Immigration Guidelines

The following is general immigration guidance on working at the University of Aberdeen. This can be a complex area, dependent on individual circumstances, and the guidance provided here cannot always be definitive. Further guidance is available on the UK Border Agency website.

Entry to the UK is controlled by the Points Based Immigration System (PBS) which allocates points to specified skills and achievements. Details of how to achieve the thresholds for entry can be found at http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/pointscalculator

All offers of employment at University of Aberdeen are conditional on providing evidence of permission to work and reside in the UK.

Who has permission to work in the UK?

A legal national of the UK or other country in the European Economic Area (EEA)*;  a legal Swiss national; someone with Highly Skilled Worker or Post Study Worker status; someone holding an appropriate dependent’s visa; someone with indefinite leave to remain or holding an ancestry visa; a valid student visa which entitles work on a part-time basis.

* Nationals from Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia are free to work in the United Kingdom but are required to register with the Home Office under the Worker Registration Scheme within the first month of starting work.

Outside of the categories above, valid permission to work and to reside (“leave to remain”) are required. This is a two stage process:

Stage 1: Obtaining Permission to Work

The authorised routes are as follows:

a) Certificate of Sponsorship (Job offer required)

The University applies for a CoS and must provide (to the UK Border Agency) evidence that:

  • the job was advertised
  • the job is skilled (NVQ Level 3 or above)
  • the job cannot be filled by an EEA-area national.

If an application for a certificate of sponsorship is successful, it should not be assumed that this will automatically result in permission to work in the UK being granted.

b) Work Permits (Job Offer Required)

Nationals from Bulgaria and Romania currently require a Work Permit application to be made by the University. A Resident Labour Market Test is normally required.

Once a Work Permit application has been successful, this will enable you to apply for a permission to enter or to stay in the UK.

It should not be assumed that the possession of a work permit will automatically result in permission to work in the UK being granted (see stage 2).

Stage 2: Obtaining Permission to Enter or Remain in the UK

This is a personal application and involves an assessment of the applicant’s livelihood and suitability to enter or stay in the UK.  Applications can be made either from within the UK if an individual is already living in the UK under a different visa category or from overseas if an individual is applying to enter the UK.  Further information on these application routes can be found at the following links or by speaking to the HR Adviser named in the job advertisement.