NES immigration services
To be legally able to provide immigration advice, companies must be registered with the Office of Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC), the regulatory body for immigration advisers in the UK.
Within the UK, NES has a number of immigration advisers that are OISC Level 1 accredited. They can assess individual circumstances, examining qualifications, experience, country of origin and desired work / entry into the UK - and provide an advisory service for gaining working authorisation. NES immigration advisers can offer advice to individuals looking to work on a contract or a permanent basis as well as UK employers looking to hire non-EEA nationals.
It is the responsibility of employers to ensure that an individual has the right to work in the UK. This can be through a specific work related visa such as a Tier 1 visa for highly skilled individuals; a Tier 2 visa linked to an employer issued Certificate of Sponsorship; a Tier 5 visa (Temporary work visas); or through alternative visas that give the right to work in the UK.
In the majority of cases, work-specific visas are now assessed via the points-based system which gives employers greater responsibility and accountability for the non-EEA nationals that they employ in the UK.
Routes into the UK
Nationals of the European Union and European Economic Area are free to enter and work within the UK for an indefinite period of time. They must have a valid EU passport and / or National Identity Card.
Alternative visa options are available for non-EEA nationals, depending on level of expertise and length of stay. The points based system offers a number of routes for non-EEA nationals to obtain permission to work in the UK and, whether you are a UK employer or an individual, the OISC registered advisers at NES will be able to assist with the most suitable route of entry and completion of the required application.
Immigration services supporting recruitment
With an international network of offices and resourcing centres that can be used to tackle skills shortages in the UK, NES has the capacity and necessary expertise to manage entire recruitment campaigns, coordinating in-country interviewing for hiring managers and then co-ordinating the subsequent visa authorisation process.
Why NES?
As part of the recruitment process, visa applicants will have experienced recruitment consultants working to secure work while a dedicated immigration adviser works to obtain the most suitable visa. The recruitment and visa services are completely free of charge, so the only cost to the individual is for the visa itself.
What steps need to be taken?
If you’re working with a recruitment consultant at NES, they will refer your case to the immigration adviser, who will manage the visa process from there. This will involve an assessment of suitability for different visas or permits and providing guidance as to the best option.
The adviser will be available to help at all points of application, completing forms and collating support documentation. This takes away some of the uncertainty that a candidate may face applying on their own. The adviser will also act as the representative for the candidate and hiting company and will answer any queries from the Home Office regarding problems or updates, reducing the admin burden for both parties.
NES immigration services
In addition to offering immigration advice to support individual placements, NES also offers immigration services to companies and individuals looking for quality immigration advice. If you are a UK business looking to sponsor non-EEA nationals under the points based system, NES can help.
NES can both apply for, and manage, your new or existing sponsor license and ensure that you are able to sponsor the migrants that you require whilst satisfying the Home Office’s compliance requirements. NES will also explore all the potential immigration solutions that support your recruitment needs as well as ensuring that your HR systems satisfy the Home Office’s compliance requirements.
Alternatively, if you are an individual requiring immigration services for your own personal requirements (without seeking work through NES) we will be able to assist. All such services are provided at an extremely competitive rate.
Where do responsibilities lie?
Where a UK employer wishes to sponsor a candidate under the Tier 2 sponsorship scheme it is the responsibility of the company to issue the certificate of sponsorship with the candidate then applying for the appropriate visa / leave to remain application. Under the Tier 1 rules it is the individual whom will need to submit the application.
However, NES immigration advisers (acting as representative for both) can undertake any or all aspects of any visa application.
Overseas qualifications
Only certain overseas academic qualifications are recognised by the Home Office as being of UK equivalent. Where the authenticity of a qualification is questioned a check can be made via the Home Offices’ points based calculator. Should the qualification not be recognised by the points based calculator the National Recognition Information Centre (NARIC) can provide a fully assessment and appropriate comparability certificate.
What about the dependants?
Candidates can often include their dependants as part of their application, as long as they can prove that they are their dependants and that they have the financial means to support them. A dependant can be any of the following: spouse; civil partner; unmarried co habiting partner; same sex co habiting partner; any child under 18. Rest assured our immigration advisers will take into consideration the needs of your family as well yourself the main applicant.
Can all agencies help?
Only those agencies and companies registered with the OISC can provide these services. Any organisation practising more than ‘sign posting’ to relevant sources of information is acting illegally.
Useful links
www.workingintheuk.gov.uk
www.ukvisas.gov.uk
www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk
www.fco.gov.uk
www.oisc.gov.uk
