JhonnyECU,
yes, I certainly imagine that getting HSMP refusal is unpleasant. (I myself will soon be submitting my application and will be hoping for a positive response...)
...and, yes, I kick.... !
Now.
Back to you.
You seem so much calmer, and your sense of humor seems to have returned. These are both very encouraging things. You will need to call on both of these inner resources in the weeks to come as you contemplate and construct your (new) (
and more expensive/higher fee) application.
It is also wonderful news for you that you so recently turned 27 and that you are not claiming points for salary. According to my understanding, the benefit of a "Paid Appeal", lodged within 28 days of the initial refusal, is that HSMP will consider the timeframes for 12 months salary and the applicant's age as it was for the initial application. But these concerns do not seem to apply to you because you are in no danger of crossing the "over 28" line at any time in the near future, and certainly not before you submit your new HSMP application. Therefore (according to my understanding) you can have the "luxury" of going about your new application without the stringent deadline of 28 days hanging over your head! (One caveat is that according to what we on the board understand from recent news releases in the UK, that the immigration authorities are planning to phase out the HSMP program, but we don't know when that will be. Others on the board will have a more sophisticated understanding of this than I do. Still, tying yourself into a pretzel of anxiety will not help you. I might certainly imagine that getting your application in within the next several months would be OK. Moderators, what do you think?)
Before you ask for new letters from past employers, please do read the posts of mine that I suggested to you. Keep in mind that, for HSMP, the positions you held must require the skills and knowledge of someone with a degree in order for the position/s to be performed competently.
Also keep in mind that some on this board have said that they themselves, and not necessarily the employer/s, have actually written the letters. This ensures that the letters will contain what the applicant understands to be the information that HSMP is looking for. It also respects the time of the employer/s -- a well-written HSMP letter is quite detailed and time consuming to write. Often, a person who is in a position in an organization to write such letters is very busy and will say to someone requesting letters, "You write it and I will sign it". So that is something to consider.
You may certainly submit letters of employability -- I think that these may provide excellent evidence of your ability to continue your work in the UK. But the key issue for you seems to be providing evidence that your previous positions encompassed skills and knowledge that would
not be possessed by someone
without a degree. What are those skills and areas of knowledge? What are some examples of you demonstrating these in your employment position/s?
As for exactly why your film award was not counted toward your HSMP eligibility, I suggest you communicate with the worker who evaluated your case to ascertain his/her rationale.
Please keep us posted on your progress!
