URGENT: Success rate of RLMT

[sharmankita]

Hi Guys,

I have a verbal job offer from a company in the UK. However, they would have to go through a resident labor market test wherein the advertisement for the role was put up online today and i guess it would be there for the next 28 days. I have two questions, if anyone can kindly provide an answer or share their experiences around it:

1. Is RLMT more like a formality that a company has to do from their side and they usually pre-select the people? I just want to know overall how likely is it that i make it past this test and get a sponsorship?

2. What is the overall timeline of the whole process including the interviews taken and decision taken for the final selection?

It would be extremely helpful if anyone could share their experience here please:). I am very concerned about me making past the test as i believe the company could easily find suitable candidates from the local pool and im not sure if i should have high hopes from the outcome of this RLMT.

[srsw]

1. No, it's not just a "formality". Sponsor should do it properly & thoroughly otherwise they may be penalised by UKVI. There are certain rules/guidelines on how to do RLMT (2 different adverts/medium, 28 or more days, etc).

2. It depends whether they have sponsorship licence or not. Generally, the process can take around 2 to 6+ months (1 month advert, shortlisting, giving enough notice to shortlisted candidates to attend interviews, offering job to a candidate, sponsoring candidate, candidate applying for visa, visa approval, candidate giving 1-2 months notice to existing employer, joining new employer). If everything fast tracked may be in 2 months but you can see it takes much longer than that.

Are you in the UK? Is your potential employer in tier 2 sponsor list? Is your job in shortage occupation list? Some of these will help provide further clarity.

[sharmankita]

Thank you so much for your response. Yes the company is a licensed sponsor. I am already in the UK as part of the tier 4 student visa and my visa expires on 30th Jan 2020 so I don't have much time left.

The job is NOT in the shortage occupancy list and it's one of the reasons why the RLMT is being done.

I really hope I could get some clarity around the outcome of the test before my visa expires but that seems unlikely in case the company receives a lot of good quality applications for the job.

The company gave me the verbal offer of the job in October and then took literally 1.5 months to clarify and decide whether my case needs a RLMT or not because I am on a tier 4 visa so I should ideally be exempted from it. However, there are other circumstances in my case which requires them to go through RLMT. The role is an experienced hire profile and not a graduate. The company even considered getting me in through a graduate route but they think I have an experienced profile so they can't justify that. Therefore, RLMT is the only option left now.

Do you think the companies go through RLMT only when they strongly feel that the international candidate will make it otherwise why bother going through it when they can just say no to me. But on the other hand, I feel that even in the case they say no to me, they would anyway have to advertise the role again to fill the vacancy.

I am sorry I have too many questions and thoughts at the moment because it's all been quite frustrating for me.

[srsw]

Ah, that changes things quite a bit if you're in UK on tier 4 and planning to switch. I switched from tier 4 and it was experienced job/salary and I was pretty sure we didn't need RLMT done, but HR ticked RLMT done in CoS and gave evidence of the same (they followed all the RLMT requirements so didn't go for RLMT exemption).

You would be surprised how many people actually apply to certain roles (hardly any & location dependent, time of the year, etc) and their salary expectations.

So, would they be able to complete RLMT before your visa expires? If no, suggest them to go for RLMT exemption option as you are switching from tier 4. You should go for 3 or less years visa as 5yrs visa means experienced salary will apply. You don't have much time so get them to act soon before you run out of time.

[sharmankita]

I thought the same that I won't require RLMT as I am on a tier 4 visa. Even the company thought they don't need to do it but they have been consulting with a very reputed third party solicitor and have been recommended to go ahead with the RLMT mostly because my role does not fall under the category of shortage occupancy list.

I went through the proper recruitment process wherein the job was advertised for like 3-4 months and I had to go through almost three stages of interviews and then finally offered the role in mid October. And then these visa complicated cropped up. I'm guessing the company didn't really follow all the RLMT rules previously so now they have to do it again.

Well, the job is in London so there would be competition I guess. The role was advertised yesterday and will be there till mid January. So most of it would be during the Christmas break. Now I'm not sure whether the holiday season means more people would apply in order to start afresh in the new year or less people would apply because they are too busy enjoying the holidays.

Even if my visa expires and go back home, can't I still be sponsored? Because the company is now going through the whole RLMT which means my case is as good as someone applying for this role from outside of the UK. I did mention my concern regarding the Visa expiry to them and requested them to expedite the whole thing though.

[srsw]

Yeah, you could still be sponsored from your home country as long as they can prove that you were interviewed & no other local candidate was suitable, however, it will be rCoS instead of uCoS so monthly allocation limits apply, more scrutiny in general by UKVI.

You should have asked them for rules/clarification that requires RLMT or provided them with guidance highlighting the exemption option or checked on this forum much sooner.

Anyway, let's see if any moderators/experienced members have any comments/feedback on your case. Good luck!

[sharmankita]

I did full research and highlighted the RLMT exemptions to my employers and they even took a lot of time doing their own research into the matter and consulted with a third party solicitor firm. I don't see any reason why the company would make extra effort to go through RLMT if it could have been avoided.

I hope things work out though. Thanks a lot for your comments