Work Permits (Business Visas)
Work permit visas allow UK based employers to employ individuals who are not
nationals of a European Economic Area (EEA) country and who are not entitled
to work in the UK. Whether you are an employer or employee we can advise and
assist you in obtaining a work permit. Please click
here to submit your enquiry and one of our team will get back to you as
soon as possible.
Currently, there are six different types of work permit arrangements that the
British Home Office operates.
Business and Commercial
Business and Commercial arrangements allow UK based employers to recruit individuals
that live outside the EEA to fill a vacancy that may otherwise be filled by
a 'resident worker'.
Sectors Based Scheme (SBS)
The SBS enables UK based employers to recruit individuals from outside the EEA
to fill vacancies that they are unable to fill with 'resident workers'. The
scheme only operates to cover vacancies within a sector that is recognized as
'hard to fill' by the UK Home Office. Currently, the British Home Office is
issuing work permits in the hospitality sector (hotel and catering work) and
the food-manufacturing sector (meat and fish processing and mushroom production
only).
Hospitality Sector
Work permits are being issued for the following jobs in the hospitality sector:
- Bar staff
- Chefs (at National Vocational Qualification level 2 and below)
- Cleaners (in staff canteens and restaurants only)
- Concierge staff
- Food service operatives (serving food)
- Housekeepers
- Kitchen assistants (preparing food, cleaning and general help)
- Room attendants
- Reception staff
- Waiting staff
Food Manufacturing Sector
Work permits are being issued for the following jobs in the food manufacturing
sector:
- Fish filleters (preparing and cleaning fish)
- Fish packers (packing and labelling fish)
- Fish Process Operatives (operating, minding, cleaning machines that prepare
fish)
- Animal gut remover
- Meat bone breaker
- Meat bone extractor
- Meat cold store operative
- Meat cutter
- Meat packer
- Meat process operatives
- Meat slaughter person
- Lairageman (pre-slaughter animal welfare attendant)
- Trimmer (trims fat from and shapes meat, after it has been boned and
cut)
- Mushroom processor (tending, picking, grading and packing mushrooms)
Training and Work Experience Scheme
This scheme allows individuals who live outside the EEA to complete work-based
training for a professional or specialist qualification, or for a period of
experience.
Sports and Entertainment
This scheme allows UK employers to employ established sportsmen, entertainers
and artists.
Internships
The Internship arrangements scheme enables students from outside the EEA studying
for a first or higher degree courses to complete an 'internship' with a UK based
employer.
General Agreement on Trades in Services (GATS)
This scheme allows employees of companies based outside the EU to work in the
UK on a service contract awarded to their employer by a UK-based organization.
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