Applicants from Overseas

If you have a job offer from a UK-based employer who is prepared to sponsor you, you can apply for permission to enter or stay in the United Kingdom.

If you wish to come to or remain in the UK from 27th November 2008, under the new points based system you will need to show that you meet immigration requirements, in particular that you have enough points to qualify.

There are five tiers under the points based system. Details of the five tiers are explained on the UK Border and Immigration Agency website:

• Tier 1: Highly skilled workers, for example scientists and entrepreneurs
• Tier 2: Skilled workers with a job offer, for example teachers and nurses
• Tier 3: Low skilled workers filling specific temporary labour shortages, for example construction workers for a particular project
• Tier 4: Students
• Tier 5: Youth mobility and temporary workers, for example musicians coming to play in a concert.

Eligibility for Tier 2

All applicants are required to confirm that they are legally permitted to work in the UK.

All migrants will need a certificate of sponsorship before applying for entry clearance or leave to remain. To be successful in your application as a Tier 2 skilled worker, you must score a total of 70 points from three sets of criteria:

• Qualifications and potential earnings
• A good grasp of the English language
• Having enough money to support yourself for the first month of your stay

Self Assessment

The UK Border & Immigration Agency (UKBA) website offers a points-based calculator for you to calculate how many points you have, to see if you may be eligible to work in the United Kingdom under the points-based system.

All migrants will require a sponsor, unless you are applying under Tier 1 for highly skilled workers. Find out more about how points are awarded to Tier 2 workers on the UKBA website.

Following confirmation that you will meet all the criteria for a Tier 2 Sponsored worker, you may apply for a vacancy at Edinburgh Napier University - see our list of current job vacancies.

Attending for Interview

If selected for interview, you will have to provide evidence of your eligibility to work in the UK. Please bring along to your interview:

• Photographic ID as proof of identity
• Documentation relevant to your application, for example educational certificates including proof of competence in English, and proof of professional qualifications or membership.

Original documents only are accepted - we cannot accept any photocopies.

Where a document is not in English, the original must be accompanied by a fully certified translation by a professional translator. This translation must include details of the translator’s credentials and confirmation that it is an accurate translation of the original document. It must also be dated and include the original signature of the translator.

If photographic ID confirming your identity is not available at interview, you will not be eligible to take part in the recruitment process.

A list of documents which can be accepted as proof of identify is available on the UK Border & Immigration Agency website.

Certificate of Sponsorship 

A Certificate of Sponsorship will be granted by Edinburgh Napier where the applicant has been successful at interview, met all the eligibility criteria and and the University is satisfied that the individual meets the requirements for the position.

A Certificate of Sponsorship in no way guarantees that entry clearance or leave to remain will be issued. You will need to meet all the requirements of the immigration rules:

www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/policyandlaw/immigrationlaw

If you are successful at Interview and have provided all documents requested, we will issue you with a UK Certificate of Sponsorship reference number in your offer letter. You can then proceed to apply for permission to enter or stay in United Kingdom via the UK Border & Immigration Agency website:

www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/tier2/general/applying

You have 3 months from date of issue to apply for entry clearance. You will not be permitted to work for Edinburgh Napier University until you have provided original copies of your eligibility to work in the UK to Human Resources.

Initial Permission to stay

Successful applicants who enter the United Kingdom under Tier 2 (skilled workers) will initially be given permission to stay for up to three years, depending on the expected length of your employment here.

 See our summary of the Applicant Process

Further Information

Transitional Arrangements for Tier 2

The UKBA website explains what you need to do if you are already have existing leave to enter or stay granted under the current work permit arrangements.

How changes to the immigration system affect your application to work in the UK:

www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/howchangesaffectyou

Categories of Temporary Worker (Temporary Worker Tier 5)

The temporary worker category offers migrants a range of ways to come into the UK, to reflect the wide variety of roles required to work temporarily in the UK.

Please refer the list of ways a worker can come into the UK on a Tier 5 application:

www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/employers/points/sponsoringmigrants/migrantcategories/temporary

Post Study Worker - Tier 1

You can now apply under the post-study worker category if you are:

• In the UK with permission to stay under the Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme, International Graduates Scheme, or Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme
• In the UK as a student - this includes students, student nurses, students resitting examinations, and students writing up a thesis - who want to switch into the post-study worker category.