Employer Likely To Cancel Sponsorship - Not Secured Another Job Yet.

[CheriMini]

Hiello,

I urgently need some advise please.

I moved to the UK in September on a Skilled Worker Visa. I started work on the 1st of October and I am facing challenges with my employer.

1. My employer had promised me accommodation which wasn't provided so I had to find my own which put my family in debt.

2. I had been promised a car which has not been provided. I am having to pay for my own transportation and from where I live and work, I am often missing the last bus some nights and having to walk in the dark alone which has me worried for my safety.


3. I was told I would work 40 hours a week but instead I have worked less than 20 hours a week since October and sometimes as less at 6 hours a week. So I am not making as much income as I had hoped.

Employer says they don't have many contacts right now so they trying to at least give everyone a few shifts a week. They also keep saying they are working on getting cars as it appears they only have one and even though in our correspondence before my arrival they had said they had 5 cars already and had promised me I would have access to one upon my arrival.

The problem with all this is I have bills to be paid and family to take care of. I have already racked up debt borrowing from people to be able to pay rent, bills etc. At this point I don't even have anyone else to borrow.

I have asked employer when things will get better and they have openly said they don't know but hopefully in the new financial year. That's April 2023. I won't be able to survive till then.

I don't know what to do. It's a private agency so I'm thinking should I look for another job with maybe the NHS? I think the NHS will give me stability and a guaranteed salary per agreement.

I have been here for only 2 months so that's worrying me too in terms of getting a new job and sponsor even if it's in the same Occupation Code. Would the Home Office understand me putting in a new application with a new sponsor so soon?


Please kindly advise me.


Thank you.

[Anthony86]

Sounds strange that your employer spent thousands of pounds to sponsor someone from another country and then not even recoup that investment by giving you work? If you are not a medical practitioner it may not be as easy to be sponsored by the NHS. Best to expose the employer and perhaps complain to their governing body

[CheriMini]

From my understanding they did not spend much as they did the recruitment process themselves so they only spent £1274 for the immigration skills charge. The director did brag in our first team meeting about how they saved thousands of pounds by doing the whole recruitment process themselves.


As for us the employees, we had to fund our own visa fees and travel expenses then also accommodation upon getting here and realising they had not sorted it out as promised.

I am a registered public health/sexual health practitioner with a microbiology background (I studied and lived in the UK before for 10 years before leaving for 2 years and coming back) but again I'm not even looking for a job in that occupation code right now. It doesn't have to be the NHS either. I have no problem starting from a low level job and working my way up.

I just need to get a job where I actually get the work hours I need and I get paid so I can take care of myself and my family.

My concern now is if I get another sponsored job, can I make a new application with the Home Office despite only having being with my current employer for 2 months? Is changing employers this soon a red flag for the Home Office?

[CR001]

You can apply for another Skilled Worker job with another employer at any time. It doesn't matter. You are overthinking this.

[CheriMini]

Hi. I need your advise please.

I am on a 3 year Health and Care Worker visa.

Over the past few months I have been having issues with my current employer about my work structure.

Firstly, contract states that I am to work 40hours a week but I have been working less, some weeks even just 15hours. So basically its like a zero hour contract which I did not sign up for. This had been greatly affecting my income and making it difficult for me to make ends meet.

Additionally, the full access to a company car for work purposes that was promised and stated in my contract has not been fulfilled. Actually the employer has now said they can loan me money to buy a car and I pay them back in monthly installments. This means getting myself in debt when I am already not making enough money to sustain myself and my family.

These issue were formally raised up with employer to see how best to address them however, it resulted in the employer threatening to cancel my visa sponsorship.

The employer said I can't tell them how to run their company, they said even the Home Office knows its hard to get contracts so they can't be cruificied for not giving me the 40hours a week as stated in the contract. They said they are doing their best to make sure every employee gets at least some hours each week.

They even told us to stop complaining about hours from them and get another job for 20 hours as allowed by the Home Office which I feel is unfair to make that a mandatory option.

I have even been shouted at over the phone for asking when my hours would increase and when I would get access to a car.

I know I have been most vocal on these issues as other employees have openly told me they are scared to raise these issues incase it costs them their sponsorship.

You would think after the cost of applying for a sponsor licence and then COSs, they would want us to work to their profit as well. I don't understand it.

If I had known all this, I wouldn't have chosen this employer and I would have job hunted longer.

I am trying to get another sponsored job as soon as possible but I haven't had any luck yet.

There is indeed tension now between myself and current employer. My probation period ends soon. From the statements that have been made current employer will most likely cancel the sponsorship then.

So my question is this, yes I'm looking for another job but if current sponsorship is cancelled before I secure new sponsorship how long can I stay in the UK whilst job hunting or do I need to leave the UK immediately after they cancel the sponsorship?

[CR001]

Only ukvi can cancel your visa. They would inform you of the 60 days curtailment by letter, which can take a while to get sent out once your current employer informs them once you have left the job.

You contract issues are separate and you should contact Acas or an employment lawyer.