May applicants, please respond!

[Sten]

Today, 03.11, a package from HO was delivered to my EU address.
I know nothing about decision yet. Will have it tomorrow.

Just to remind: my application was received by HO on 10.05

[MWazir]

Sten, You can call up them and ask them for a decision if you wish instead of waiting another day. They tell decisions on the phone these days.

[Raji]

Hi,

I applied in May and my app was received by HO on 11th may. I phoned HO today to find out the outcome as I haven't received anything as yet. I was told that my case is being under consideration and my educational qualifications are being assessed by NARIC; apparently NARIC was requested for assessment only on 1st Nov. I claimed 25 points for bachelors in Engg and Masters in Engg from India.

Has anyone had a similar experience of NARIC being asked by HO to evaluate a degree? If so, how long does NARIC take? I haven't been asked for addditional docs , so I assume what I submitted are adequate.

I am rather disappointed that the website says HO are looking at apps received as of and after 12/05/04 when they are still holding up my app, which was received on 11th may.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks
R

[Sten]

Sten, You can call up them and ask them for a decision if you wish instead of waiting another day. They tell decisions on the phone these days.

Thanks. I would say after 1/2 year of waiting, one day doesn't really matter

[MWazir]

Thanks. I would say after 1/2 year of waiting, one day doesn't really matter

True Good luck with your application!

[f2k]

Sten, good luck, hope the package has good news for you. NARIC is the body that they use to validate foreign qualifications. on the website (NARIC) they say it can take up to 2 weeks to validate some degrees but i guess they would treat applications from the HO with urgency, anyway i guess while they are waiting for that result they naturally move on to the next application and will only revert back to your application once they hear from naric. I wouold say keep your fingers crossed it wont be long before you hear from them

[Sten]

Sten, good luck, hope the package has good news for you.

You were definitely right !! I got it ! I will post the details later ....

[Sten]

As promised:

1. Name: Sten
2. Location: EU
3. Application received by HO: 10 May (payment deducted on 12 May)
4. Approval letter dated: 28 Oct
5. Package received: 03 Nov

5. Points claimed (70 points):
- Age, under 28: 5 points
- Bachelors Degree (Computer Science): 15 points
- Work Experience: 50 points (I provided evidence in the form of original reference letters for graduate level work experience for 6 years, including 2 years in a senior role).
-English: I work for an international company where company language is english, this fact was covered in the reference

No additional requests. No missing docs in the package. Everything is fine

Thank you, members of this the most comprehensive HSMP forum.

[Sten]

One more point: the package was sent to Current address (which is actually isn't current for the moment), not to Contact address from the 1st page of form. I have no idea why ..!?

[anishpadela]

- Work Experience: 50 points (I provided evidence in the form of original reference letters for graduate level work experience for 6 years, including 2 years in a senior role).

Can you let us know what other docs you sent to justify the senior role and what did u mention in the reference letters for the justification of the same....i hope u got my point.

Anis

[Sten]

- Work Experience: 50 points (I provided evidence in the form of original reference letters for graduate level work experience for 6 years, including 2 years in a senior role).

Can you let us know what other docs you sent to justify the senior role and what did u mention in the reference letters for the justification of the same....i hope u got my point.

Anis

Hi Anis

Just reference ... saying I hold a manager position. Moreover, this job wasn't the last one, later I worked as a consultant

[f2k]

congratulations Sten, at least the package did get to you even though you wanted it to come to another address. so whats the plans now, are going for EC straight away or you are gonna look for work first.

[Sten]

congratulations Sten, at least the package did get to you even though you wanted it to come to another address. so whats the plans now, are going for EC straight away or you are gonna look for work first.

Yes, that was reasonable enough to secure this case.

I have some business to finish here, so I will use these 3 months until EC staying in my country, and then probably move in a month time.

I don't believe in finding a job in the UK from abroad, but most probably will try to arrange some interviews in the UK beforehand.

[f2k]

thats true, the best chance is when you have landed there in person. just keep an eye on the vacancies while you are still winding up your business. thats another good thing bout HSMP, in that you can almost choose when you want to go there after your apprval

[Sten]

f2k

I has been keeping an eye on the vacancies since March, so for the time being I have some overview of job market in the UK for my specialization.

The problem is that all large companies where I would like to apply are located in different parts of the UK (e.g. London, Manchester, Glasgow). And there are not too many companies within one city, so I puzzle over where to settle to be able to attend interviews all over the UK.

[uGuest]

Hi everyone

Details with regards to my application:

1. Name: uGuest
2. Location: UK ( basically from India)
3. Date of application: 17 May (payment deducted on 18 May)
4. Reference number: 1854*

5. Points claimed (80 points):
- Age, under 28: 5 points
- Bachelors Degree (Engineering): 15 points
- Experience – 4 Yrs : 35 points
- Earnings : 25

HO Response dated 09-Nov-04

“We are currently considering your HSMP application. However, before we can reach a decision on the application we need some further information. If we can draw your attention to the following:

- If I can refer you to Section 2 of the HSMP application form, in regards to work experience. Please provide further references from all your employers from September 1998 – Oct 2004, These references must be on the employers letter headed paper and must include exact start/end dates of all positions held, offer all job title’s held and give full job description for each and every position held.

-If we can also refer you to section 3 of the HSMP application form in regards to past earnings. Please provide your Latest fax return from India and your Wage slips from XXX (company) UK, for the period March 2004- October 2004. In addition, Please provide your P60 from XXX in the UK

Please note, all documents requested must be original or notary public copies.
----------------
My Resolution ( want to convey to HO - not success so far)

With respect to Section 3 (Earnings)
I do understand the Earnings are not very straight as my 12 months of submitted duration includes a Transfer. And that too with Just before the completion of Financial Year. During which I won’t receive Income Tax returns as well. I appreciate you for requesting the further information, now I got the Form-16 and the arrears of the March salary aswell.so I can submit following additional info as requested.

1) Pay slips for March 04 – October 04 with original Monthly Bank statement
2) Latest Income Tax returns, I received the Form 16 (for 2003-2004) (around August, so not able to submit with the application), currently I am staying in UK so I am not able to file returns. But I can send the original Form 16 received from my Employer

3) I didn’t received P60 for the duration of 18 – March-2004 – 30-March-2004 bcoz I joined here on 18 march so our payroll calculations close by 14-March-2004. They didn’t paid the Salary at the end of March. They paid equivalent as Advance and included it in April 2004 payslip, which is submitted.
4) I do have previous Income tax returns for the year 2002-2003, 2001-2002. Which I can submit


With respect to Section 2 (Experience)
(I am in current job since May 2003 means 1 year for submit date -(say)A Employer ,
and
1 year employement from (say) B April 02- April 03 -
18 months from employer C- 2yrs from Employer D)
I did submitted my all my Original Experience Letters from previous employers (3 old, 1 current) . all of the Letters contain Start , End Date, Designation, (Job description/Responsibilities are described in A, B Letters) (C, D Letters don’t have Job description, responsibilities).
I can submit the following requested additional proofs
I can submit the Offer Letters from the Emplyers (B, C) (A already submitted)
I do have previous Income tax returns for the year 2002-2003, 2001-2002. Which also contains the previous employers Form-16.


Can anybody guide me, are they expecting a letter on todays date from the previous employer. if yes i will be in trouble as the employers are under gone many changes like auisitions, mergers?. please advice.

can i send fax as above. or is it ambigous. please suggest.

[Chess]

Uguest

Were ALL your employer references on company letter head??? and did the letters describe your job title and refrences.

I find it strange that they are requesting for your UK pay slips 'post submission) - i.e up to October 04 when your application was submitted in May 04

Your case seems to be straight forward to me and a letter (NOT a FAX) addressing all the issues raised including the documents will suffiuce......

....possibly the caseworkers are becoming more stringent

[f2k]

Just noticed there that they responded to his application (received on the 18th of May) on the 9th of Nov. so seeing that they gave a date of the 18th on their update this might mean that they are further ahead than they are actually saying or that they spent the whole week doing the one days applications

[uGuest]

Checkmate wrote
Were ALL your employer references on company letter head??? and did the letters describe your job title and refrences.

-All my previous Employers gave me the Experience letter while leaving the company and they contain the start, end date, Job title on the respective Company Letter heads with some additional general text.

HO requested further references with start date, end date, Job titile and Job description.
Job description is not there in some of letters (may be due to the company policy - atleast in IT sector) - the current and previous one has the Repsonsibilities and Technologies worked on.

can i submit the Job offers, Revision letters. i am not sure these letters contains the Job Description. (not sure as i have to get these from my home conuntry/native place). will they consider these, any more suggestions.

[bani]

I also had to resubmit employer reference letters that did not contain the detailed job description. Since I couldn't get them from HR (who would have no idea what I did in detail), I asked my direct supervisors to print and sign these on original letterhead for me (I drafted the letters, which they made minor revisions to - I included the start and end dates, job title, and detailed responsibilities). I suggest you do this as well, make sure they state whether the job was graduate-level, senior, or specialist.

-All my previous Employers gave me the Experience letter while leaving the company and they contain the start, end date, Job title on the respective Company Letter heads with some additional general text.

HO requested further references with start date, end date, Job titile and Job description.
Job description is not there in some of letters (may be due to the company policy - atleast in IT sector) - the current and previous one has the Repsonsibilities and Technologies worked on.

can i submit the Job offers, Revision letters. i am not sure these letters contains the Job Description. (not sure as i have to get these from my home conuntry/native place). will they consider these, any more suggestions.

[MWazir]

I am a bit suprised reading uGuest post. The level of documentation I had provided for work experience was spare compared to yours.

I had given appointment letters, relieving letters and certificate of experience from previous employers. That just comfirmed joining date, leaving date and job title. For current employer I provided employment contract, plus a detailed work experience letter with an expansion of my role.

I recieved my approval earlier this month. It seems to be that the level of documentation is subjective to the case workers.

[uGuest]

thanks for quick reply.

looking for more comments from the similar experienced people.

[EdgeHillMole]

I also had to resubmit employer reference letters that did not contain the detailed job description. Since I couldn't get them from HR (who would have no idea what I did in detail), I asked my direct supervisors to print and sign these on original letterhead for me (I drafted the letters, which they made minor revisions to - I included the start and end dates, job title, and detailed responsibilities). I suggest you do this as well, make sure they state whether the job was graduate-level, senior, or specialist.

Great idea. However, isn't it a conflict of interest to ask one's current supervisor for this document? They will want to know what for, why do you need this? Once you explain that you are looking to leave them for employment within the UK, you have jeapordized your current job. So, if you don't make it into the UK, you have that risk of losing your current employment.

Anyone got a solution for this predicament? It's an important concern, as I think it affects a lot of us who did turn in documentation from Human Resources, and who may have to get additional info from someone else in the company (Who better understands the work we do). Any good way of asking for this without jeapodizing your current job?

[MWazir]

I guess a lot of it depends on the kind of relationshiop you enjoy with your superiors or/and employers. Some employers can be painful and even nasty. You can always say that in the long term you plan to immigrate to a western country and lament how long planned migration for skilled people takes (like a year or two). I would be frank and upfront about it and ask for a strong endorsment of my skills from my superior. Make it clear its not an immediate move but just another option to have for the "near future". Good employees understand they are not indespensable to any organisation and good employers know the attrition rate in the industry.

In the worst case scenario if you do jeprodize your current job, then as a highly skilled person, how difficult would it be to get an alternate employment?

[kt]

Hi all, Any response for any of the mid or late May applicants?
Mine reached on May 27, so far no news.
cheers
kt