Tier 2, exp on 30 July, need to write exam in mid Sept, 2011

[boredinuk]

Hi,

My current one year Tier 2 (General) visa is expiring on 30 July,2011.
The visa is for training as a pre-registration pharmacist with NHS, which is contracted till 25 July.

However, I need to take a Registration Exam in Sept, 11 which marks the end of this training and promotes me to register with Pharmacy Council.

Unfortunately because of early expiry of my current visa I will not be able to write the above exam. My current employer (NHS) cannot pay me beyond 25 July so I don't think I can get an extension of existing Tier 2. Is there any way to extend or change my stay / visa?

Any suggestions please ?

[geriatrix]

Just as doctors can apply for entry clearance as visitor to write the PLAB 2 exam in the UK, you should be able to apply for the same (from outside the UK) to write the GPhC registration exam.

[boredinuk]

Hi Sushdmehta,

Thanks for your reply to my query. Yes, what u mentioned is an option, but my situation is quite different. I have spent 8 and a half years in UK by now. I started with student visa in Sept, 2002 then switched to PSW and now on Tier 2 since Aug 2010 till 30 July,2011. If I could spend another one year and 2 months, I will qualify for settlement. Keeping this in mind the options I thought of are:

1) Switch from existing Tier 2 to Tier 4 (But I will have to pay fees of upto £10,000 for admission into a course).
2) Change my wife's status to student and myself to dependent. Can I do this from within UK?
3) To extend my existing Tier 2- visa. But is this possible at all? As my employer (NHS) says they won't be able to pay me after 25 July, 2011 (and my exam is in Sept,11), so I dont know if a Tier -2 could be extended whilst an employer does't want to pay?
4)Is there any other way, that an employer can extend current tier-2 visa of an employee without actually paying the employee.

Answers or suggestions to above points shall be appreciated.

Thanks.

[geriatrix]

1. Switch possible.
2. Possible, but from outside the UK.
3. To enable you to apply for leave to remain (extension) as Tier 2 migrant your employer must assign you a CoS. And a CoS cannot be issued for unpaid jobs.
4. Same as 3.