My $600 Story
A few months ago I applied for a UK work permit under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme. This week I found out my application was denied.
In order to receive a work permit under the HSMP an applicant must earn a score of at least 65 points across a variety of areas including education, work experience, earnings history, professional achievements, and one's partner's achievements. I had claimed 85 points. The reviewers gave me my claimed points for education and for Margo's achievements. However I was not given claimed points in the two areas.
I missed 35 points of work experience because I hadn't followed directions closely enough. Though I had submitted a letter of recommendation from my boss, the Director of Engineering, and it did mention my duties and achievements, it did not clearly indicate my start and end dates, nor my job title, though these could also be found on my original hire letter which was also included in the application. Okay, I thought. It's just a technicality; I can get a clearer letter from Human Resources and resubmit.
But then there's the other area - I didn't get my 25 points of earnings history. In order to receive this, I needed to prove I'd made a certain amount of money in the past 12 months. By my calculations, I'd earned just enough to meet the minumum range. (The next-highest range is more than double my salary, and the top range is about 6x - my first clue that perhaps I'm a bit out of my league.) But by the reviewers' calculations, I was just shy of the minimum.
It's possible my calculations were off, and it's probable that the US dollar lost enough value between my application submission and its review to pull me under. But this is something I can't fix.
So does this mean I can't work in the UK? Perhaps not. Most work permits are procured by one's employer; the HSMP is an exception where an individual may apply. But in order for me to be hired, some documentation must be made that no local talent could be found first. I'm also hoping to do contracting work as opposed to getting a regular position, and not holding a work permit may prevent that.
Now at this point you are justly thinking, hmmm, Mike has to spend a year or two in Europe without working. Boo hoo. Can you hear the violins playing?
But you know how it is. Even if I don't work, I want the ability to work. It's especially important for us guys, whose self-esteems are so closely tied to our earning potentials. So this refusal put me into a bit of a funk.
But, like any good story, this has a happy ending. Margo did some research and found ample evidence that, as the partner of a work permit holder, I can also work after all.
Unfortunately, my HSMP application fee had to be paid regardless of its outcome. The fee is 315 pounds, which at the time of my billing equated to about US$580, and for which I have nothing to show for ... except this story.
In order to receive a work permit under the HSMP an applicant must earn a score of at least 65 points across a variety of areas including education, work experience, earnings history, professional achievements, and one's partner's achievements. I had claimed 85 points. The reviewers gave me my claimed points for education and for Margo's achievements. However I was not given claimed points in the two areas.
I missed 35 points of work experience because I hadn't followed directions closely enough. Though I had submitted a letter of recommendation from my boss, the Director of Engineering, and it did mention my duties and achievements, it did not clearly indicate my start and end dates, nor my job title, though these could also be found on my original hire letter which was also included in the application. Okay, I thought. It's just a technicality; I can get a clearer letter from Human Resources and resubmit.
But then there's the other area - I didn't get my 25 points of earnings history. In order to receive this, I needed to prove I'd made a certain amount of money in the past 12 months. By my calculations, I'd earned just enough to meet the minumum range. (The next-highest range is more than double my salary, and the top range is about 6x - my first clue that perhaps I'm a bit out of my league.) But by the reviewers' calculations, I was just shy of the minimum.
It's possible my calculations were off, and it's probable that the US dollar lost enough value between my application submission and its review to pull me under. But this is something I can't fix.
So does this mean I can't work in the UK? Perhaps not. Most work permits are procured by one's employer; the HSMP is an exception where an individual may apply. But in order for me to be hired, some documentation must be made that no local talent could be found first. I'm also hoping to do contracting work as opposed to getting a regular position, and not holding a work permit may prevent that.
Now at this point you are justly thinking, hmmm, Mike has to spend a year or two in Europe without working. Boo hoo. Can you hear the violins playing?
But you know how it is. Even if I don't work, I want the ability to work. It's especially important for us guys, whose self-esteems are so closely tied to our earning potentials. So this refusal put me into a bit of a funk.
But, like any good story, this has a happy ending. Margo did some research and found ample evidence that, as the partner of a work permit holder, I can also work after all.
Unfortunately, my HSMP application fee had to be paid regardless of its outcome. The fee is 315 pounds, which at the time of my billing equated to about US$580, and for which I have nothing to show for ... except this story.
posted by Michael Nelson at 2:09 am
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