Working In London

WORKING IN LONDON – II

UK WORK VISA/PERMIT

This section is especially for those of you not belonging to UK or any of the EU countries.

In order to be eligible to work in the UK you must have a valid passport and either a UK work visa or a work permit; you must obtain these documents before entering UK. There are many types of work visas and permits which allow you to work in UK. You should go through the official website of UK visas to explore the various options and the procedure to obtain a particular visa. In case of confusion, you can approach the British Consulate or High Commission in your country for clarifications.

Types of work Visas

• A citizen of Commonwealth countries, aged between 17-30 years, can apply for a working holiday visa. It is valid for two years. After one year you can change to work permit employment on meeting certain conditions

• If either one of the parents was UK born, you can apply for the ‘right to abode’ visa; if your grandparents were UK born, you are eligible for the ‘ancestry’ visa. This is valid for four years and is renewable

• You can get a ‘spouse visa’ if your spouse is a British citizen or has ancestry/right to abode visa or is sponsored to work in the UK

• HSMP is a new category, introduced to persuade people with superior academic qualifications to work in the UK. It is granted on a case to case basis

• Work permit is given when the UK employer offers sponsorship to the employee

Application Procedure

You can submit the visa application to the British High Commission or Consulate in your home country. Application forms can also be downloaded in PDF form from the official website. Someone else can apply for visa in your name but the application should be signed by you. The fees can be rendered in the home currency. But the amount varies from time to time; you better confirm with the visa department about the latest fees before submitting the application. Visa fees are not refundable.

You should line up the following while submitting the application: (a) Passport (b) recent passport-size photos (c) Application fee ( if you are sending the application by post, the fee should be remitted only by way of bank demand draft, postal order or money order) (d) Proof of sufficient monetary resources with the applicant (bank a/c statements or pay cheques) (e) Proof of UK employee sponsorship (if pertinent) (g) Declaration to leave the UK with immediate effect at the conclusion of the permitted visit. The list is not exhaustive; sometimes you may be asked to produce additional documents.

The time taken to process a visa application is not the same in all countries and for all the applicants. For example, simple applications may be processed within a day whereas applications under the HSMP might take even months. In general course of time, it may take approximately 1-10 working days for processing a visa application. Applications referred to the ‘Home Office’ might take around 13 weeks. It’ll take much longer if the Visa Officer orders an enquiry or if you are called for an interview. All the visas have a ‘use by’ date. So, be careful not to apply too early.

Tip: Experts feel that if you don’t belong to UK the easiest way to fulfill your dream of working in London is to get a job with a British/multi-national corporation in your home country which sends its employees on deputation to its London office.

AFTER ARRIVAL

Getting National Insurance Number

You need to obtain a National Insurance (NI) number in order to pay tax on your income in UK. Your employer must have your NI number to deduct tax and to make your NI payments. It is also connected with your social security number. You should submit an application in the prescribed form to the ‘Department for Work and Pensions’ to obtain the NI number. It is a lengthy process. You have to attend an interview at the office and provide exhaustive documentation relating to proof of your identity, letter from the employer confirming your employment, pay slips etc.

You are allotted a temporary NI number which should be submitted to the employer immediately. Your permanent NI number and NI card is posted to you a little later. You should again submit it to your employer and quote it in all the tax papers and work-related documents.

Range of Earnings

UK compensation packages are slightly smaller than other countries. But there’s no cause to worry; Great Britain Pound (GBP) is one of the strongest currencies in the world (For example, 1 GBP is equal to USD1.7485 and INR77.430.) So even though the salary looks small, your earnings would be comparatively 10-30% more.

Payment wise working in London is more fetching than working in London in any other city in the UK; but the cost of living, too, is equally high. It is the third most expensive city in the world. What you can earn in London depends mainly on your profession, job-location and your experience. Payment might be on the basis of number of hours or days in a week you work. Some jobs offer annual packages.

A doctor working in government hospital can work around £850-950 per week; nurses can earn £15, 000-30,000 per annum depending on seniority; teachers can earn £18,000-30,000 depending on the location and years of experience; banking and finance persons can earn £10-55 per hour depending on seniority; hospitality sector pays £4.30-6.50 per hour; retail sector pays £5.70-17 per hour. All these rates are only indicative of what you can earn and should not be regarded as conclusive.

Taxes

You are subject to tax on all your incomes in UK. Tax year is April to March. Generally there are two ways of taxing the earnings – through a limited company or Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system. Not every employer is allowed to adopt the limited company system of tax. Organizations following limited company system mention it specially; otherwise PAYE system is applicable by default. People employed through an agency or travelers on short-term employment prefer the limited company system to maximize their after-tax income.

As per the limited company method, the tax is around 19% of the earnings. Under the PAYE system you get the pay after deducting a tax of around 22-24%. PAYE comprises tax and national insurance. The employer issues a ‘p45 form’ all through the year and a ‘p60 form’ at the end of the tax year. You ought to preserve and present these documents if you want to claim a tax refund.

TIPS TO THE NON-ENGLISH ON WORK CULTURE

The British, by nature, are generally very polite and reserved and set a great store about etiquette. Unlike their American cousins, the English are reluctant to speak their minds out, hence the saying ‘the stiff British upper lip’. Though known for their dry humor, very few show interest to initiate conversation with an outright stranger, especially so in case of a foreigner. Londoners evade even eye-contact with strangers. Also, compared to the US, the division between social classes is very apparent in England. Work relationships are not as casual as in the US; you need to be much more formal when speaking to your superiors.

REMEDIES IF THINGS GO WRONG

The ‘Citizens Advice Bureau’ website has a separate section on ‘employment’ which gives comprehensive information regarding rights in the workplace, minimum wages, holidays, contracts of employment, dismissals etc. Experts feel that ideally you should sort problems relating to contracts, work conditions etc. through negotiations with the employer. If things go beyond control, you can try helplines such as the one maintained by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration service. In case of discrimination from employer, you can approach the ‘Equal Opportunities Commission’, ‘Racial Equality Commission’ etc. for specific relief. If approaching the court of law becomes inevitable the British employment law website assists you find an employment solicitor working in London.

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