Employer (Agency) need Acknowledgement Letter

[Ali_Raza_2244]

Hi All,

I am in a tricky situation and will apprceciate if any members help me with this issue

Basically I applied for my extension (Tier 1 General) on April 30th by post as I could not get peo appointment. My application was received next day which I checked through royal mail tracking number.

My Visa expires on 10th May so in theory and as per rules/guidance I am legal to work until my visa application is processed because I have submitted my application before my current stay expires.

I worked for a known agency Hays and problem they are creating for me is if I do not submit the acknowledgement letter by 9th May I will be off site (cannot work). These days because of backlog it’s taking 1 month for fee debit and sending acknowledgment letter.

Any of the members or seniors had gone through this or if not please advise and what should be my next step to make my agency believe that I am legal to work. (Any detailed reference, Link or write up from UKBA or past experience will be appreciated).

Because as far as I know the postal receipt and royal mail confirmation is enough proof for them to believe that the application has been submitted until an acknowledgement is received which they are not accepting and kept on saying they need in writing or acknowledgement from UKBA which I will be submit once I will receive it.

Please help !!!

[silent_warrior]

You can ask your agency to refer to these links

SECTIONS 3C AND 3D OF THE IMMIGRATION ACT 1971
and

Status during extension period

Also ask your agency to speak with UKBA Employers' Helpline (0300 123 4699) explaining that, the applicant has only got a PO receipt, and is yet to receive the acknowledgement letter. Can they allow you to work based on just the receipt. And with the current timelines, how soon can the applicant receive an acknowledgement letter

[Ali_Raza_2244]

Thanks a lot silent_warrior for your reply. It is very helpful.
Much appreciated.

Other members please do share any useful information related to my post.

Thanks

[vinny]

Hi Friends,

I refer to my previous post dated 5th March Saturday in which I requested some feedback about my agency not accepting the royal mail slip and need acknowledgement letter from Home Office to let me work after the expiry of my visa.

http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=102188

My Visa has been expired now and they have sent me an email not to come to work from tomorrow until I received the acknowledgement letter as I have failed to submit it before my visa is expired. I was explaining them whole of last week that acknowledgement letter may take longer its almost 14 days I submitted my application and only proof I have currently is the royal mail receipt and reference number but they are turning deaf ear on this and need confirmation letter from Home Office.

Can anyone please suggest what should I do besides waiting as I am not sure when I will receive the acknowledgement letter. Should I write to Home Office (Durham) where I submitted my application Do they reply ? or is there any other address (mail or email) where I can contact them.

[vinny]

See also Sponsors, paranoia and unfair dismissal and valid application.

[ursamyn]

Ask your employer to carry out check on yourself by calling up that number and even after you get an acknowledgement letter they can carry out checks by emailing the employment checking services which is team at home office to prohibit illegal employments.

[Ali_Raza_2244]

Thanks vinny and ursamyn for your replies.

ursamyn: I did asked them to contact the UKBA Employer helpline but they said this number does not provide information on individual cases.

So I have no option left but to write to UKBA with my situation and expect if they can deal with it urgently.

I will post the letters to
1) Tier 1 Durham office address
2) UKBA Complaint's Centre
3) Local MP

Please let me know if I missed any address where my problem is dealt urgently.

[geriatrix]

Employers and education providers' helpline

information about the employers checking service for employers who want to verify the entitlement to work for people who are awaiting the outcome of an application made to the Home Office;

The current service standard for the employer checking service is five working days.

So why can't your employer use the "employer's checking service"? Perhaps, because they don't want to spend any money in doing so (if there is a fees / subscription involved).

[Ali_Raza_2244]

Hi sushdmehta,

Thanks for your reply I forwarded your message to my agency and they came back to the below reply:

Please see below the response from sponsorshipPBSenquiries@ukba.gsi.gov.uk

This is the Sponsorship PBS Enquiries Mail Box which is for enquiries from Sponsors regarding the Sponsor application process for Sponsorship Tier 2, Tier 4 and Tier 5 of the Points Based System. If you are not a sponsor and your enquiry is not in relation to these subjects you will not receive a response

We aim to respond to enquiries within two working days.

Please note we do not answer any enquires relating to the Tier 1 scheme, if your enquiry is relating to the Tier 1 scheme you will not receive a response.

Tier 1 application queries should be made to the Immigration Enquiry Bureau;

0870 606 7766

Further information can also be found on our website through the following link;

For PBS Tier 1 enquiries please use the following link;

http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas- ... ing/tier1/

Update on my side:

Still out of work since 1 week
Awaiting Ack Letter (16 days since posted my application)
Wrote to (Durham Office)
Emailed: Public enquiries, Complaints and MP.

I will wait till the end of this week and will take legal action (Employment Tribunal) but before going to that route I need to collect some information from UKBA regarding the policy on Employers where an applicant has submitted his applicaiton and have not received his acknowlegement letter shoud they be allowed to work or not.

[silent_warrior]

Hi sushdmehta,

Thanks for your reply I forwarded your message to my agency and they came back to the below reply:

Please see below the response from sponsorshipPBSenquiries@ukba.gsi.gov.uk

This is the Sponsorship PBS Enquiries Mail Box which is for enquiries from Sponsors regarding the Sponsor application process for Sponsorship Tier 2, Tier 4 and Tier 5 of the Points Based System. If you are not a sponsor and your enquiry is not in relation to these subjects you will not receive a response

We aim to respond to enquiries within two working days.

Please note we do not answer any enquires relating to the Tier 1 scheme, if your enquiry is relating to the Tier 1 scheme you will not receive a response.

Tier 1 application queries should be made to the Immigration Enquiry Bureau;

0870 606 7766

Further information can also be found on our website through the following link;

For PBS Tier 1 enquiries please use the following link;

http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas- ... ing/tier1/

Update on my side:

Still out of work since 1 week
Awaiting Ack Letter (16 days since posted my application)
Wrote to (Durham Office)
Emailed: Public enquiries, Complaints and MP.

I will wait till the end of this week and will take legal action (Employment Tribunal) but before going to that route I need to collect some information from UKBA regarding the policy on Employers where an applicant has submitted his applicaiton and have not received his acknowlegement letter shoud they be allowed to work or not.

Hello Ali
As per the timelines, it will take you a little over a month to get an Acknowledgement Letter.
What I had done in the past for the similar situation is draft a letter to my HR explaining the delays, along with the links to Immigration status while my application is being decided and links to SECTIONS 3C AND 3D OF THE IMMIGRATION ACT 1971 explaining them the situation. In turn the HR increased my contract on a month by month basis till I gave them my acknowledgement letter.

[silent_warrior]

Just a note: I called this number (0300 123 4699) today and spoke to one of the representative (select option 1 after the automated message). She said Employers would need to call them and the helpline will instruct the employers on what to do. She also mentioned that they have received many calls on similar situation.
So ask your employer to call this number. Maybe the email has a standard response set

[geriatrix]

Please see below the response from sponsorshipPBSenquiries@ukba.gsi.gov.uk

If you contact them on an email address meant only for general enquires, it is but obvious that you will receive a response that you have indeed received. The webpage clearly states that the email ID is for general enquires, so it is beyond me to understand why you chose to write to this ID.

The same webpage contains the phone number for Employer's helpline .... the same that is mentioned in the preceding post. Ask your employer to call on that number.