Help for interview on EC

I need some help for the interview I had to attend for my EC from India.

For a brief overview of my case, please read below.
I have been waiting for last 6 months for my HSMP approval letter. Earlier I was working on a temporary basis in UK after I finished my MA there. Then I had to take a break from my job after applying for HSMP, as my LTR expired. Now though my employer was constantly supporting me for few months after I arrived here. But the circumstances have changed since it got delayed and I suffered a lot due to that already. I am not very sure now, whether I will have the same job when I get back.

Later I almost lost my hopes and decided to go ahead for a tourist visa to get back and sort out my assets there. However after some more thinking, I decided to do an MBA course which I had previously wanted to do as part-time from London (i.e while working full time). So I applied for a student visa instead and successfully got it recently.

However here comes the tricky part, the next day I got the news that my HSMP was finally approved. And now I am in a very strange situation, I have again applied for EC for HSMP, which was my first choice. But after waiting for a week I got the interview call. So, can someone give me any suggestions about the questions that are generally asked in interviews. And if anyone could give me any advice specific to my case, it would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

Hi,

Looks like we are in almost the same senario. I'm also on a student visa for my Master in the UK, applied in nov 2006 and they gave me startin in feb 2007 and durin the time i've also applied for HSMP under the new rule (cos had to wait till feb 2007 wenthe visa starts to travel) and got approved 1 week after i enter the UK on a student visa and now submitted my application for EC but havent been called for interview.

Well simply tell them u want to switch ur current status to that of a HSMP so as to get MORE WORK EXPERIENCE in ur field but dont mention u are already lookin for work cos that will contradict ur student visa as u are suppose to how that u'll leave after ur studies finish but on a HSMP, u are makin UK ur home.

When ur LTR expired, did u overstayed or left b4 it expired? There are other peeps in these forum that are currently studyin on student visa and have applied for EC and got within days (mostly india). Advise willbe to go there and be confident and dont show signs that u are nervous although that wud be had to do but try not to. Be polite and answer the question straightly and have a good rappor with the EC officer. If u are still in uni, tell him/her that u are still studyin but the tricky part might be wen u are asked wot do u intend to do now (still wanna study or work) just say u are NOT ACTIVELY lookin for work now cos there is no where in the HSMP guidance that states u need to get a job asap wen u get EC or FLR.

When did u apply for EC and wot docs did u submit along? When is ur interview date cos here in Nigeria, i was told it takes 12 working days and mine was 1week on wed....Hoping it will be approved by next week so wont need to go for interview as well.

Mind you, if u are approved, they will cancel ur student visa and give u EC (which means thats good) so dont be scared if ur student visa is cancelled and got EC stamp as u are only allowed to have 1 valid UK stamp in ur passport.

GOOD LUCK and do let me know how it goes....my email is teejay_ski@yahoo.com