Right to work with a Spousal Visa?

I was under the impression that Spousal Visa holders have the right to work...so it was a bit of a surprise when I was standing in the middle of the administrator's office at my new position today looking for the endorsement on my visa vignette in my passport and only finding "no access to public funds."

I have no idea what to do now. Does anyone know how to contact anyone for information? The phone number for contacting Visa and Immigration on their website wasn't much help: one was out of service and the other sent you through a message system that only allowed you to check on applications. I sent an email via the "contact from outside the UK" site even though I am in the country b/c I can't figure out any other way of contacting them.

This combined with my NINo number being in the mail, the US based bank account and my visa up for renewal in a few months made for a really great first impression.

I was under the impression that Spousal Visa holders have the right to work...so it was a bit of a surprise when I was standing in the middle of the administrator's office at my new position today looking for the endorsement on my visa vignette in my passport and only finding "no access to public funds."

I have no idea what to do now. Does anyone know how to contact anyone for information? The phone number for contacting Visa and Immigration on their website wasn't much help: one was out of service and the other sent you through a message system that only allowed you to check on applications. I sent an email via the "contact from outside the UK" site even though I am in the country b/c I can't figure out any other way of contacting them.

This combined with my NINo number being in the mail, the US based bank account and my visa up for renewal in a few months made for a really great first impression.

You can work with the spouse visa. It's a given, that's why it's not noted on the vignette. 

No recourse to public funds simply means you cannot claim benefits. You can work.

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What you can and can’t do with your visa

You can use your ‘family of a settled person’ visa to:

    work (you can’t work if you’ve got a visa to get married or to become civil partners)
    study

You can’t get public funds for yourself and any dependants.

https://www.gov.uk/join-family-in-uk/overview

Thank you for the responses. I have no idea how to prove it to the company though. Here is where it is confusing: since it doesn't show that I have the right to work (like the photo in there guide here does: newcomer link: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/441957/employers_guide_to_acceptable_right_to_work_documents_v5.pdf [nonactive] ) and the right to work wizard says it must have an endorsement showing that I can "do the work they are offering" newcomer link: https://www.gov.uk/legal-right-work-uk/y/no/no/from-somewhere-else [nonactive] ...which it doesn't. And a £20,000 fine is a big risk to not be certain.

People getting a spouse visa today get a BRP (like in the picture) right away. You'll get one when you renew via FLR(M). It'll have the work permitted endorsement.

Did you notice the link I gave in my previous post? That confirms your right to work but if there is still any doubt, you could have them use the Employer checking service.

https://www.gov.uk/employee-immigration-employment-status

Your visa expiring will most likely be your biggest problem.

Well,

This page will tell you're employer of you have right to work in 6 days, if they're worried about it. And if they can't do it in 6 days they'll tell them how long it will take.

https://www.gov.uk/check-biometric-residence-permit

Well,

This page will tell you're employer of you have right to work in 6 days, if they're worried about it. And if they can't do it in 6 days they'll tell them how long it will take.

https://www.gov.uk/check-biometric-residence-permit

They don't have a BRP yet as they arrived before these started.

People getting a spouse visa today get a BRP (like in the picture) right away. You'll get one when you renew via FLR(M). It'll have the work permitted endorsement.

Did you notice the link I gave in my previous post? That confirms your right to work but if there is still any doubt, you could have them use the Employer checking service.

https://www.gov.uk/employee-immigration-employment-status

This is exactly the link they need to see that you can work.

Also, just as a side note, this is the list of Public Funds we cannot access while on visas.  As you can see there is absolutely nothing about working in the link.  It's all benefits:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-funds--2/public-funds

In terms of what is written on the visa if you cannot work, it will say: 'No work or recourse to public funds'.

If you CAN work it will only say: 'No recourse to public funds'


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