29 June 2008
The UK Boarder Agency made changes for people on working holiday visas:
We have now closed the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme to applications from people who are already in the United Kingdom, so it is no longer possible to stay in this country by switching into this category. The Highly Skilled Migrant Programme has been replaced by Tier 1 (General) of the points-based system. It is not possible to switch into this category if you are here as a working holidaymaker.
20 June 2008
As I had always expected, to prolong good times in London I would be required to get a proper work permit when the Working Holiday Visa expired after a year of work in the UK. However the impending changes at the end of June called for a race against time to get my HSMP application paperwork submitted to the Home Office before the closure date.
Around antipodean circles throughout the country, the confusion and frustration of interpreting new eligibility criteria, new processes to extend the visas of the long-termers over here and for me, a poorly timed trip back to Australia to get the passport stamped is a hot topic. (The old HSMP application followed a two stage process. The first was for approval for the permit in the UK. The second, which changed in February, requires entry clearance to be applied for in your home country).
Visa agencies are milking the changes for all their worth right now. They charge extortionate prices for doing not much except for giving their client's peace of mind, "No visa, no fee".
Waiting periods are estimated at 10-12 weeks before people get any response from the Home Office. Updates on their website regarding their current processing times are not even as promising. My new favourite site has become www.trackitt.com. Providing a community for people to eagerly wait together for outcomes of their application, allowing them to compare dates for the whole process with each other.
But enough with the complaining. We have only Australia to thank. This is after all,
"an Australian style points based system for managing migration"
Item 29: Visa? Waiting....
2 comments:
With points systems like that, why would you ever want to leave?
ah.. step one: check! Now another six week wait for entry clearance... Melbourne here I come!
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