Significant pay rise

[VirtualWaver]

Hi guys,

Sorry I am asking too many questions today

Will highly appreciate if you help on this:

My Tier 2 visa expires next year however my employer is saying they need me to continue work for them so they are happy to sponsor me further. They said they are happy to pay me the Experienced rate.

The New Entrant rate for my SOC code is 25K and Experienced rate is 40K. My current salary is 28K.

So my question is: do they need to notify the UKBA if they increase my salary from 28K to 40K as this is a significant pay rise? Also, is there any problems with this or this is quite normal and legal? I was reading in Sponsors Guidance that they should not employ a Tier 2 General migrant if they are not planning to pay them the Experienced rate afterwards.

Will highly appreciate your help and sorry again for so many questions for today guys! Thanks a lot!

[Shah1698]

They can give you an experienced rate. Your significant pay rise shouldn't be a problem. They just need to assign the COS with the experienced rate so you can extend your stay for the current sponsor.

Good luck!

[VirtualWaver]

Thanks a million for your help! Does my HR need to notify the UKBA through SMS that my salary was increased significantly? Thanks.

[Shah1698]

If your current visa doesn't expire soon and if you want to continue with it with the experienced rate then yes your company has to inform Home office through SMS about your pay hike. If they you are applying for extension then they just need to enter the salary on new COS.

Hope this answers your question.

[VirtualWaver]

Thanks, so I just can work with my current salary until my visa expires and then my HR just can write in a new COS that they are going to pay me the experienced rate from now on and it will be enough to extend the visa and then starting to get the experienced rate afterwards? In this case they are not obligated to inform UKBA as they won't increase my salary during my current employment?

Also, will this look like something dodgy? (I know it's not, but just asking). I mean they say in policy guidance that they need to make sure the position is genuine and that the employer is not paying much with an aim to sponsor the migrant. If they offer me that package will be there any problems with UKBA or it's just fine? Thanks.

[VirtualWaver]

Also, my salary was increased last year by 6% (well just an annual pay rise). My understanding is that this should not be reported to UKBA as per policy guidance. Am I right please? Thanks.

[hassanh]

Annual Pay rise does not need to be informed to UKVI visa sms system, if the rise apply to all the employees.

If your pay rise is starting from the date of your visa application then your employer can only mention that amount on COS but if they are giving a pay rise before your visa extension, then this should be reported to UKVI via sms.

There could be a significant rise on performance basis which is not a problem. In the guidance, UKVI also says that if the employer has sponsored the migrant by using New Entrant rate, then the employer should be ready to pay Experienced Rate after three years if they want to continue sponsoring the migrant. Now, you are experienced enough to be paid at Experienced rate so there should not be any problem.

Thanks,
Hassan

[VirtualWaver]

Thanks a LOT for your detailed answer! Really appreciate it!

[terriblescream]

Annual Pay rise does not need to be informed to UKVI visa sms system, if the rise apply to all the employees.

If your pay rise is starting from the date of your visa application then your employer can only mention that amount on COS but if they are giving a pay rise before your visa extension, then this should be reported to UKVI via sms.

There could be a significant rise on performance basis which is not a problem. In the guidance, UKVI also says that if the employer has sponsored the migrant by using New Entrant rate, then the employer should be ready to pay Experienced Rate after three years if they want to continue sponsoring the migrant. Now, you are experienced enough to be paid at Experienced rate so there should not be any problem.

Thanks,
Hassan

I receive a annual pay rise but we are not reporting this via SMS. Is it going to be a problem? Not all employees are given pay rise but our contract says every year it will be reviewed but a raise is not guranteed.

I'm on Tier2 visa since April 2013 and I received pay rise on my annual review in 2013 and 2014 but they are not very significant...each year +3K