The Overseas Domestic Worker Visa in the United Kingdom is the most common form of immigration for migrant workers who are coming to the United Kingdom to work for an overseas employer in a private household. These migrant workers typically come from countries outside of the European Union.
Despite the fact that the Immigration Rules do not define the term “domestic employees,” it is common practise for domestic workers such as nannies, cleaners, chauffeurs, cooks, personal carers, and security guards to use this pathway.
The domestic worker route has undergone numerous revisions over the course of its existence, the most recent of which took place in the year 2012. Before April 2012, individuals who entered the United Kingdom as domestic assistants through this route were eligible for extensions to their stays and settlements.
This is not the case anymore; the visa is only good for a period of six months at a time (although people who entered the country before 2012 can still submit applications for extensions or settlements).
For those who are interested in bringing members of their household staff to the UK, we will investigate the laws governing the overseas domestic worker visa, including the most important requirements as well as the application process.
Overseas Domestic Worker Visa in the United Kingdom and its Requirements
Domestic workers are individuals who provide their services within a private family or household, whether directly or indirectly. They are vital contributors to the economy of care because they provide both direct and indirect forms of assistance to patients.
Taking care of the children, the elderly, or sick members of the family, gardening, guarding the house, driving the family members around, and even taking care of the family’s pets are all examples of the responsibilities that they have. Other duties include cleaning the house, preparing meals, washing and ironing clothing, and driving the family members around.
A domestic worker may work full-time or part-time; he or she may be hired by a single-family or via or by a service provider; he or she may live in the employer’s home (as a live-in worker) or in his or her own home (as a live-out worker); and he or she may be engaged by a single-family or via or by a service provider.
A person who is not a citizen of the country in which she is employed as a domestic worker is considered to be a migrant domestic worker.
There are 75.6 million people working as domestic workers around the world, and women make up 76.2 percent of that workforce. This indicates that men make up 25 percent of the workforce. On the other hand, female workers rely significantly more heavily than male workers do on income from domestic work as their primary source of income.
Documentation in support of workers in the domestic sector in the UK
In order to support their application for a domestic worker visa, the applicant will be required to provide a variety of documents, including the following:
- an identity and nationality document that is either a valid passport (with at least one blank page) or one of the other acceptable forms of travel documentation.
- a letter from you verifying their employment as a domestic worker in your home, including the length of time they’ve worked for you and the fact that their job is continuous;
- financial evidence that they will be able to support themselves while they are in the country.
- two copies of a signed written agreement between you and the applicant, in the form set out in Appendix Domestic Worker Statement under the Immigration Rules. This agreement should lay out the terms and conditions that are intended to apply to their employment while they are in the UK.
In addition to submitting one or more of the following documents, the applicant is required to provide evidence that they meet the requirements of the job in order to be considered.
- Documents from the bank or paystubs proving that a salary was paid.
- tax receipt confirmation.
- evidence of payment and confirmation of health insurance coverage
- their work visa, residency permit, or comparable passport endorsement from the country where you are now employed by them;
- the employment contract between the two of you.
- If they have travelled with you in the past, they will be required to have visas or a passport endorsement that is equivalent.
- Depending on the circumstances surrounding the applicant, it is possible that additional documentation, as well as certified translations of any documents that were not originally written in English or Welsh, will be required.
Qualifications Required to Work as a Domestic Worker in the United Kingdom
It is important to note that the majority of UK visas include certain requirements that are standard across the board. These include the capacity to support and house oneself independently, without relying on public funding, as well as the ability to avoid running afoul of the numerous general grounds for refusal.
They are also required to obtain entrance clearance, which involves making a visa application in advance. It is not possible to simply show up at a port or airport in the UK and make a request to work as a domestic helper there.
The following are the fundamental prerequisites that must be met in order to be eligible for an Overseas Domestic Worker Visa in the UK:
- Your age
- Previous work experience
- A stay of one year and one month
- Consultation with your place of employment
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Your age
On the day that the application is submitted, the applicant must be at least 19 years old.
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Previous work experience
The applicant must have worked as a domestic worker for at least a year prior to submitting their application and either resided in the same household as their employer or worked in a household that was regularly utilised by the employer.
A person who wishes to apply for entry clearance as an Overseas Domestic Worker is required to have worked as a domestic worker for at least a year and to have lived with the employer or in a house that the employer uses as a home for themselves regularly for the 12 months prior to the date of application. In addition, the person must have worked as a domestic worker in a country other than their own country.
The employer is required to provide either a letter verifying these statements or one of the following documents for the same time period:
- pay stubs or bank statements showing payment of salary; or
- proof of payment of taxes; or
- proof that health insurance premiums have been paid; or
- a job contract; or
- a work visa, residency permit, or comparable passport endorsement from the nation in which the employer employed the domestic worker; or
- a visa or similar passport endorsement attesting to the applicant’s trip with their employment; or
- a visa or similar passport endorsement attesting to the applicant’s trip with their employment.
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A stay of one year and one month
This means that prospective candidates are required to show that:
- that the applicant will leave the United Kingdom either after completing their stay of six months or at the same time as their employer, whichever occurs first; and
- because of their frequent or consecutive travel, they are unable to remain in the UK for extended periods of time; and
- the United Kingdom will not serve as their primary place of residence; they will not move there.
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Attending a meeting with your place of employment
Candidates for the role of domestic worker are required to demonstrate that they “plan to travel alongside” either their employer, spouse/civil partner, or child. It is possible for the employer to be either a citizen of the United Kingdom who ordinarily resides in a country other than the United Kingdom and who does not intend to return to the United Kingdom for more than six months or a citizen of a country other than the United Kingdom who is currently visiting the United Kingdom and does not intend to remain there for more than six months.
Instructions for Applying for a Visa to Work as a Domestic Worker in the UK
If you want a member of your household staff to join you in the UK, they will need to submit an application for entrance clearance as an overseas domestic worker first. If they are successful, they will be granted permission to enter the country.
Because of this, they will need to apply for a visa before entering the United Kingdom; they will not be able to simply arrive at a port or airport in the United Kingdom and request permission to work as a domestic helper there.
The route for domestic workers requires that an application for entrance permission be submitted online. In addition, the applicant’s biometric information will be collected when they go to an application centre for an overseas visa. This will include a scan of their fingerprints in addition to a photograph of their face.
An application for a visa to work as a domestic worker can be submitted up to three months before the individual’s desired date of arrival in the United Kingdom. They should get a response to their visa application within three weeks, but if they want, they can pay extra to get it processed more quickly.
As the employer of a domestic worker, you will be responsible for the costs of the application as well as the travel expenses, and you will not be able to deduct any fees or expenses from the worker’s earnings. In addition, the worker will not be able to deduct any fees or expenses from their earnings.
The fee to submit an application for a visa to work as a domestic worker is currently $516. The priority service, which guarantees a decision within five working days of receiving a judgement, will cost £500, while the super-priority service, which guarantees a decision within one working day, will cost £800. When an applicant provides their biometric information, the start of the timeline for priority services can then begin.
FAQs
What exactly does it mean to have a visa for a domestic worker?
A person who plans to travel to the United Kingdom in order to work in the private household of their international employer must first obtain a domestic worker visa from the United Kingdom Home Office.
Is it possible for me to bring my housekeeper with me to the United Kingdom?
You have the option of bringing your current domestic assistant with you to work in the UK; however, they may be required to submit an application for an overseas domestic worker visa with the UK Home Office.
How long am I allowed to remain in the UK?
With this visa, you are permitted to remain in the United Kingdom for up to six months, or until the time that your employer leaves the country, whichever comes first.
Is it possible for my visa to be extended?
If your previous visa was issued for a period of time that was shorter than six months, the only way to extend it is if your previous visa was issued for a period of time that was shorter than six months. You are required to submit a request for an extension of your current visa well in advance of its expiration date and to continue to fulfil the conditions of your initial visa.
The application fee for an extension of a visa granted to a Domestic Worker in a Private Household is currently set at £1,033.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, an application to extend a visa costs £1,033, while an application to settle in the country costs £2,389, in addition to a fee of £19.20 to have their biometric details collected at a service point operated by the UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services.
If you use the standard service, you can expect a decision to be made within eight weeks; however, if you pay the additional fee for one of the expedited options, you will receive the decision sooner.
We hope that you found this article informative and helpful in learning everything you need to know about the Overseas Domestic Workers Visa in the United Kingdom.
