iamawonder wrote: ↑Wed Aug 26, 2020 11:39 pm
krishnakumarg wrote: ↑Wed Aug 26, 2020 11:30 pm
Just a thought process about what the IDV app means for Sopra Steria's business.
After the Covid-19 backlogs are cleared, this sounds like a bad news for UKVCAS in the long run, I think. They run at least 20
staffed centres and have installed biometric capture equipment (some capital value) in various cities of the UK.
Currently, the folks eligible for biometric reuse are adults who have had their biometrics captured for a previous immigration application. This means that first-time applicants and those with children are not currently eligible. We take note that the reuse policy is only effective for applications made from within the UK, where biometrics have also been captured within the UK, and so UKVCAS source of income is relatively protected.
Everyone, including first-time applicants, would have had biometrics captures at some VAC location somewhere in the world for their initial entry to the UK. In the same vein as they opened up the possibility of biometric reuse, it is only a matter of time UKVI allows reuse of biometrics captured elsewhere in the world (for in-country switching applications to start with).
Since the IDV app is free (and is likely to evolve and become robust with any bug fixes over time), in the long run, this does seem like a slow loss of business to UKVCAS? Once total reuse of biometrics is possible by UKVI, nobody shall need to show up at their centres. Why would UKVCAS pay to retain staff, rent floor space and maintain biometric equipment?
Just a thought.
I would argue that it's a massive win for UKVCAS and Covid-19 has been a blessing for them.
With the app running now and allowing the biometric reuse, they can start to close centres and reduce their staff gradually and make massive savings on manpower and real estate cost(both these are very high even from European standards). Cost of equipment is no where in comparison to these. And don't think the contract will be renegotiated before it expires.
Yes, agree that the cost of manpower, and renting real estate far outweigh the furnishings and equipment.
I think that downsizing won't be an option for them, but will be
rather forced upon them if the IDV app proves to be super efficient, i.e. they will have no choice, but to downsize. This will be a rather complete reversal given that they were pressured to ramp up opening of new centres at various brand new locations throughout the country.
Employees at UKVCAS may lose their jobs when the current contract runs out and if UKVI switches to a primary app-based model in the future (coupled with a lean support staff for those who need language translations and other manual assistance).
UKVI need not have engaged in this really circuitous arrangement at all in the first place. After the UKVI application, we are directed to register with a private agency, and upload documents, which in-turn are sent to UKVI's servers. Why, O why? For biometric verification/identify fraud prevention, they could just have gone the app-route or even a web-based route or the Passport Office or the Post Office! In fact, they have now commandeered tills at HM Passport Office now. All these are feasible options. (Already, the Tier 4 student visa requires you to have a video interview with caseworkers at Sheffield).
Agreed that UKVI does not have manpower to have video calls with every applicant (that will be incredibly time-consuming and lead to backlogs), but instead of the UKVCAS contract maintaining their own centres etc., they could have simply used the existing infrastructure (post office, passport office etc.), and saved money on the contract. UKVCAS only came into the picture in 2018, by which time the smartphone app ecosystem was already quite mature. The HMRC and other government agencies already have apps since 2015, so it does not necessarily need a pandemic to develop an app for reusing existing data!
Spare a thought for the UKVCAS staff who may be made redundant when the app becomes the standard.
Quite short-sighted this from the Home Office.
