Checking WP Status

[WorkPermitIssues]

Hello All,

Is it possible for the prospective employee to check with the HO, about the WP status? Does anyone know the contact details ? There is just too much info on the bia website. Dunno whether they will entertain and which email/number to communicate with them.

Thanks in advance

[try-one]

check the HO website, there you will find different teams in charge of WP.
They used to separate the teams by type of WP and by letter of the surname....
they would ask for date of birth and full name....maybe employer as well...
not sure if this has changed

[vinny]

Contacts for work permit applications.

[WorkPermitIssues]

hello Vinny and Try-one,

thanks for the links. I contacted them and they said they can give info only to the Employer & its representatives. .. What do i do now ? My employer is directing a rubbish whenever i have a question regarding WP filing status.

Regards

[WorkPermitIssues]

Admins & Gurus - Any suggestions/advice ?

Thanks in advance.

Regards

[TinTinTin]

Do you know when your WP was filed ? Normally it takes 4 weeks and after easter holidays there is a backlog and getting cleared.

[WorkPermitIssues]

Do you know when your WP was filed ? Normally it takes 4 weeks and after easter holidays there is a backlog and getting cleared.

The whole idea of me wanting to check is that my employer is not so transparent and i smell a rat. I dunno what to do. I need to somehow find out with my details as to whether that particular employer has filed my WP or not.

[PaperPusher]

WorkPermitIssues, the UKBA probably will not tell you.

It is not your application, it is the employer's.

You will have to chase it up with your prospective employer, or start looking for another job.

You could tell them you want proof, which may not go down well. Is there a reason they are being evasive? If you do not trust them, why do you want to work there?

Regards

[WorkPermitIssues]

WorkPermitIssues, the UKBA probably will not tell you.

It is not your application, it is the employer's.

You will have to chase it up with your prospective employer, or start looking for another job.

You could tell them you want proof, which may not go down well. Is there a reason they are being evasive? If you do not trust them, why do you want to work there?

Regards

I am not sure about the reason for them being evasive, as they have not one but about 100 applications as per their statistics. Few of them i know personally. (about 8 of them). We all share the same concerns. When we ask about the status, they either lie or postpone the discussion with the next promised date by which they can get us the application reference no that the HO gives for every candidate that the employer applies for.

And this has been going on for past 4 months with few and 2 months with me. Thats the reason i smell a rat. They have our 50k INR deposit too which is refundable on arrival in UK. I am not quite sure what's happenning.

[PaperPusher]

WorkPermitIssues

I smell a rat too. No decent employer would ask for a deposit IMO. However, it is usual to have to give any relocation costs back if you leave early.

Have you thought about contacting the nearest high commission for help. If you get details of a few of you that may help.

Are they in India? If so, it is strange because applications must have an employer in the UK.

Take it from me, once they send the application off & the payment is processed, it takes hours only to get the reference number. The employer just needs to make a phonecall to Sheffield. It may take longer to decide the case, but the reference number is automaticaly done at the start.

I am just concerned in case you have been had, xe.com says you paid just over £630. A work permit application is just £190. Even if they were using a representative in the UK it is lots of money. They would get a discount I am sure with that many applications.

Have you thought about going to the police?

See the Govt website about work permits:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/worki ... rkpermits/

Perhaps if you give a little bit more detail, we could say if the scenario is plausible.

Have you checked if the employer is on the English companies house register?

webcheck service

Is it an Inter Company Transfer, ie you already work for them overseas?

I hope I am wrong to be concerned!!!

Regards

PP

[WorkPermitIssues]

Dear Friend,

Thanks for the depth of thought for this and the links. The company looks genuine on the outset and they have 4 offices in India, 1 in Singapore, 1 in UK and 4 in US.

With the size it is unlikely that it can get into any scam (Atleast i hope and wish so). Moreover, my research says that they have processed 120 H1b visas from 2000-2007. So atleast one part is safe. The company does exists and does process atleast US visas.

From a UK perspective, I have myself been in the UK from 2000-2002 and had 3 WP ext/transfters. Thats the reason, I am not able to digest this delay. I had got the company premises checked through one of my friend and they do exist in a posh business street.

Security Deposit is a common norm these days. All the H1B sponsoring companies who wanted to sponsor my VISA, most of them wanted atleast 2000$ as security which would be repayable in a year on a pro-rata basis after the contract is got for me. So, I am not surprised by that move from the UK company too.

The latest reason for the delay i got ws that the company taxation records had to be filed on 5th April, 2008 hence to avoid the chances of HO rejecting the applications, they waited till that date. I asked them after that, whether they have filed the WP and they are going round and round with reasons, postponed dates, inconsistent replies from different India and UK offices.

I would'nt mind if i was told upfront that owing to xyz reasons the company will not be able to file the WP til abc date. But i havent heard that too as well. Every other day i hear different reasons and its driving me mad as I am myself getting into what all legalities the company has to enter to apply for WP. HO did not give me an answer. I am not sure where to go.

Thank you so much for the web link where i can verify if the company exists. Yes it does.

Also, This is not an Intra company transfer.

Thanks

WorkPermitIssues

I smell a rat too. No decent employer would ask for a deposit IMO. However, it is usual to have to give any relocation costs back if you leave early.

Have you thought about contacting the nearest high commission for help. If you get details of a few of you that may help.

Are they in India? If so, it is strange because applications must have an employer in the UK.

Take it from me, once they send the application off & the payment is processed, it takes hours only to get the reference number. The employer just needs to make a phonecall to Sheffield. It may take longer to decide the case, but the reference number is automaticaly done at the start.

I am just concerned in case you have been had, xe.com says you paid just over £630. A work permit application is just £190. Even if they were using a representative in the UK it is lots of money. They would get a discount I am sure with that many applications.

Have you thought about going to the police?

See the Govt website about work permits:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/worki ... rkpermits/

Perhaps if you give a little bit more detail, we could say if the scenario is plausible.

Have you checked if the employer is on the English companies house register?

webcheck service

Is it an Inter Company Transfer, ie you already work for them overseas?

I hope I am wrong to be concerned!!!

Regards

PP

[PaperPusher]

Well that clears a lot up then.

they have not one but about 100 applications

It still does not explain the delay totally, if an employer is large enough to need 100+ staff at short notice, they should be well established and not have to wait for the P35 filing.

100 staff is a lot, I can only see it if there is an absolutely huge contract in there somewhere. They could have problems if they are not ICT applications because they need to show that there are no suitable resident workers, ie no one suitable who wants the job throughout Europe.

ICTs are a bit more straight forward.

I disagree about the upfront payment. If they cannot get anyone in the whole of Europe, they should be willing to bear the cost because they are lucky to get you. They are charging over the odds anyway, and it could be illegal. What would they charge a British person? I have never heard of people having to pay to get a job in the UK. It is the other way round in my experience, you get money from them!

Anyway, you will just have to hassle them. It is their application, so you are stuck.

Good luck with it.

Regards

[WorkPermitIssues]

Thanks buddy. The 50k is a security deposit, not a charge. They dont charge for the job. It's just something that keeps the prospective employee bound to the company while they are processing things. My contract letter clearly states that this deposit is paid back in 30 days when the candidate joins the UK office.

They have had a massive recruitment hunt in India since Jan this year. I was thinking along the same lines as you. How would they show that for 100+ applications they could not find suitable resident workers ?

I guess that means some of those 100 have to be definitely dissapointed.

Thanks once again for all your help.

Well that clears a lot up then.

they have not one but about 100 applications

It still does not explain the delay totally, if an employer is large enough to need 100+ staff at short notice, they should be well established and not have to wait for the P35 filing.

100 staff is a lot, I can only see it if there is an absolutely huge contract in there somewhere. They could have problems if they are not ICT applications because they need to show that there are no suitable resident workers, ie no one suitable who wants the job throughout Europe.

ICTs are a bit more straight forward.

I disagree about the upfront payment. If they cannot get anyone in the whole of Europe, they should be willing to bear the cost because they are lucky to get you. They are charging over the odds anyway, and it could be illegal. What would they charge a British person? I have never heard of people having to pay to get a job in the UK. It is the other way round in my experience, you get money from them!

Anyway, you will just have to hassle them. It is their application, so you are stuck.

Good luck with it.

Regards

[rockhall]

WorkPermitIssues I believe I smell a RAT, have you researched properly about the company? google the company read etc etc, some businesses may have posh offices and they maybe fake. You have been waiting for a response for the past two months and others 4 months this is really a long time with 600+ at stake nahh there is definitely a RAT.

Why would a company want money from you if they willing to hire? I think you should investigate because this is too long of a wait and you are not getting any proper explainations as to the delay.

[WorkPermitIssues]

Rockhall, the delay is inexplicable. I have already started the communications with them to push or pull out of the process. I have been asked for the time till end of this week to get an application reference number. If I dont get i will have to take some legal action. No choice.

Yes my researches are accurate with what i have described in my posts earlier. But still it does not explain the intentions for the delay. Hence the panic.

WorkPermitIssues I believe I smell a RAT, have you researched properly about the company? google the company read etc etc, some businesses may have posh offices and they maybe fake. You have been waiting for a response for the past two months and others 4 months this is really a long time with 600+ at stake nahh there is definitely a RAT.

Why would a company want money from you if they willing to hire? I think you should investigate because this is too long of a wait and you are not getting any proper explainations as to the delay.

[WorkPermitIssues]

The latest update is that the company is going to give app ref no in next couple of weeks. . This has come after a lot of upfront and clear communication with the organization.

Let's see