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Cant get employment with EEA Family Permit
Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 3:53 am
by agbaka
Hello everyone,
i just got into the uk a few weeks ago with an eea family permit and i am finding it very hard to prove to employers that i am allowed to work even after the six months expire date printed on my eea family permit. i have told them this is just the date, within which, i must enter the uk but they are not buying my story.
is it possible for me to obtain a letter from the home office stating that i am allowed to remain and work here because i cant not wait for my residence stamp to come through before getting a job. up to six months without working just seems far to long. i want to get a job before sending my passport of to them.
guys what should i do. how do i resolve this problem?
thanks
Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 4:29 am
by Directive/2004/38/EC
So you are in the UK right now and have shown your EEA FP to employers? Most large employers should already know the rules.
You might want to read through and refer the employer to
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/busin ... pport/ecs/
Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 8:35 am
by Guerro
Unfortunately, I went through the same story and employers don't trust the family permit and asked me: what are you going to do after 6 months? If you are refused, what are you going to do? The problem with eea route is that many employers and even ukba staff are not fully aware of how it works.
Back to your problem, I registered with employment agencies and did some retail and warehouse jobs till I got my rc and started my dental career. Otherwise, claim job seekers allowance for the time being
Re: Cant get employment with EEA Family Permit
Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 10:23 am
by Lucapooka
The EEA permit is merely an entry clearance. Yes, you do have automatic rights to live and work in the UK (if your EEA partner is exercising treaty rights) but in order to prove this to employers (and for other bureaucratic purposes) you should apply for a residence permit.
Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 6:46 pm
by agbaka
thanks so much for all the advice. i have heard that i am better off sending my EEA 2 application to EEA 1 along with my wife's application. In the mean time, cant i send a letter to the home office asking for them to write me a letter stating what my rights are so i can present it to employers. if this is possible, which address or fax No. should i write to?
Thanks so much for your support. i don't think i will claim job seekers. the home office would love to use that against me in the future.
Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 9:24 pm
by dadnew
Your COA for EEA2 application should suffice to prove to employers that you are lawfully resident and can work in the UK. I think there is a link somewhere on UKBA website stating this as well.
Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 9:32 am
by 86ti
dadnew wrote:Your COA for EEA2 application should suffice to prove to employers that you are lawfully resident and can work in the UK. I think there is a link somewhere on UKBA website stating this as well.
That's right but the CoA mentions that it would only be valid for six months which probably makes it as convincing as the EEA FP.
Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 3:06 pm
by agbaka
dadnew wrote:Your COA for EEA2 application should suffice to prove to employers that you are lawfully resident and can work in the UK. I think there is a link somewhere on UKBA website stating this as well.
actually i was not given a COA. in fact, the ukba held unto my passport and refused to give it back. they only agreed to give it back when i informed them that i had made up my mind to return to my country and marry. only then did they return it. even so, it was only returned when i was in the airport with my boarding pass in my hand lol.
applying for an EEA family permit in a country like nigeria is so so hard. visa office play loads of tricks on people. in fact, if one is uninformed or lacking God on their side, they will definitely not get it because every error will most likely be exploited visa officers.
Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 3:18 pm
by agbaka
oh. . . i get it. i did not even know about the Certificate of Application for the Residence Card untill now. ok, i'm happy with that.
cheers people. this is why i love immigrationboards.
thanks
Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 4:48 pm
by Directive/2004/38/EC
COA is definitely a confusing acronym. Used by UKBA in two very different ways...