Working
in the UK
Students with visas for longer than six months are allowed to work in the UK for up to 20 hours per week during term time and for 40 hours per week during the vacation period. Most international students may apply
for permission to work part-time and during vacations,
provided the work does not interfere with their studies
and there is no suitable resident worker to fill the
post. The stamp in the passport indicates whether or
not a student can apply for permission to work. If it
states ‘employment prohibition’ it means
the student cannot apply for permission to work. After
6 months such a student may apply to the Home Office
to have the stamp changed to a ‘restriction’
stamp. Most international students will be given a stamp
stating ‘employment restriction’; this means
that part-time work is permitted up to 20 hours per
week. New arrangements for this have been posted on
the Home Office website (www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk).
Once the student has a job, he or she
should take their passport and police registration document
to his local Employment Service Job Centre and get the
form OSS1 to complete and return. If it is then decided
that the student may do the job, a letter giving permission
to work will be sent to the employer. If the student
has a police registration letter, the Job Centre will
stamp this. If not, the student will be given a copy
of the work permit letter; is he or she changes jobs
they must apply for permission again.
Work experience
It should be possible for a student to work if this is a requirement of his or her course. Advice should be obtained from the College or The Council for International Education (UKCOSA), telephone 0207 107 9922.
The UK Border Agency announced new regulations for overseas students and courses which include an element of work placement (paid or unpaid):
It is a requirement that the course should be at NQF level 6 (degree level) or level 3
(see the National Qualifications Framework for more information)
to get back to the position where the sandwich arrangements were set up to allow degree students to spend time on a work-placement and the work-placement itself should not be more than 50% of the total course length.
Students on courses of any other level will be expected to complete any work-placement within their entitlement to work part-time during term-time and full-time in vacations.
National Insurance
Everyone who works in the UK must pay National Insurance (NI) contributions. Once the student has started working, they must apply for a NI number at any local DSS office, providing evidence of their identity.
Post Study Work
From 2008 it will be possible for all international students who successfully complete a degree level course in the UK to apply to stay and work for up to 2 years after they complete their course. Students who have completed Foundations degrees (FdA or FdSc) are not eligible for this scheme.
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