Contract in the United Kingdom on a Tier 2 Work Permit
Tier 2 Work Permits are sponsored by a registered UK employer. Some Contractor Management companies can sponsor foreign freelance workers on a UK work permit. This gives expat contractors the ability to subcontract in the United Kingdom and still get permanent residency after the requisite time has passed.
Steps
- Prepare your CV/ Resume and look at the opportunities in UK job market to be sure it's a move you want to make. You can find out what rate you might earn, whether the demand for contractors is high, what areas you might work in, etc. This gives you the confidence you will get the role you are after. Be sure you are positive you will want to work in this area.
- Try www.trovit.co.uk or www.jobserve.co.uk as a starting point for IT/ Finance/ Telecommunications/ Engineers or www.nhsprofessionals.nhs.uk/OverseasWorkers/ for Medical professions
- Find a Contractor Management Company or Employer with the facility to sponsor - there are a number of these companies in London and elsewhere in the UK. You need an Umbrella company that sponsors Tier 2 visas for contractors.
- You can find them through Google/ Bing/ Yahoo searches or start with a site like http://www.contractortaxation.com.
- They should organise the visa, contract, insurance, invoicing, payment and all tax responsibilities.
- Ideally contact them with a contract job offer with an end client or recruiter in UK, as they prefer to sponsor people who have a job. But you might find if your skills are very in demand they will sponsor you regardless.
- They will sponsor you under Tier 2 Work Permit and subcontract you to the client. You can work through their system as long as you keep getting contracts. Normally you have complete choice over who you work for, where, how long and at what rate. It's just like being a freelancer except without the administration.
- After 5 years you get Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) which is similar to Permanent Residency.
- After a further 1 year you can apply for Citizenship and the British passport.
- You're now a British citizen and can freely work anywhere in the European Union!
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