Production of the new form is a little behind schedule, but should be available in the week beginning 10 June 2006. Applications made before June 22 will have to be made on the existing forms (version September 2005).

An exemption for requiring a work permit for post-graduate doctors and dentists working in the UK was eliminated on 3 April 2006 in many cases. Only those who originally qualified in the UK can remain under the postgraduate training scheme. Others will need to come under the work permit or HSMP scheme. The original announcement was made by the Department of Health on 07 March of this year, but the controversy continues.