Work Permit - validity 6 months?

[GlobalGyan]

Hi All,
My friend is travelling this saturday (21 NOv 2009) to London on a work permit. She had got the WP on 22 Aug 2008 and the entry clearance on 20 Nov 2008. She has not travelled to UK ever since she got her WP.

She happened to read a clause 3C behind her Work Permit - "This document ceases to be valid unless produced to a immigration officer upon arrival in the port of United Kingdom".
Her company lawyer says that it is the stamping of the entry clearance that has to be done within 6 months of getting the WP issued.
However, the language on the WP document is very clear - and the terms entry clearance and 3C are very different.

I am worried that the company may be taking a risk in sending her.

Searching the internet, did not give me any information on this expiry of the WP within 6 months, if NOT travelled to UK within 6 months.

Could any one share their thoughts and experiences - any instance of WP getting "expired" within 6 months of issue due to non-travel within in the 6 months of issue.

HEr company is saying emotional talk on "we have done so much, and the lawyer also says that is valid"... The VFS office here in Pune, has no clue.

Anyhelp would be really helpful
Thanks

[The Station Agent]

I'm afraid it seems fairly clear by the wording that unless it is used for entry within 6 months it ceases to be valid. This is probably a measure to make sure that the person actually does come and do the work the employer said they needed them for. As over a year has elapsed since the permit was issued many things could have changed and UKBA would assume that the company no longer need the permit holder.

We have heard of cases where people had to get a new permit because their old one was not used quickly enough.

[GlobalGyan]

The Station Agent, Thank you for the reply.

My friend visted the VFS (the agency that manages visa's here in India for UK border) said that the WP is invalid. She also rang up the british high commisioner office and was told that the WP becomes invalid if not used to enter into within 6 months of date of issue.

Thanks all. It was clear that the WP is invalid. I really wonder why the company would take such a risk given the strict laws within UK.

[The Station Agent]

Yeah, your friend would probably have been refused entry. The company lawyer should be ashamed.