The UK has long been a favorite location for expats worldwide because of its renowned education, employment possibilities, free health care, geographic location, and many other factors.
Are you a skilled professional who recently moved to the UK? Are you searching for a guide to help you comprehend what it’s like to live abroad? If so, you have come to the appropriate spot. This blog post will cover five crucial things you must complete after entering the UK on a skilled migrant visa.
The Migration Advisory Committee, an independent body providing the UK government with the required advice on migration, recently published its yearly report for 2022. The report highlights the major ongoing labor shortages in the UK market and the level of job vacancies that the UK has yet to experience.
It anticipates that UK companies will hire more foreign workers to fill these shortages. To put things in perspective, net migration rose by 331,000 over the 12 months ending in June 2022, reaching the migration number 504,000. The number of migrants moving to the UK is increasing rapidly, do expats need to understand what they should do after their arrival.
NOTE: The requirement to register with the UK police has been waived as of 4 August 2022 for those given visas or extensions.
Additional Read: UK – Vacancies decline monthly but remain significantly above pre-covid levels: Apsco.
Collection of Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)
After arriving in the UK, people who applied for their skilled worker visa from outside the UK must pick up their biometric residence permit (BRP). The BRP is a card that demonstrates a visa holder’s immigration status and rights while they are in the UK.
Visa holders must pick up their BRP before the vignette sticker on their travel document ends or within ten days of their arrival in the UK. One must note that BRPs can only be collected from an Alternative Collection Location or a Post Office branch. To collect the BRP, the visa holder must bring the passport or travel document with the vignette sticker to the specified place, which the Home Office will mention in the decision letter.
The individual must be above 18 years to be eligible to collect the BRP. If an individual is a parent to their children, they need to be nominated to collect the BRP of their children. The Home Office informs parents within five working days whether they are eligible to collect the BRP. Parents compiling their BRP’s vignette can skip being nominated to collect the BRP.
Proving the Immigration Status
It’s a common misconception that people with visas can work immediately after entering the UK on a skilled worker visa or after receiving their BRP. Employers or landlords are no longer permitted to take BRPs as evidence of the right to work or rent due to recent changes to immigration regulations governing right-to-work checks and right-to-rent checks.
The requirement will be for visa users to demonstrate their eligibility for employment or housing online. To conduct the online check, a visa holder must give their workplace or landlord their date of birth and share code. The visa holder should know they can create their share number online.
Additional Read: Americans No Longer Want To Work In These 10 Jobs
Opening a Bank Account
Opening a UK bank account might seem like a chore if people already have accounts at foreign banks or have funds. To enable the person’s employer to do so, a UK bank account must be opened. It will enable the person to get a mobile phone contract, pay household expenses, and be paid by their employer for their wage.
While some online banks do not require proof of UK residency to establish a bank account, most banks in the UK demand proof of UK address. The BRP, a utility statement, a phone bill, a tenancy agreement, or a council tax bill can all serve as proof of residence. A visa holder must also provide identification papers, such as a passport, to establish a UK bank account. In some cases, banks may also require pay stubs or a letter from the holder’s workplace.
Applying for National Insurance Number
A National Insurance (NI) number must be obtained for the visa holder’s National Insurance contributions and taxes to be documented in their name. The BRP should be checked first because the NI number might be listed on the reverse. Applicants must have their passport and BRP on hand when applying for the NI number and a smartphone or tablet. The NI number can be obtained in four weeks.
If they can demonstrate their right to work in the UK, visa applicants can begin working without a National Insurance number. Additionally, visa holders should get in touch with the HR department of their company, as they can assist with generating a temporary National Insurance number when visa holders are added to the payroll.
Registering with a Doctor
The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) must be paid by most individuals who apply for a Skilled Worker visa. In the UK, expatriates who pay the IHS can take advantage of the free NHS healthcare system. According to how long a visitor stays in the UK, a different IHS sum applies.
After receiving a skilled worker visa in the UK, recipients can begin using the NHS. We suggest having a person sign up with a doctor’s office near where they live. Since some GP offices provide more services than others, searching online for several GP offices in your area is recommended to compare their services.
If you are an employer seeking to acquire a sponsorship license and sponsor skilled workers or an employee with a confirmed job offer, we at Dynamic Staffing Services can assist you. Get in touch with us at +91-11-40410000 or enquiry@dss-hr.com.
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