UK Immigration News

Processing times for work permits have not changed much over the last month. A work permit application in the UK takes up to 5 working days.

Applicants under the Highly Skilled Migrant Program (HSMP) can expect to wait the longest, maybe even as long as 26 weeks.

Following pressure from the UK Department of Health it is now easierto employ all salaried General Dental Practitioners, Salaried AssistantDentists and Vocational Dental Practitioners in the healthcare sectorunder the work permit scheme. There is no longer a requirement thatemployers advertise nationally to show a shortage of suitably qualifiedpeople to obtain a work permit as these occupations now meet theShortage Occupation Tier One criteria.

Changes to the UK Immigration Rules agreed by Home Office Ministers on the 21st of December will come into force from 1 January 2005. The following changes will affect foreign nationals, overseas students, spouses looking for settlement and humanitarian crisis victims.

Changes affecting foreign nationals applying for entry clearance overseas:

UK Home Secretary David Blunkett resigned on Dec. 15 following accusations of his involvement in fast-tracking a visa application for his ex-lover's nanny.

e-mail correspondence suggest that Mr Blunkett's office was indeed involved in speeding up the processing time for the visa application, as reported by the British media.

Blunkett has not admitted to any wrong doing, but told press that any perception of his involvement would require him to leave his office.

UK Home Secretary, David Blunkett, is still being investigated onallegations of fast tracking a visa application for his ex-lover'snanny. The finding of the investigation is supposed to be published onDec. 21, but recent allegations made by the daily Sun newspaper maycause a delay.

Blunkett maintains his innocence and says he has had nothing to do with the nanny's application. Thereis also the probe by the Commons watchdog Sir Philip Mawer into thefact that Blunkett gave official rail warrants intended only for wivesto his former lover>

Processing times for work permits have not changed much over the last month. A work permit application in the UK takes up to five days. Applicants under the Highly Skilled Migrant Program (HSMP) can expect to wait the longest, maybe even as long as 26 weeks.

If you are in the UK already on a work permit or under HSMP, you will probably also have to submit a Leave to Remain application which could take up to 13 more weeks to process.