Eligibility to work in the UK

Details on the different types of Visa available for Social Workers looking to move to the UK.

Before you enter the UK you must ensure that you’re eligible to obtain paid employment. There are a number of different ways of gaining a suitable visa for you to work in the UK. The Synergy Group have provided below a brief guide to help you ascertain your employment status for work in the UK.

Tier 5: Youth Mobility & Temporary Workers (replaces the old Working Holiday Maker Visa)

• This is the most popular route by which the majority of locums are able to work in the UK.
• If you have not yet reached your 31st birthday and are a Commonwealth citizen you can enter the UK for a ‘Working Holiday’ of up to two years, entitling you to take up employment for one year of this time.
• You can only take up work in any sector for 2 years on a full time basis with no restrictions.
• You must apply for your Tier 5 Visa, or entry certificate as it may be called, before you leave home.
• When this visa has ended The Synergy Group can apply for a permanent work permit on your behalf, once we have
  secured you an employment sponsor.
• Application should be made to your nearest British High Commission. Without the necessary stamp in your passport, you may be refused entry to the UK.
• If you are married to be eligible for the Tier 5, your partner must also meet the eligibility criteria.
• If you have dependant children they must be under the age of 5 during your entire UK stay.
  

Tier 1: General (replaces Highly Skilled Migrant Visa)

• The Tier 1 programme is designed to allow highly skilled people to migrate to the United Kingdom to look for work or self-employment opportunities.
• The programme is different from the work permit scheme because you do not need a specific job offer in the UK to apply.
• The visa is granted on a points based immigration scheme.
• If you are eligible for the Tier 1 Visa, especially if you are under the age of 28 it’s well worth looking into as it allows you to work in your field without restriction on time or employer.
• Please refer to the Home Office website for the most up to date criteria for eligibility www.homeoffice.gov.uk.
  

Tier 2: Skilled workers with a job offer (replaces UK Work Permit – permanent vacancies only)

• This is the most common method of securing a permanent position in the United Kingdom.
• If you do not have right of abode, ancestry or dual nationality, are not eligible for the Tier 1 and you are over the age
  of thirty you will need a work permit/Tier 2 Visa.
• The work permit will ensure continuity and stability for both the candidate and the employer, as it is only issued for
  permanent placements.
• Social Work is listed as a ‘shortage occupation’ by the Home Office and therefore speeds up the application time.
• The Synergy Group will assist the employer to apply for this on behalf of all parties.
• This is a free service for Social Workers not in the UK and permits can be granted for up to five years, depending on
  the nature of employment.
• You can be in the UK already or in your home country when this application is made.
  

Dual Nationality

• Any overseas professional with dual nationality in Britain, or another European Union country, is automatically entitled to work in the UK.
• An appropriate passport is all you require to prove this.

Right of Abode

• If you have a parent born in the UK, you should have ancestral rights.
• This means that you can reside and work in the UK without the need to obtain a working visa from the British Home
  Office. You will have to supply Synergy and immigration services evidence of your Right of Abode.

Ancestry Visa

• Overseas professionals with a British grandparent are entitled to claim ancestry and therefore have the right to work in the UK for up to four years with the possibility of applying for residency after this period.

Spousal Visa

• If your partner holds a Tier 1, UK Tier 2, Dual Nationality, Right of Abode or Ancestry Visa you may be eligible for a Spousal Visa.
• If you are unmarried you will need to provide evidence of your relationship and ensure that you meet the UK requirements of eligibility.
• A spousal visa allows you to work without restriction regardless of the visa your partner holds.
• On this visa you can work as a locum or a permanent member of staff.

We strongly recommend that you check the current immigration rules and confirm your status with your local British High Commission before you leave home. You can find more detailed information at the following British High Commission websites:

Australians – http://ukinaustralia.fco.gov.uk
Canadians – http://ukincanada.fco.gov.uk/en/
New Zealanders – http://ukinnewzealand.fco.gov.uk/en/
South Africans – http://ukinsouthafrica.fco.gov.uk/en/
Other Nationalities – www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk