Hello All (And request for advice)

Hello all,

I'm glad to have found this place.  My name is Ciaran, and I'm an American with a job interview tomorrow (the 26th) to teach at Oxford Brookes University.  I need advice, on a lot of things.  Most importantly though is getting a work visa.  My English friends say it is no problem, and shouldn't be much trouble, however, my investigations seem to indicate that may be typical English understatement. 

The University apparently does not do the letters for Tier 2 immigration, and I am on my own to try to arrange a visa.  I know this is premature in some ways, as I haven't gotten the job yet, but I need some help here, and hopefully some suggestions of things to say in the interview regarding this.  I have contacted Visa Logic, and they say they can help me if I have a job offer, but I don't know if they are legit or a ripoff.

If I get the job, my hope would be to get indefinite leave to remain, as the job would more or less be a dream job for me.  I don't want to screw it up by getting the wrong visa, or anything like that.  Please help.  Thank you in advance.  I'm so sorry for the short notice, as I just discovered this board a few minutes ago.

If the university can't sponsor you for Tier 2, then unfortunately you won't be able to work in the UK.

Do you have European citizenship or any European born parents or grandparents? A British or EU partner you're ready to marry? Both EU citizenship (for the moment) or a spouse visa would allow you to work in the UK. That or the Tier 2 are your only options.

I'm surprised a university like Oxford Brookes wouldn't sponsor you. They must surely have other non-EU employees? Are you sure sponsorship is completely off the table? What job are you going for?

Hi,

I don't know if sponsorship is completely off the table, but they indicated that to be the case.  However, I hope that I can wow them enough tomorrow to get them to reconsider. 

I have European Great Grand-Parents, both from Denmark and the UK, and quite a few cousins over there, but no grandparents, unfortunately.

Do you know if they will ever bring back the Tier 1 immigration?  I had an interview two years ago, and was completely qualified under Tier 1, but they ultimately didn't appoint me because of a budget cut for the position. 

Thanks very much for your help.

I wouldn't count on Tier 1 returning. The UK is extremely anti-immigration at the moment and the government has closed off pretty much every avenue they can.

Push hard for the Tier 2 sponsorship. If you're particularly suited for this job then I'd hope the university would see that it's worth their while not to lose you. Good luck!

I went through this a lot last year myself when I was looking for a job in the UK to be with my husband(we eventually got married so I am not on a spousal visa)

I went through interview processes and was lucky to be offered two jobs but eventually was told they don't sponsor and they wouldn't consider it. Doesn't matter that I wasted so much time money and effort with interviews.

I know it's hard to hear but if the school is already telling you they won't sponsor you are kind of stuck there isn't much you can do. I could be wrong but with the amount of research I did last year I still couldn't find a single loop hole!

Oxford Brooke's holds a sponsorship license.  But it may be that they are not willing to use a "slot" for the position you are applying for.  Will there be much competition for the position?  They have to prove there was no one else in the UK or EU that could fill the role.

https://www.brookes.ac.uk/services/hr/handbook/recruitment/related_policies_procedures/immigration/sponsorship.html

Do you know if they will ever bring back the Tier 1 immigration?   

There is zero chance of Tier 1 General coming back. Tier 1 General was invented and then closed in 2010/2011 as although it was meant to be for those who are highly skilled, it turned out to be a visa for many who were not highly skilled at anything much. The MAC (the migration advisory committee) reported that too many of these visa holders were unable to get a graduate job and were instead working as taxi drivers, working in shops and fast food places etc.


Tier 1 General was also rife with fraud too. There are still pages and pages of post after post, from those who have been caught for using deception to get  a previous Tier 1 visa and they post when they are refused ILR/ have had their ILR or citizenship removed for deception. Or they read these and realsie they are going to get caught too and ask if there is anyway to avoid that.

There are 3 new Tier 1 visas that need skills or money. One of those is already getting abused by some, so UKVI have had to tighten the rules on that visa.

I have contacted Visa Logic, and they say they can help me if I have a job offer, but I don't know if they are legit or a ripoff.

The employer is the one who gives you the job and then sponsors you for a Tier 2 visa and you then work for them. You can't be contracted out on a Tier 2 visa as that is a breach of your visa. Any, you find a job and we will get you a visa, will be a breach of your visa. Often these will ask you to pay for the visa and/or to pay them a fee every month.

One wrote that they went to a solicitor who got them a CoS for a job they had never interviewed for. When they sent the visa application in, the CoS had been used before and they were refused and given a 10 year ban for deception.

I'm sure there will be list on the internet somewhere of any well known visa scams or of phone scams where they pretend to be UKVI asking for more money.

Thank you all for the assistance.  The interview went well, now for the waiting game.  If successful, I'm going to have a ton of new questions.

Oxford Brooke's holds a sponsorship license.  But it may be that they are not willing to use a "slot" for the position you are applying for.  Will there be much competition for the position?  They have to prove there was no one else in the UK or EU that could fill the role.

https://www.brookes.ac.uk/services/hr/handbook/recruitment/related_policies_procedures/immigration/sponsorship.html

I'm actually quite surprised they would even be interviewing if they weren't considering sponsorship as it sounds like it would be a waste of everybody involved's time!

I'm actually quite surprised they would even be interviewing if they weren't considering sponsorship as it sounds like it would be a waste of everybody involved's time!

Completely agree!

Completely agree!

I'm thinking it might have been a miscommunication about what they will/won't be willing to provide?

Hopefully it'll all work out in    Ciaran42's favour. 

Hopefully it'll all work out in    Ciaran42's favour. 

Definitely! Wishing Ciaran the best! Hoping for a positive follow-up!

I was always up front last year about not having a visa(we had really wanted me to move there first buy a house and have a big wedding but alas NYC court house it was to be together) and I got two offers and the retractions over it. It's
Like people don't listen 😫