The UK working visa process

[Total Power]

Tell me about it Gets! work permit is in an EU/EEA country is a complete nightmare.My swiss work permit (filed by my employer) took 6 months to process.Not only i had no job in Switzerland (such an expensive country) for 6 months, i wasnt even allowed to do part time job anywhere.And my employer told me, the immigration authorities called like 3 times to ask him questions as why he thinks no swiss or EU person is available for this job. FFS. Morever i have several clauses attached to the permit that i cannot change companies (even if i apply for a new permit, it wont be approved), cannot even change my job profile without applying for a new permit (another 6 months??). FFS .I am very happy with my job, but being a Non EU, my options are significantly limited.

Now that shit is over, being an "Auslander" here, i have to go to the local townhall every month for petty reasons.Zurich is a wonderful city to live in, however the permits and all these shit i wish was more simple.

 

[Dont be a lemon]

It is a disgrace the amount of riff raff they let in from European countries so easily...yet us, who have our entire heritage etc from the UK, have to jump through a ridicuous amount of hoops and deal with incompetent staff.

How is it at a disgrace that EU nationals are preferred over non-EU nationals? The European Union is a living, breathing organisation. The British Empire is dead.

 

[FootyJunkie]

I would just like some clarification.

Is it a requirement to arrive in the UK within 3 months of being issued your Working Holiday visa....ie, 3 months from/after the "Valid From" date on your visa?

Thanks.

 

[Gets!]

How is it at a disgrace that EU nationals are preferred over non-EU nationals? The European Union is a living, breathing organisation. The British Empire is dead.

Im saying because all our heritage is from the UK there should be more allowances.

And go on ask the average Englishmen if they are British or European

 

[The Passenger]

Im saying because all our heritage is from the UK there should be more allowances.

as much as i'd love it to be that way it just wouldn't work because so much of the worlds heritage stems from the UK...

Does anyone know what the deal is with Brazilians into Portugal?? or other South Americans into Spain?? I'm pretty sure they're in the same boat as us. Get no real extra rights at all.... I could be wrong though.

 

[techsta]

21st working day since my VISA application has been in progress... another 9 working days to go...bloody hell :/

 

[Dont be a lemon]

Im saying because all our heritage

I'm sure Australians of non-British ancestry, especially those of Aboriginal ancestry, would agree with you...

is from the UK there should be more allowances.

As a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the descendant of what was left at the end of the British Empire, Australians are entitled to be Working Holidaymakers.

Why is at all illogical that the citizens of the UK's neighbours, to whom it is deeply joined politically, economically and culturally, have more entry rights than the citizens of a country on the other side of the planet?

 

[Giddy Up]

been here a week and a half, got a house lined up, just gotta find a job. job agencies aint much help so im gonna hit the net hard tomorrow and see how it all goes. went to the walkie on saturday to watch the pies saints game but all they had was the rugby! got grand final tix to the walkie which is meant to be alright but sorta wished i got some to the slug. however i have heard a few times the slug is sold out.

 

[handy point]

got grand final tix to the walkie which is meant to be alright but sorta wished i got some to the slug. however i have heard a few times the slug is sold out.

Still weighing up what I'm planning on doing. Moving into a new place on GF day, but I'm tempted to start the morning at the Slug. The Walkabout at Islington was a disappointing experience (for the Freo/Pies replay).... won't go back there.

 

[feelingfine]

Hey all, filled out the online application yesterday just a few quick questions if anyone can answer them. Have my biometrics test on Thursday, what do I need to take? I know the recent passport size photo, but what else is there. Do they send off your passport?
Also I put down unemployed just as I thought it was more relevant, my situation is that i'm 20 was a full time student then worked full time for 6 months, left 3 weeks ago to travel around Australia but there is still a job waiting for me when I get back. After I finished the application i read that you should also bring a letter from your employer, is it possible to get accepted if you put down unemployed.
Would greatly appreciate if anyone knew any of these answers.
Cheers guys, Brad

 

[Gets!]

Yeah bro, I didnt have a letter from my employer and im typing this from Wales, so it must have worked alright

 

[feelingfine]

Nice work gets, renews my confidence. So with the biometrics you take your passport along? and bank statements? or they're not required?

 

[Total Power]

Did you find a job yet gets?

 

[Gets!]

Yeah worked at some dodgy ass oak furniture stand in some mall for a bit, then worked at WHSmith for 2 weeks, now I am going around Cardiff, Bristol, Cwmbran, Cheltenham, Swindon etc selling paintballing in shopping centres. Really good money to be made and I am living in a bloody nice, NEW house in a good part of Cardiff and only pay 1 pound a day rent, including all bills.

Lots of aussies, kiwis etc do this paintballing thing...had my first day today and sold 4, so thats 120 pounds made today which is about 4 shifts at WHsmith...

Do my interview thing in melb you have to take your passport.

Seriously though the british high commission is a farce.

 

[The Passenger]

Really good money to be made and I am living in a bloody nice, NEW house in a good part of Cardiff and only pay 1 pound a day rent, including all bills.

how's that work dude??

also what's cardiff like nightlife wise??

i'm looking at heading back to the UK within a few months to finish of my visa - it'll either be Scotland or Wales i'm guessing. probably lean towards Scotland but who knows.

 

[Giddy Up]

i went to the paintball interview here in london and it sounded dodgy. but geeze if you can get 4 sales a day thats like 600 a week. i might have to look into it again.

the paintball company owns the houses so you pay 1 pound a day to live there.

 

[The Passenger]

thats a pretty sweet deal.

when rent is one of your biggest expenses if your only paying a pound a day then you don't even have to worry about making 4 sales a day....

what's the company and what is the story with this paint balling thing??

 

[Gets!]

Yeah i was a bit skeptical about this paint balling thing, but the manager took me out for a beer, showed me how it works, showed me the house and I thought why the hell not give it a go. The house I am living at now is hands down the best house I have been inside in the UK. It's like a proper house you would find in the suburbs back home, and those who have been here know how rare that is. It's in Heath, which is a nice part of Cardiff.

Basically the way it works, is say if there is 4 people working at a shopping centre for 7 days and the rent was 1500 pounds. The first set of sales each person does actually goes to paying the rent for the stall. It's smart from IPG because they win-win and dont have to pay rent.

There is some money to be made though. I need to get another 8 sales through thurs, fri, sat and sun and then after that everything is profit. Fri, Sat and Sun are the days to work apparently. Still not 1000% sold on this gig, but I have moved around so much here and have had no stability, so I really want to make this work as any place I had to move to after this, would be nowhere near as good. The guys that live with me all do the same thing, and to be honest I already reckon I am better than them at this job and they have been doing it for months and months and they spend a bit of money on crap and are never short.

Give it a go mate.

 

[The Passenger]

yeah might as well look into it.

i'm a bit torn. might move back to belfast again as there is still so much i want to do in ireland - not too mention i've got loads a mates in dublin and the football team i was playing with.

a part of me was to try and get all that back, but another part is just telling me to move on and hit up edinburgh or wales. plus dublin is only a ferry or plane ride away....

but we'll see. visa is valid till february 2010, so can always take both....

 

[Gets!]

Let us know how it goes mate.

 

[raikkonen]

How long are you there for? With the $A the way it is at the moment, I dont know whether it would be worh trekking to Europe next year for the Ashes as I hope to do. We;ll see how everything fares over the coming months before I commit to anything.

You say its hard to get a job over there? Maybe that could be the way to go, work a bit, travel a bit, so I dont blow a whole heap of my savings just travelling for 6 months!

 

[The Passenger]

How long are you there for? With the $A the way it is at the moment, I dont know whether it would be worh trekking to Europe next year for the Ashes as I hope to do. We;ll see how everything fares over the coming months before I commit to anything.

You say its hard to get a job over there? Maybe that could be the way to go, work a bit, travel a bit, so I dont blow a whole heap of my savings just travelling for 6 months!

If you're going to go travelling for an extended period i think your best bet is a working holiday VISA. 1) you'll meet people you work with, 2) you'll meet people in your local area, 3) you can join a local football/cricket/any sporting team and that will keep you fit (assuming you don't want to return like a balloon), and 4) it'll keep some money coming in for you

and in the current climate where our dollar is in a bit of a freefall keeping the money coming in is even more vital.

unless of course you've saved up a shitload and don't have to worry about it.

EDIT: one thing to remember though is you can only get your working holiday VISA's once. So if you aren't going to use it then it's a waste of $500. Also worth noting that with the 2012 olympics in London i know a lot of people are waiting for then to use their VISA so they can be in London for the olympics. Not a bad idea but obviousbly if your not into the olympics it's not an issue.

 

[Gets!]

Well I am coming home this saturday!

Adelaide...I love you!

Running out of money, not sold on this paintball thing, got an amazing girlfriend at home, good family, just enough money for a fight home. See ya UK, maybe another time.

 

[Giddy Up]

thats a shame mate. im really starting to get settled, but i intend to move on from london after chrissy. there is so many aussies here, which is great in one way, but i wanna go somewhere where i can meet some poms etc.

 

[raikkonen]

Well I am coming home this saturday!

Adelaide...I love you!

Running out of money, not sold on this paintball thing, got an amazing girlfriend at home, good family, just enough money for a fight home. See ya UK, maybe another time.

So much for seeing the first test at Cardiff next year!

So we will see you on the Hill at the cricket this Summer?