Open to : Candidates who have prior offer of employment from an established UK employer.
Aimed at: Established UK employers wishing to employ skilled overseas workers

Overview:

A UK Work Permit is a document issued by the Work Permits (UK), part of the Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate. It gives a UK employer permission to employ a specific person in a specific job at a specific location for a specific length of time.

In order to qualify for the Scheme, a UK employer must be able to prove the following:

• That they have a ‘legitimate trading presence’ in the UK (i.e. office premises, accounts, evidence of trading activity).
  
• That they are able to prove that they have tested both the UK and EU labour markets (via advertising) and are unable to find a suitably qualified / experienced UK or EU resident worker to fill the post (unless the job on offer is a ‘<shortage occupation>’).
  
• That the candidate they wish to hire has a UK equivalent degree level qualification; or a Higher National Diploma (HND) level qualification which is relevant to the post on offer; or an HND level qualification, which is not relevant to the post on offer plus one year of relevant full time work experience at National/Scottish Vocational Qualification (N/SVQ) level 3 or above;
  
  OR the job must require the following skills:
  
• 3 years full time experience of using specialist skills acquired through doing the type of job for which the permit is sought. This should be at N/SVQ level 3 or above.
  
• That the job is of the calibre requiring the above qualifications.
  

That the salary offered is in line with the UK’s ‘going rate’ for the type of work on offer.

Advantages:

A UK employer can employ a non-EU national for up to 5 years at a time. Low processing fee.

Limitations:

Self-employment / locum work not permitted. You may only work for the UK employer sponsor. In addition, UK Recruitment Agencies are not permitted to ‘sponsor’ UK work permit applications (with limited exceptions). You may only own a maximum 10% stake in the company you work for.

Processing Time: 5 – 10 working days

Validity of Visa: Up to 5 years. 18 months maximum for ‘start-up’ companies.
Permanent Residence: Available after 5 continuous years on a UK work permit.

If you would like MediVisas to assess your eligibility for the UK work permit scheme, please complete your details on the Assessment Form :

choose service

A points based work permit application for highly skilled individuals

Aimed at: Highly skilled individuals, typically degree-educated high earners.

Overview:

The Scheme, originally set up in January 2002 aims to encourage the top 10% of the global work force from all industries to come and work in the UK. A prior offer of employment is not required. In November 2006 substantial changes were made to the Scheme.

In order to qualify for the Scheme, a candidate must show that he or she is able to score 75 points or more in any of the following points categories:

• MBA Graduate (from top 50 business schools in the world)
  
• Academic Achievement (UK equivalent Degree)
  
• Past Earnings (most recent 12 months of work)
  
• Previous UK work experience or study
  
• Age Allowance (for candidates aged between 27 and 32)
  

Advantages:

Very flexible. Allows you to work both as a PAYE employee or in a self employed capacity. No prior offer of employment required.

Limitations:

Renewal application required after initial 24 month issue. You will also be required to undergo the points assessment again. Very strict documentation requirements. High processing fee.

Processing Time: Approximately 4 - 6 weeks

Validity of Visa: Initial 2 year visa, which can be renewed for a further 3 years.
Permanent Residence: Available after 5 continuous years on HSMP.

Please note that the documentation requirements for HSMP are extremely rigorous. Many applications are refused on the basis of insufficient or insufficiently detailed supporting documentation.

If you would like MediVisas to assess your eligibility for the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, please complete the Assessment Form :

choose service

As well as helping professionals come to the UK to work, MediVisas also specialise in helping families who have been separated or are under threat of separation. We can help you if you are in the UK illegally and have married a UK/EU national, if you have married overseas and had your application to enter the UK refused, if you have been in the UK legally or illegally for 10 years or over, or if you have married a non-EEA national and are applying for him/her to join you. We have a track record of assisting and advising people in every possible situation.

Some of the cases we have been successful with:

• Applications for leave to remain in the UK for spouses of UK nationals who entered the UK illegally.
  
• Indefinite leave to remain applications for those who have been in the UK illegally for over 14 years.
  
• Appeals for those who have married UK nationals and have had their leave to enter applications refused multiple times.
  
• Fiancée visa applications for those who have previously had refusals of entry or had visa applications refused or visas cancelled.
  
• Applications for Indefinite Leave to Remain for elderly relatives who are in the UK as visitors and who decide they would like to stay.
  
• Ankara Agreement applications for Turkish nationals who has previously been in the UK legally as spouses.

If you would like MediVisas to assess your eligibility for Family Settlement, please contact one of our consultants :

contact us

Open to young people wishing to work and take extended vacation in the UK

Aimed at: Young Commonwealth citizens aged between 17 – 30 years old.

Overview:

The Working Holidaymaker Scheme is an arrangement where a person aged between 17 and 30 can come to the UK for an extended holiday of up to two years. You can work but only if this is not the main reason for your stay. The holiday should be the main reason for your stay.

In order to qualify as a Working Holiday Maker, you must be able to show that you:

• Are a Commonwealth citizen, a British Overseas Territories citizen, a British Overseas citizen or a British National (Overseas).
  
• Are aged between 17 and 30.
  
• Want to come to the UK for an extended holiday, and intend to take employment as part of your holiday for no more than 12 months during your stay
  
• Can financially support and maintain yourself whilst in the UK

Advantages: Job offer not required. The type of work you can do is not restricted.

Limitations:

You may only work a maximum of 12 months full time (24 months part time) out of the 24 month period. This visa cannot be extended. You cannot set yourself up in business.

Processing time: Anything from one day to four weeks. Check with your nearest British Consulate

Permanent Residence: Not available. You must intend to leave the UK at the end of your holiday unless you are able to ‘switch’ into another category of visa (HSMP and Work Permit ‘shortage occupations’ only).

If you would like MediVisas to assess your eligibility for the Working Holiday Maker Scheme, please complete your details on the Assessment Form :

choose service

You can apply to enter the UK either as an Investor (passive) or as an entrepreneur subject to personal investment funds available to you.

Requires at least GBP £ 200,000 of your own money which you intend to invest in your UK business

Aimed at:

Experienced Businesspersons intending to set up and run their own business in the UK

Overview:

You must obtain a visa to set up in business in the UK and all cases are referred to the Home Office in the UK before a decision can be made and a visa issued.

In order to qualify for an active investor (Entrepreneur) Visa, you will need to show that:

• That you can afford to maintain and accommodate yourself in the UK, until such a time as the business begins to make money.
  
• That you will be acting as Director of the company, on a full-time basis.
  
• That you will have a controlling interest in the business.
  
• That the financial projections show that there will be sufficient profits to support you and your dependants.
  
• Proof that £ 200,000 is available in cash in your name.
  
• You agree to hire at least 2 UK / EU nationals during your first year of business.

Validity of Visa: Initially granted for 12 months, after which you will need to show that all your business commitments have been kept.

Permanent Residence: Available after 5 continuous years as an Investor

If you would like MediVisas to assess your eligibility for an Investor (Entrepreneur) visas, please complete your details on the Assessment Form :

choose service

You should also attach a copy of your business plan (if available).

Requires a minimum passive investment of GBP £ 1,000,000 of your own money which you intend to invest in stocks, shares and / or property in the UK.

You will need to show that:

• You have access to not less than £1 million of your own money that you will take to the UK, and which must not be held in trust, or;
  
• You own personal assets which, taking into account your liabilities, are worth more than £2 million, and;
  
• You have not less than £1 million under your control in the UK. (This can include money loaned by a financial institution regulated by the Financial Services Authority.).

You must also show that you:

• Intend to invest not less than £750,000 in active and trading UK registered companies or UK government bonds
  
• Intend to make the UK your main home, and
  
• Can support yourself and your dependants and live without having to work as an employee or getting any help from public funds.
  What type of investments are permitted?

You can invest in the following :

• Unit trusts: you can invest in a regulated collective investment scheme such as a unit trust as long as you invest £750,000 in companies that meet the requirements of the investor rules.
  
• Private companies: you must give us evidence of shareholdings or loans you have in the form of legal documents signed by or on behalf of the company (for example, audited accounts). Validity of Visa: Initial 12 months.

Permanent Residence: Available after 5 years as a passive investor.

If you would like MediVisas to assess your eligibility for an Investor (Passive Investment) visas, please complete your details on the Assessment Form :

choose service

You should also attach a copy of your business plan (if available).

Full-time Study and part-time work in the UK

Overview:

The UK student visa scheme is normally available to students who have already enrolled on an acceptable and legitimate full time course of study at a recognised UK educational establishment: Once you have found a course of study that you are interested in pursuing, you can check its legitimacy here:

www.dfes.gov.uk/providersregister

In addition to your being able to undertake full time study, you will also be permitted to undertake part-time work for a maximum of 20 hours per week (40 hours per week during the vacation period).

In order to qualify for a Student Visa, you must be able to show that you are going to follow:

• A recognised full-time degree course, or
  
• A course run during the week involving at least 15 hours of organised daytime study each week, or
  
• A full-time course at an independent fee-paying school.

You must also:

• Be able to pay for your course and financially support yourself (and any dependants).
  
• Intend to follow your chosen course.
  
• Intend to leave the UK when you complete your studies.

Processing Time: Approximately 4 – 14 weeks if applying from within the UK. Otherwise you will need to check with your nearest British Consulate / Embassy as times do vary from country to country.

Permanent Residence: Available after 10 continuous years as a full time student.
If you want to ‘switch’ your status from a Student Visa to HSMP / Work Permit categories whilst in the UK you will normally be required to prove that you have successfully completed your Course of Study.

If you would like MediVisas to assess your eligibility for a Student Visa, please complete your details on the Assessment Form :

choose service