Female professional football players

Background

This page explains the work permit criteria for female professional football players for the 2008/2009 season. These criteria were agreed following consultation with the Football Association (FA). This criteria is supplementary guidance to the published employer guidance notes and both sets of guidance should be referred to when making an application.

Work permits will be issued to international players of the highest calibre who are able to make a significant contribution in footballing terms to the development of the United Kingdom game at the highest level (i.e. clubs competing in the National Division of the FA Women's Premier League)

Length of season

The season for this sport is from September to April.

Criteria for players

• a player must have played for her country in at least 75% of its competitive women's 'A' team matches she was available for selection, during the four years preceding the date of the application; and
• the player's country must be at or above 40th place in the official FIFA world rankings when averaged over the two years preceding the date of the application.

It should be noted that games where a player is listed as being on the substitutes' bench, and remains on the bench for the whole game, cannot be included in the number of games played.

Competitive matches

The definition of a competitive women's 'A' team international match is a:

• FIFA Women's World Cup;
• FIFA Women's World Cup Qualifying competition; and
  • The UEFA Women's Championships and Qualifiers;
  • The African Championship for Women and Qualifiers;
  • The Asian Women'ss Championships and Qualifiers;
  • The CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup;
  • The CONMEBOL Women's Championships and Qualifiers.

International appearance

Prior to submitting an application, clubs should provide written confirmation of the player's international appearance record over the preceding four years highlighting the competitive women's 'A' matches. This should be obtained from the player's home association. The UK Border Agency will be unable to make a decision on the application until written evidence is provided. If any evidence submitted needs verifying, the UK Border Agency will liaise with other parties and verify all information through all available sources, if necessary.

FIFA rankings

There are currently 140 international teams listed in the official FIFA Women's world rankings. Those countries which have regularly achieved a 40th placing or higher over a period of two years are regarded as nations who have competed regularly at a highly competitive international level and have players of the highest standard who have contributed consistently to the achievement of that world ranking.

The UK Border Agency will produce the aggregated two-year rankings list on a monthly basis when the official FIFA women's world rankings are published and those countries ranked 40th or above meet the criterion. The aggregated rankings can be downloaded from this website. If clubs have any queries about the rankings they should contact the UK Border Agency.

Injuries

Exclusion from selection for international matches due to injury or suspension will be taken into consideration when applying the criteria. Clubs should submit supporting evidence in such cases stipulating the games the player has missed.

It should be noted that where a player is listed as on the substitutes' bench, she will not be considered as injured when reaching a decision on a work permit application.

Length of issue

• First applications: the work permit will be issued for the period of the player's contract up to a maximum of five years.
• Subsequent applications: if a club wishes to retain the services of a player, they should submit a new application before the work permit expires. If the work permit criteria are satisfied a permit will be issued for the period of a player's contract up to a maximum of five years.
• Change of employer (transfer of player): a club wishing to sign a player from another United Kingdom club must submit an application to the UK Border Agency. If the work permit criteria are satisfied a permit will be issued for the period of a player's contract up to a maximum of five years.

Salary information

The salary is usually agreed as part of the contract between the individual player and employer. This and other conditions of employment should be at least equal to those normally given to a 'resident worker' for this work. Where the salary quoted appears to be lower than expected we will seek information and advice from the sports' governing bodies and players' representatives.

A copy of the contract must be provided with the application to confirm the salary.

Trials arrangements

Work permits will not be issued to clubs for the purpose of having players to trial for them. Clubs may wish to contact the Immigration Enquiry Bureau for further information should they wish to consider taking a non-European Economic Area (EEA) player on trial.

Consultation

Where an application for a player in an eligible team fails to meet the published criteria the sports and entertainments team, the UK Border Agency will consult with the Governing Body to seek their views.

The governing Body will be asked to consider whether the player is of the highest calibre and able to contribute significantly to the development of the game at the top level in the United Kingdom, and if so, to make a recommendation to the sports and entertainments team on whether a work permit should be granted. The sports and entertainments team will make the final decision, which will be relayed to the club.

Ceasing the employment of players

If the club ceases to employ the player prematurely the club must inform the UK Border Agency by completing the appropriate form (for more details see Section 6 (Frequently Asked Questions) of the full guidance notes for employers.

Further Information

The sheet should be used in conjunction with the sports and entertainments guidance for employers when making a work permit application.

The general criteria for work permit applications under the Sports and Entertainment criteria are available in the booklet 'Applying for a Sports and Entertainment Work Permit - Guidance for employers'. This guidance can be downloaded from the right side of this page or are available in paper form from the distribution centre on 08705 210224 between 0900 and 1700 Monday to Friday.

For more information please contact us at:

UK Border Agency
Sports and Entertainments Team
PO Box 3468
Sheffield
S3 8WA

Phone: 0114 207 5910
Fax: 0114 207 5875
Email: ents.workpermits@ind.homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Irish Republic, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom. Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are not members of the European Union (EU) but citizens of these countries have the same rights to enter, live in and work in the United Kingdom as EU citizens.A person who is a national of the European Economic Area (EEA) or is legally settled in the United Kingdom with permission to work here. In some cases, an employer who wishes to employ a person who is not a permanent resident must show that no resident worker could be found to take the job.