To work in the UK, you must hold a valid visa or passport before arrival. If you seek entry into the United Kingdom as a working holidaymaker without having obtained the visa before you arrive - YOU WILL BE REFUSED ENTRY
Working Holiday Visa information
If you are a young Commonwealth citizen, aged between 17 and 30 years, you may be eligible to enter the United Kingdom as a Working Holidaymaker provided you satisfy the criteria listed below. Prior entry clearance is mandatory.
Your main purpose should be to take a holiday. Employment should be seen as incidental to the holiday and therefore you are not allowed to work for more than twelve months over the two-year visa period. This 12 months employment can, however, be aggregated in any combination of periods throughout the two years. The issue of the visa is conditional upon the applicant acknowledging these employment restrictions.
A Working Holidaymaker visa is only issued once - it cannot be reissued at a later date unless you have not activated the visa by entering the UK as a Working Holidaymaker. For those persons holding more than one nationality who have been issued a visa, you cannot apply for a second visa in your other passport. You will be admitted to the United Kingdom for a maximum period of two years. The two-year period will run continuously from the date the visa is issued, regardless of any time spent travelling outside the UK. This period cannot be extended nor can it be put on hold.
As a working holidaymaker you may switch into employment only in the following categories: Innovators, Highly Skilled Migrant Programme or Work Permit employment, if the occupation is on the list of designated shortage occupations maintained by Work Permits (UK). Read more about shortage occupations on the Working in the UK website.
Important Note:
If you have a UK born parent or grandparent, you may be eligible to apply for other types of entry clearance.
PLEASE NOTE:
t is unlawful to employ a person in a UK-based job who does not have permission to live and work in the UK. Please make yourself aware of how immigration laws apply to your situation before applying for any jobs advertised by Volante Hobbs Ltd. (Refer: Home Office Website www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk).
Volante Hobbs Ltd advertises as an employment business in the case of temporary positions and as an employment agency in the case of permanent positions.
Who qualifies?
You qualify as a working holidaymaker if:
- You are a Commonwealth Citizen
- You are aged between 17 and 30 years inclusive (if you are already 30years old you must apply before you turn 31)
- You intend only to take employment incidental to a holiday, and not to engage in business, or to provide services as a professional sportsperson, and in any event not to work for more than 12 months during your stay
- You can support and accommodate yourself without help from public funds
- You have the means to pay for your return, or onward journey
- You plan to leave the UK at the end of your working holiday
- You must declare any criminal convictions you may have at the time you make your application. Certain convictions may prevent you from being issued with a visa. You will need to provide details of the conviction and evidence that any fines imposed have been paid in full.
- Iif married, is married to a person who qualifies as a Working Holidaymaker and with whom the applicant intends to take the Working Holiday. (If your spouse is a British Citizen - please contact the British High Commission for advice)
- Iif you have a child or children accompanying you to the UK as a working holidaymaker, you should be aware that you and the child(ren) must leave the UK before the child's 5th birthday.
We strongly recommend you do not make firm travel
arrangements, commit expenditure, sell property or assets until you are notified of the decision of your application and receive your passport back. Average processing time is 3-4 weeks, but allow 6-8 weeks from January to June.
Working in the UK National Insurance & Healthcare
By law, you need to apply for a National Insurance Number as soon as you start working, and, in some cases, you can apply when you're looking for work, even if you haven't yet secured a role. Your employer should issue you with a temporary National Insurance Number while you are waiting for your permanent number to be issued
How to apply
To apply for a NI number you need to locate your nearest Department of Social Security office. To do this, call 020 7210 5983. You will then need to make an appointment, to which you should take: your passport, proof of your address in the UK (such as a utility bill), and a letter confirming your employment, or if you're not yet employed but are actively seeking work, your recruitment consultant should be able to provide you with a letter to this effect.
If you work under the PAYE system, your employer will automatically deduct National Insurance contributions from your pay before your net income is put into your bank account. NI contributions are between approximately 10% and 12% of your gross salary. Your employer will also make the required employer NI contributions on your behalf.
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