PR: Initial period as jobseeker

Hi,

I have an unusual question regarding qualifying periods for my PR certificate application.

I entered the UK in 2011. For the first 12 months I was seeking for jobs. I hold a PhD in medical research - during those 12 months I had a few (6+) interviews but it was a slow process. I have proof of applications, interviews, rejections. Even when I finally engaged with my current employer it took a fair amount of time from application in Sept, to 1st interview in October, second interview in Nov, 3rd in December, and Job offer early January. I have been employed ever since with the same company (4+ years by now).

During my jobseeker period I used my own savings, and did not seek any benefits whatsoever from the UK govt. I made the conscious decision not to burden the UK with my unemployment so I didn't register at the job centre nor applied for JSA.

Obviously I had reasonable chance to find employment - it simply was a bit tough at the time.

Now how likely am I to be accepted if I claim those 12 months as jobseeker?
I checked with an immigration attorney and they said reasonable but then asked for £1000 pounds to do the paperwork for me and since I intend to apply for naturalisation I thought it was quite the expense.

cheers!

Get into the head of caseworker who will assess and weigh up your case, here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... 4_0EXT.pdf

My partner also did not register with the jobcentre plus because he was told that he would not be entitled to any benefits and had not been in the Country for three months at least; but the HO starts counting your six months jobseeking period from the first day you arrive.

I believe that as long as you have the necessary evidence that you have been looking for work therefore it should count towards your qualification as a jobseeker status. The fact that you have not claimed anything from the start is an extra bonus for the HO because you have been self-sufficient. Where the problem might be is whether or not you had a CSI to cover you during that period... You can also use your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) if you had one during that same period.

Applications for a document certifying permanent residence or a permanent residence card: EHIC or E111 is
provided

You do not need a statement of intent with these applications as at the permanent
residence stage you are deciding if the applicant has already acquired a right of
permanent residence in the UK.

Therefore the applicant’s intentions for the future are irrelevant. In these
circumstances, applicants only need to provide evidence to show they had an EHIC
(or an E111) for the whole of their 5 years continuous residence.

If the applicant submits an EHIC which does not cover the whole of the period relied
upon, or does not feature a valid from date, they must also submit evidence from the
issuing authority confirming that they held a valid EHIC card for the period relied
upon.

noajthan wrote:Get into the head of caseworker who will assess and weigh up your case, here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... 4_0EXT.pdf

That is interesting. I did have 2 job interviews before actually relocating to the UK plus I had previously lived int he UK to attend University and worked for 1 year in the same industry I currently work in so do you think I should use that as argument in favour of having significant chances of finding employment?

It's a bit silly because obviously I was looking for a job and obviously I had very good chances of finding employment, otherwise I wouldn't be employed now for over 4 years....

For as long as you can show any evidence of you trying to find a job or a place at the University I don't see why it should not count. However your attempts to look for work outside the Uk to find work inside the UK may be deemed irrelevant because at the time you were not residing in the UK when you looked for work. Only written offers of employment received from the UK while outside the UK will count. Not you applying for job while outside the Country. What matters is that you can assist the HO to prove that while you were in the UK; you complied with your requirement to look for work and can provide sufficient evidence that you did... Even if you were not a registered jobseeker...

tmonaghan wrote:For as long as you can show any evidence of you trying to find a job or a place at the University I don't see why it should not count. However your attempts to look for work outside the Uk to find work inside the UK may be deemed irrelevant because at the time you were not residing in the UK when you looked for work. Only written offers of employment received from the UK while outside the UK will count. Not you applying for job while outside the Country. What matters is that you can assist the HO to prove that while you were in the UK; you complied with your requirement to look for work and can provide sufficient evidence that you did... Even if you were not a registered jobseeker...

Well I thought about those interview before moving could be used as proof of having chance of finding employment.. and actually that's what happened, during those 2-3 interviews I was checking several countries in the EU and then decided in favour of the UK.

There is no bad answer because everything will be connected. If looking for work from outside the UK led you to move into the UK for looking for a job and you provide evidence that during the time you were looking for work you were self-sufficient then; just being self-sufficient is enough to count towards your PR. You have to be a registered jobseeker or be self-sufficient unless you were a student or a worker. If during that period you were neither then your PR application will be rejected on the basis that you cannot show that you have been a “Qualified person” for 5 years. They will then ask you to come back until you can show that you have been a “Qualified person” for 5 years. And don't forget your Comprehensive private insurance to cover those times you were not a jobseeker and a worker. If you spent your first year as a jobseeker but not registered then you must have been a self-sufficient person with a CSI otherwise you'll have to postpone your application by one year until you can show that you have been compliant for five years in total even if it takes you six years to make it through....