Simple Visa Solutions

Working in the UK and how to apply for a work permit under Tier2 (General) / 在英國工作以及如何申請第二級(Tier2 General)工作許可證

From 6 April 2011, the UK immigration authority, the UK Border Agency(UKBA), has implemented an annual limit when it comes to issuing work permits.   Under this annual limit, employers will be allowed to bring only 20,700 people from outside the EU to work in skilled professions under Tier 2 (General) of the points-based system.  The employers are asked to apply for a restricted Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) each time when they intend to employ a non-EU worker.  There is no charge for this application, and the employers can make an application at any time.

The UKBA will only grant a restircted COS according to a monthly allocation, subject to sponsors having met all necessary requirements.  Under the annual limit,  4,200 certificates of sponsorship will be made available in April.  After that the limit will be set at 1,500 places per month.  Should any places be unused each month, the unfilled places will be rolled over to the following month.

In the event that the monthly allocation is over subscribed, certificate of sponsorship applications will be ranked using a points system designed to favour jobs:

1. on the shortage occupation list;
2. then, whether the post requires higher academic qualifications; and
3. those with a higher salary.

Once a certificate of sponsorship has then been granted to an employer it must be assigned to the prospective employee within three months, so that the employee will potentially have three months to apply for a visa.  Workers from outside the EU who want to come to the UK will need to have a graduate level job, speak an intermediate level of English (B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference), and meet specific salary and employment requirements. It is worth noting that this limit will not apply to:

• in-country applications from those already in the UK; (such as employees on Tier 1 post study work visas, and workers who are holding Tier2(General) visas)
• dependants of Tier 2 migrants;
• Tier 2 (General) applicants who are filling a vacancy with a salary of more than £150,000;
• Tier 2 (Sportsperson) applicants;
• Tier 2 (Minister of religion) applicants; and
• Tier 2 (Intra company transfer) applicants.

自2011年4月6日起，英國移民當局，即英國邊境局（UK Border Agency），開始實施簽發工作許可證的年度限額，根據年度限額辦法規定，在第二級（一般）的計分制度下, 每年所有英國雇主所能從歐盟以外雇請的專業技術工作員工,人數將不得超過20,700人。而且,每次雇主打算僱用非歐盟工人前,雇主都必須向英國邊境局申請擔保人贊助證書,而且符合所有必要的資格條件。申請擔保人贊助證書是不用繳交任何費用, 而且雇主可在任何時間提出申請。根據年度限額，在2011年4月份, 將有4,200名證書配額。此後，每月將只有1,500名配額。如果每個月有名額未分配出去，多出的名額將一齊併至下個月的名額。

若該月申請證書的雇主超過分配名額，英國邊境局將按照以下順序將名額頒發給雇主：
1, 職缺在短缺職業清單之一;
2, 該職缺是否需要更高的職位學歷(例如博士,碩士學位);及
3, 那些職缺具有更高的薪水。

 一旦雇主取得申請人證書,雇主必須將該證書號碼給欲聘用的員工, 而且員工必須在三個月內申請簽證。大體來說, 歐盟以外的雇員想在英國工作, 基本要求為需要有一個大學畢業生層次的工作，具有英語中級的能力（歐洲共同參考標準 B1級），並符合工資和就業的要求。

需注意的是，這個年度限額的限制將不適用於:

1, 已在英國的申請者:例如持有後學士工作簽證者(Post Study Work)的員工及本來就持有第二級工作簽證的員工;

2, 第二級員工的家屬簽證;

3, 第二級(一般)的員工薪水超過15 萬鎊;

4, 第二級(運動員)申請人;

5, 第二級(宗教)申請人;及

6,  第二級(公司內部轉移)申請人。

posted on 20/04/11

Tags: Annual Limit, Post Study Work, Tier2, UK Border Agency, Work Permits