Tier 1 (general) or Tier 2 (general) ?

[friday]

Dear All,

I am on Tier 1 (general) VISA valid unitl August 2012. Currently, I am working using this VISA and my work contract will end in July 2012.

At the moment, I am applying for other jobs (contract for 2 or 3 years usually). If I have been offered a job with a contract of 2 years starting for example in Feb 2011, Which VISA should I use? Can I stay at my current Tier 1 (general) VISA until August 2012 then apply for Tier 2 (general)? (assuming Tier 1 (general) extension will be closed in April 2011, until now nobody knows). Will the home office accept this or the does the job need to be adveritsed again before applying for Tier 2 (general)?

or shall I ask the employer to help get Tier 2 (general) for me from the start of contract (but this will limit my work with this employer and cannot stay in UK longer to search jobs)?

Many thanks in advance for your help.

ON

[ukswus]

Dear All,

I am on Tier 1 (general) VISA valid unitl August 2012. Currently, I am working using this VISA and my work contract will end in July 2012.

At the moment, I am applying for other jobs (contract for 2 or 3 years usually). If I have been offered a job with a contract of 2 years starting for example in Feb 2011, Which VISA should I use? Can I stay at my current Tier 1 (general) VISA until August 2012 then apply for Tier 2 (general)? (assuming Tier 1 (general) extension will be closed in April 2011, until now nobody knows). Will the home office accept this or the does the job need to be adveritsed again before applying for Tier 2 (general)?

or shall I ask the employer to help get Tier 2 (general) for me from the start of contract (but this will limit my work with this employer and cannot stay in UK longer to search jobs)?

Many thanks in advance for your help.

ON

why don't you wait until HO clarifies their policy on extension (they should do it at some point before April), and then ask all these questions about Tier 2?

[Dreemweaver]

Dear All,

I am on Tier 1 (general) VISA valid unitl August 2012. Currently, I am working using this VISA and my work contract will end in July 2012.

At the moment, I am applying for other jobs (contract for 2 or 3 years usually). If I have been offered a job with a contract of 2 years starting for example in Feb 2011, Which VISA should I use? Can I stay at my current Tier 1 (general) VISA until August 2012 then apply for Tier 2 (general)? (assuming Tier 1 (general) extension will be closed in April 2011, until now nobody knows). Will the home office accept this or the does the job need to be adveritsed again before applying for Tier 2 (general)?

or shall I ask the employer to help get Tier 2 (general) for me from the start of contract (but this will limit my work with this employer and cannot stay in UK longer to search jobs)?

Many thanks in advance for your help.

ON

Check if you are eligible for extension of tier 1 using the point calculator, and if yes, then just use your tier 1 visa.

They will not close the extension of tier 1 in april, 2011 because it defeats the purpose of the visa.

[friday]

ukswus: Thanks for your reply. I think this is a good idea. I am ok to wait for few months. But do you think the employer will agree to wait? what if my contract starts (or the employer ask me to choose which VISA) and the new rules regarding tier 1 extension is still not available? Ideally, I can start work on my tier 1 visa then once the new rules are clear (hoepfully soon) then I can decide to either extend or switch to iter 2.

Dreemweaver: Thanks for reminding me to check if I can extend my VISA tier 1. I just checked it now and I have enough points . I really hope they will not close tier 1 extension. It is not nice to feel that you cannot move jobs and you cannot stay in UK to search jobs if contract ended.

Thanks all again .

ON

[ukswus]

ukswus: Thanks for your reply. I think this is a good idea. I am ok to wait for few months. But do you think the employer will agree to wait? what if my contract starts (or the employer ask me to choose which VISA) and the new rules regarding tier 1 extension is still not available? Ideally, I can start work on my tier 1 visa then once the new rules are clear (hoepfully soon) then I can decide to either extend or switch to iter 2.

Dreemweaver: Thanks for reminding me to check if I can extend my VISA tier 1. I just checked it now and I have enough points . I really hope they will not close tier 1 extension. It is not nice to feel that you cannot move jobs and you cannot stay in UK to search jobs if contract ended.

Thanks all again .

ON

I understand your predicament. We should all say big thank you to the nice officials at the Home office, who cannot make up their mind about what to do with extensions for already several months.