question about start date for ILR qualifying time

[dantheman]

Hi,

I intend to apply for ILR on completing five years on a work permit. My question is from what date do I start counting? I was granted the work permit (on my passport) on the 15th of April 2003 whilst I commenced employment on this work permit on the 1st of September 2003. Do I count from the former or the later date for completing the qualifying time?

Many thanks for the help,

brgds

Dan

[sakura]

It should be from September.

[boonworkpermit]

Not sure about in-country switching, but for people arriving from abroad,
the ILR clock starts the day the immigration officer put the entry stamp across the
entry clerance visa in the passport.

From what I understand, the day you actually start working
is irrelevant, as one often spends weeks looking for
accomodation and so on before he actually starts working.
In my case, I started a month after I had entered the country.

[dantheman]

Thanks guys,

I did recieve a reply from a query to the website and it seems to be the day the visa stamp is issued.. quote:
"Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your enquiry.

The five year qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain on the basis of Work Permit Employment is considered to have started:

On the date when you entered the UK with your Immigration Employment Document, issued by Work Permits, and Entry Clearance as a Work Permit Holder; or

On the date when you were issued with both your Immigration Employment Document from Work Permits and Further Leave to Remain on the basis of the Immigration Employment Document. If these were issued with different start dates, the later date would be applicable. "

Thanks for all the help....

Dan