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Tier 2 redundancies

Only for the UK Skilled Worker visas, formerly known as Tier 2 visa route

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ds2016
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Tier 2 redundancies

Post by ds2016 » Fri Apr 17, 2020 5:01 pm

So I think it's pretty clear at this point that we are going to witness perhaps the biggest redundancies among Tier 2 people in history. I personally haven't lost my job yet but want to be prepared. Hence a couple of questions:
  1. I've seen a few times on this forum that the 2 months you get to find a new job start from the date you receive the visa curtailment letter. How much time does it usually take in practice for this letter to arrive? Also is it enough to get an offer before these 2 months expire or you actually have to submit a new visa application? Generally speaking, how does it all work in practice? Do you have a couple of weeks / a couple of months to pass all the interview rounds and find a new job?
  2. Is there any indication that the HO is going to do anything to keep the affected high-skilled T2G migrants in the UK? Or is it going to happily use this crisis as an opportunity to kick as many people as possible out of the country? Can we maybe hope to see that 2-month period extended? Or something like that?..

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CR001
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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by CR001 » Fri Apr 17, 2020 8:19 pm

1. Curtailment letters can take a few months. You have to submit an application before the 60 days curtailment end date, ie new visa expiry date. How long it takes to get a job depends on the employer. It is not an immigration matter.

2. If you lose your job, you can't expect to simply remain in the UK and hope HO is lenient. End of. Pointless trying to grasp at straws.
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ds2016
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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by ds2016 » Fri Apr 17, 2020 8:37 pm

CR001 wrote:
Fri Apr 17, 2020 8:19 pm
You have to submit an application before the 60 days curtailment end date, ie new visa expiry date.
Is the new visa expiry date going to be the curtailment letter date + 60 days or last day at work + 60 days?
CR001 wrote:
Fri Apr 17, 2020 8:19 pm
2. If you lose your job, you can't expect to simply remain in the UK and hope HO is lenient.
Of course not. The point I was trying to make was that 60 days is such a short period of time to find a new job (especially if you take the 28-day RMLT into account) that the UK is just going to lose too many high-skilled Tier 2 migrants who are made redundant and can't find a new job in a couple of weeks. Unless the HO does something about it and adjusts 60 days to say at least 90 days

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by CR001 » Fri Apr 17, 2020 8:50 pm

1. It is 60 days from date of curtailment letter.

2. I did clearly state that curtialment letter take a few months to get sent out. No reason to wait until you get a letter before you start looking for a job. Note also that you are unable to do any form of work if you leave your tier 2 sponsor until you have a new visa granted.
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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by quoala » Fri Apr 17, 2020 10:54 pm

CR001 wrote:
Fri Apr 17, 2020 8:50 pm
Note also that you are unable to do any form of work if you leave your tier 2 sponsor until you have a new visa granted.
This is no longer the case as of April 14. You can start to work with your new employer as soon as you submit an application, without waiting for a decision on a new Tier 2 to be granted. However, if the visa is rejected at the time of decision the employer needs to terminate the employment.

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by rubyracer2 » Mon Apr 20, 2020 12:08 am

In my opinion the time taken to issue the curtailment letter is going to be significantly longer than usual, not because of any leniency from UKVI, but because there will be a large number of redundancies and the HO will need more time to work through them.

But the time taken for curtailment itself is of little use if there are no jobs available due to a recession. Not many people will have 6 months plus of living expenses saved while they look for a job

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by vtox_g » Mon Apr 27, 2020 10:41 am

If the HO office really cares and they understand the situation they should be able to grant longer than 60 days, the curtailment letter, it is not necessary that it will take months it can also arrive in the few days, I think its pure luck here when you get the letter.

Probably this is the only letter in my life I don't want it to arrive soon.

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by ds2016 » Tue May 05, 2020 11:48 pm

vtox_g wrote:
Mon Apr 27, 2020 10:41 am
it is not necessary that it will take months it can also arrive in the few days, I think its pure luck here when you get the letter.
Would be interesting to hear some real stories from people who recently got laid off. Has anyone on this forum already received a curtailment letter? Are there people who got fired but luckily haven't received their letter yet?

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by Picku » Wed May 06, 2020 8:35 am

Few of my mates have got laid off from different firms. They surprisingly received the letter in couple of weeks. I think since visa processing is not happening the visa office seems to be sitting around with no work and are making this as priority which is bad for us

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by ds2016 » Wed May 06, 2020 9:39 am

Picku wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 8:35 am
Few of my mates have got laid off from different firms. They surprisingly received the letter in couple of weeks. I think since visa processing is not happening the visa office seems to be sitting around with no work and are making this as priority which is bad for us
Well this is really bad. Is there any hope for them to find new jobs or they are already packing their bags

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by vtox_g » Wed May 06, 2020 9:42 am

Even I got redundant some time back in Jan so I was in a very early stage and they gave me a lot of time till 30th April. Now patiently waiting for the letter to arrive and applying for jobs where possible.
I think it's not fair if the letter comes early and 2 months is not sufficient time to find a job here in the UK.

Is there a way where we can ask HO to consider this situation and increase the curtailment time in the letter? Share your thoughts.

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by vtox_g » Wed May 06, 2020 9:42 am

Even I got redundant some time back in Jan so I was in a very early stage and they gave me a lot of time till 30th April. Now patiently waiting for the letter to arrive and applying for jobs where possible.
I think it's not fair if the letter comes early and 2 months is not sufficient time to find a job here in the UK.

Is there a way where we can ask HO to consider this situation and increase the curtailment time in the letter? Share your thoughts.

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by ds2016 » Wed May 06, 2020 9:49 am

vtox_g wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 9:42 am
I think it's not fair if the letter comes early and 2 months is not sufficient time to find a job here in the UK.
Haha that's the whole point! British public don't want any immigrants in this country and the Home Office designed these rules precisely to make kicking people out of the UK and destroying their lives as easy as possible

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by vtox_g » Wed May 06, 2020 10:13 am

Yes, I agree. Did you receive your letter?

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by rubyracer2 » Wed May 06, 2020 10:17 am

Picku wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 8:35 am
Few of my mates have got laid off from different firms. They surprisingly received the letter in couple of weeks. I think since visa processing is not happening the visa office seems to be sitting around with no work and are making this as priority which is bad for us
Instead of laying off, why arent firms making use of the furlough scheme which will give time at least till June end?

By the time the furlough scheme winds down, the number of redundancies will be high and also UKVI will have to do their usual visa processing work which increase the time needed for sending out the curtailment letter

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by Picku » Wed May 06, 2020 10:21 am

ds2016 wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 9:39 am
Picku wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 8:35 am
Few of my mates have got laid off from different firms. They surprisingly received the letter in couple of weeks. I think since visa processing is not happening the visa office seems to be sitting around with no work and are making this as priority which is bad for us
Well this is really bad. Is there any hope for them to find new jobs or they are already packing their bags
They are trying one of them managed to get a job but he says situation is really bad and he was forced to accept a job with very low pay better than being unemployed I'd reckon . Other two are searching and have sent a request for the immigration office to give them some leverage not heard back. Most of the firms have stopped hiring and / or not interested in sponsoring at the moment

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by Picku » Wed May 06, 2020 10:23 am

rubyracer2 wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 10:17 am
Picku wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 8:35 am
Few of my mates have got laid off from different firms. They surprisingly received the letter in couple of weeks. I think since visa processing is not happening the visa office seems to be sitting around with no work and are making this as priority which is bad for us
Instead of laying off, why arent firms making use of the furlough scheme which will give time at least till June end?

By the time the furlough scheme winds down, the number of redundancies will be high and also UKVI will have to do their usual visa processing work which increase the time needed for sending out the curtailment letter
I asked them the same question they said company they were working won't be hiring them back after the furlough period cause they are in big trouble so they had to unfortunately lay them off.

ds2016
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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by ds2016 » Wed May 06, 2020 10:25 am

Picku wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 10:21 am
accept a job with very low pay better than being unemployed I'd reckon
Oh yeah definitely.
Picku wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 10:21 am
Other two are searching and have sent a request for the immigration office to give them some leverage not heard back.
That's interesting, never heard about this option before. Is there any kind of formal procedure for that or that's just their own initiative?

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by rubyracer2 » Wed May 06, 2020 10:27 am

Picku wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 10:23 am
I asked them the same question they said company they were working won't be hiring them back after the furlough period cause they are in big trouble so they had to unfortunately lay them off.
I don't think there is any stipulation on furlough scheme that the companies must keep employees on payroll after the scheme has ended. This is just to avoid a massive shock to the economy in the immediate term.

No company will hire now with all this uncertainty :(

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by Picku » Wed May 06, 2020 10:37 am

Picku wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 10:21 am
Other two are searching and have sent a request for the immigration office to give them some leverage not heard back.

That's interesting, never heard about this option before. Is there any kind of formal procedure for that or that's just their own initiative?
I shall ask them but I am pretty sure that seems to be taken because they were not expecting the letter to show up quickly . The however said that letter mentions that under some circumstances visa can be extended that might be more to do if the countries are locked or situation worsens I guess?

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by Picku » Wed May 06, 2020 10:40 am

rubyracer2 wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 10:27 am
Picku wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 10:23 am
I asked them the same question they said company they were working won't be hiring them back after the furlough period cause they are in big trouble so they had to unfortunately lay them off.
I don't think there is any stipulation on furlough scheme that the companies must keep employees on payroll after the scheme has ended. This is just to avoid a massive shock to the economy in the immediate term.

No company will hire now with all this uncertainty :(
Yup unfortunately you can be on furlough till it lasts and then fired. Just buys you more time.

Don't was to be pessimist though one of them still managed to find some work so I guess better to start preparing and be sure if there comes an option we are ready. Stay safe

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by Picku » Wed May 06, 2020 7:09 pm

Sorry for typos buttery fingers on mobile :roll:

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by vtox_g » Wed May 06, 2020 9:53 pm

Even in my company, they said the same after 3 months they will be fired it was up to employees if they want to stay or get fired.

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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by Waseem432000 » Thu May 07, 2020 10:49 pm

The company I work for had close to 80 employees before the COVID and they laid off 14 people in the middle of March including 6 who were on Tier-2 and 2 of them are my good friends and they haven't received any curtailment letter from HO and they are actively searching for jobs but sadly, it is so horrible out there at the moment. The company also put 16 people on furlough and everyone else on 15% less salary. I hope things improve quickly and as soon as lockdown is over, the economy takes a big turn for the good and common sense would say that HO may want to give skilled people a fair chance to get new employments especially those on the skill shortage list as the country will need those people if economy wants to rebound. I know there are voices and forums in the country who want the government to extend all Tier-2 visas for 12-18 months and let people do other employment but sadly, can't see that happen.

ds2016
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Re: Tier 2 redundancies

Post by ds2016 » Fri May 08, 2020 6:37 pm

Waseem432000 wrote:
Thu May 07, 2020 10:49 pm
I hope things improve quickly and as soon as lockdown is over, the economy takes a big turn for the good
So far this seems extremely unlikely.
Waseem432000 wrote:
Thu May 07, 2020 10:49 pm
common sense would say that HO may want to give skilled people a fair chance to get new employments
Why would they? They have designed their whole immigration system around the idea that it should be as difficult as possible for people to stay, and they clearly don't want to see immigrants making the UK their home. Now is a perfect chance for them to kick many people out of the country and finally make their electorate happy
Waseem432000 wrote:
Thu May 07, 2020 10:49 pm
there are voices and forums in the country who want the government to extend all Tier-2 visas for 12-18 months and let people do other employment but sadly, can't see that happen.
Haha yes this will never happen. Not in this country

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