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Work permits

What are the waiting times for work permits and leave to remain applications?

Work permits

We aim to decide 70% of all work permit applications within five working days of receipt by our payment handling service and 90% within 15 working days. Regrettably, due to resource pressures, we are currently unable to meet our 70% within 5 days standard and do not expect to be able to do so in the foreseeable future. We hope to be able to deal with the majority of straightforward applications (for example Tier 1 cases) within 15 days of receipt, others may take longer.

Details of waiting times and performance will continue to be posted on this page each Monday.

Current performance (year to date)

  • 26% of applications decided within five working days
  • 43% of applications decided within 15 working days

Current waiting times for work permit applications

During week commencing 7 July 2008 we expect to be considering:

Business and Commercial


Straight forward applications (including Tier 1's) between 16 June 2008 and 18 June 2008. All other applications between 6 June 2008 and 9 June 2008.

Reviews

Are currently considering applications received on 2 June 2008.

Sports and Entertainments team

Are currently considering applications received between 2 July 2008 and 9 July 2008.

Please do no call about your application until after 15 days from the date of receipt by us, when you may contact the customer contact centre. You can find the contact details on the right side of this page.

Please do not contact the reviews team until at least four weeks after submitting your request.

Please be aware that the customer contact centre is currently experiencing very high call demand and therefore you may experience difficulties in contacting us. Please may we apologise for this and for any inconvenience this may cause you.

What if my application needs urgent treatment?

Requests for urgent treatment will only be considered in exceptional circumstances, this will not normally include circumstances where, for example, the employee has made travel plans or a start date for the employment has been agreed in advance of a decision being made.

To request urgent treatment contact us in advance of submitting the application providing full reasons why it should be considered urgently using the contact details on the right side of this page.

Leave to remain

The service standard is:70% of new applications are to be decided within 20 working days of receipt at our payment handling service and 90% within 45 days.

Current performance (April to date)

  • 27% of applicants decided within 20 working days
  • 94% of applications decided within 45 working days.

For further information on our service standards you can download the work permits service and standards guidance from the right side of this page.

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