Working Visas for the UK
All workers going to the UK require a working visa in order to pass immigration and be eligible to work.
1. UK/EU Passport - if you possess one of these, then this is sufficient to allow you access to the UK for work purposes. if your partner/spouse has a UK/EU passport, you can apply for a spousal permit to work in the UK.
2. Working Holiday Visas - The United Kingdom has a Working Holiday Agreement with Australia and New Zealand allowing those under the age of 31 to apply for a working holiday visa. This allows you entry to the UK to work for a period of up to 2 years. During this time you can work for a period of 12 months. This visa is non renewable.
3. Ancestry Visas - For those with recent British Ancestry (Parents/Grandparents born in the UK) you can apply for an Ancestry Visa, this allows you up to four years to work in the UK - the visa can be renewed as well. If your partner/spouse has ancestry, you can also get a spousal ancestry visa, contact us for details.
4. If you don't fit the above categories, we can assist you with a Sponsored Work Permit. There are no age limits for these visas and they last for up to 5 years. You are sponsored by an employer in the UK. You can only work for your employer and you must have the visa organised in your country of origin prior to travelling to the UK.
Australian Working Visas
All citizens from outside Australia and New Zealand need a specific working visa in order to enter and work in Australia.
Brief summaries of the common visas are
1. Working Holiday Visa - The Working Holiday Program provides opportunities for people between 18 and 30 to holiday in Australia and to supplement their travel funds through incidental employment.
The visa allows a stay of up to 12 months from the date of first entry to Australia, regardless of whether or not you spend the whole time in Australia.
You are allowed to do any kind of work of a temporary or casual nature, but working for more than three months, with any one employer, is not permitted.
Australia has reciprocal Working Holiday maker arrangements in effect with, the United Kingdom, Canada, Netherlands, Japan, Republic of Ireland, Republic of Korea, Malta, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China, Finland, the Republic of Cyprus, France, Italy, Belgium and Taiwan.
2. Sponsored Employee Visa - Employers can sponsor overseas applicants to Australia for a period of up to four years if they can't fill a vacancy from the local work force. Employees will be under contract and can only work for their sponsoring employer.
For further information on visas or to apply for a working holiday visa, visit the Australian Immigration Website
USA Working Visas
B-1 Visas: Business Visitors - Unless covered under the VWP, business visitors to the United States require a B-1 visa. Business Visitors, whether entering with a visa or on the VWP, may not engage in productive employment. Acceptable business activities are very limited and include business meetings, contract negotiation and attendance at professional/educational conferences or seminars. B-1 visas are not available to members of the foreign media travelling on assignment to the United States (see I visas).
If entering with a B-1 visa, a person can be admitted for a maximum of six months, with extensions available in increments of six months each.
Professional "Specialty Occupation" Workers (H-1B) - This visa is available to persons in a "specialty occupation." "Specialty occupations' are defined as those that require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialised knowledge and the attainment of at least a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) as the minimum requirement for entry into the occupation.
Nurses (H-1C) - Registered nurses employed in an area designated by the US Department of Health and Human Services to be a "health professional shortage area" may qualify for an H-1C visa. The number of visas issued under this category each year is limited.
Immigration based on employment - Immigration based on employment in the US is strictly limited. Most people will find that they will be unable to immigrate to the US based on their qualifications and experience even if they are working within an occupation where there is a perceived shortage of US workers.
It is possible to transfer to the US on a temporary basis if you already work for a company that has offices in the US and the UK. Such employment will not necessarily enable you to reside in the US permanently although in some cases your company may be able to sponsor you for a Green Card. If you are not being transferred to the US by your current employer then you must find an employer willing to sponsor you for a work visa. It is not possible to obtain a work visa in the US without a sponsor. Once you have found an employer in the US, it is your employer who must commence the process of applying for a visa for you.
United Arab Emirates Working Visas
Employment Visas - The Employment Permit/Visa in Dubai is often referred to as a Labour Card and is issued by the Immigration Department in order to permit a foreign national to work in a UAE company. Anyone working in Dubai who is not a UAE citizen must obtain a labour card prior to beginning work.
Before you can apply for an Employment Visa, you must attend a medical examination to confirm that you are in good health. The examinations are conducted by the Ministry of Health and some private clinics. If you are an HIV or AIDS sufferer, your health card will not be approved and you will not be able to progress with your application for an Employment Visa.
The application for your Labour Card should be submitted to the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs within 30 days of your entry into Dubai. Following this, you should apply for your residency permit (this is stamped in your passport). If you are entering the country on the basis of an employment visa, your employer should complete the formalities of application for the residency permit on your behalf. In all cases, applications for both the Employment Visa and the Residency Permit should be completed within 60 days of your entry into Dubai.
Residence Visa - You must have a residency visa if you are going to live in Dubai and are not a UAE national. You will not be able to open a bank account, register a car, get a telephone connected, or deal with other routine tasks in setting up home in Dubai until you have a residency visa or permit. If you are going to work in Dubai, it is likely that you will be sponsored by your employer, who should make the visa arrangements on your behalf and will explain to you which documents will be required for submission with the visa application. If you are employed from overseas, your employer is responsible for the cost of obtaining your work permit and residency visa. Before you can apply for a residency visa, you must take a medical test and obtain a Health Card, which can be issued by the Ministry of Health or a recognised private hospital. There is an age limit of 50 years for a residency visa, although exceptions may be made to this rule. In general, residence visas are valid for three years.
If you are moving to Dubai with family members, you should obtain a family visa. This allows you to sponsor your family members and there is a minimum earnings level below which the family visa is not available.
Canada Working Visa
Canada is one of the few countries in the Western World that is actively looking for immigrants, so any non-Canadian candidate you wish to employ may well qualify for Independent Immigration under the points system. Unfortunately, Independent immigration takes so long to process, that any urgently required staff will probably have to be transferred using visas sponsored by you; with your help a Canadaian employer sponsored visa can be obtained in only a few
Time to obtain Canada work visa: 2 to 6 weeks.
Uses: This category of Canadian work visas is frequently used by employers to bring in senior managers/executives. It can also be used to employ highly skilled individuals to fill a vacancy which has been validated to show that, despite significant recruitment efforts, it has not been possible to find a suitably skilled Canadian permanent resident. The following categories of foreign workers do not need to be validated by a Human Resource Centre in Canada which makes an application somewhat easier: