WORLD WIDE -- UK Immigration Authorities are scrapping the Work Permit Scheme which has been in place since the 1970's in favour a scheme which requires employers to obtain a licence before being allowed to employ any new overseas nationals. The problem is the UK Authorities don't have the resources to issues the licences.
In a recent surevey conducted by www.globalvisas.ca of 3,000 businesses contacted within the UK less than 10% were aware of the new UK Immigration sponsorship requirements and were completely shocked to discover what it means to them and how it will impact on their business. Just the amount of work required to qualify for a licence will place a real burden on many small businesses. While larger organisation may require hundreds of licences to cover all their separate regions and departments.
However, to make the issue a lot worse www.globalvisas.ca have learned from a Home Office B.I.A. insider the B.I.A. do not have the resources to run the new system. Their plan (so far) is to limit the issuing of licences to the first 60,000 organisations who apply. This will clearly have a massive impact on the majorities of companies in the UK.
With only 60,000 sponsorship licences on offer that will mean many hundreds of thousands of employers will be unable to employ overseas nationals critical to their opperations. Liam Clifford the Director of www.globalvisas.com has been reliably informed by an insider in the Boarder and Immigration Agency that they have decided to "Stock pile all applications after the first 60,000 to work through them as and when they can as they don't have the resources to conduct that many site visits and vet all the applications sufficeiently." When asked what the average time frame for sponsorship licence to be granted would be they could only say "No idea and to be frank no one in B.I.A really knows until the applications start or stop flooding in!"
Any delay in the recruitment process for many small businesses will be disaterous. With a record low unemplyment rate in the UK finding the right candidates is harder than ever and this new blow is an unwelcome addition to any HR teams day. The last time www.globalvisas.com went public with information provided by a Home Office insiders regarding the "Amnesty" on over 400,000 Refugees who's cases were never resolved for years was again due to the B.I.A lack of resources. At the time the Home Office denied the "Amnesty" but now it is clear now the policy in place and active in all but name.
This latest blow to the UK will see organisations up and down the country prevent from employing those skills they need within a reasonable time frame. Work Permit holder of Tier 2 applicatants are very often highly skilled individuals who are essential to the UK Plc running effectively. To compound the problem the new rules are clear that if a company were deemed to employ an overseas national without their Immigration sponsorship licence in place the responsible person within the company would be liable to a fine or upto six months in prison.
Today Liam Clifford from www.globalvisas.com said that he was concerned for those employers who are still completely unaware of the problems they are about to face and would like to see the Home Office do more to ensure applications for a licence are dealt with in a timely manner and if the application can not be completed employers must be allowed to continue to employ those they need while their case is pending." Mr Clifford goes on to say "This will of course cause major issues if their licence is subsiquently declined and the employee has to leave the UK, but under the circumstance it seems to be the only option. Unless they postpone the launch and role it out in stages."
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