Visa's and Immigration - Working at Newcastle

All colleagues are required to complete a valid right to work check before commencing employment at Newcastle University, regardless of their nationality.

Right to Work Checks

Where an individual is subject to UK immigration control, they will be required to obtain a visa to work in the UK. Colleagues who fall under one of the below categories will not be required to obtain a visa to work in the UK, but will still be required to complete a right to work check before commencing employment:

British Citizens
EEA citizens resident in the UK by of before 31 December 2020
Non-EEA citizens who hold Indefinite Leave to Remain/Settlement in the UK

For full guidance on right to work checks can be found here.

Advice & Guidance by Nationality

Non-EEA nationals seeking to enter the UK

For employment purposes you will require an appropriate work visa. This could include:

Other visa categories which provide the right to work in the UK, include:

EEA nationals resident in the UK before or by 31 December 2020

Must apply for pre-settled or settled status by 30 June 2021 and will not be required to apply for a UK work visa. Here you can find more information on the EU Settlement Scheme.

EEA nationals arriving in the UK for the very first time on or after 01 January 2021

Individuals arriving in the UK for the first time on or after 01 January 2021 will not be eligible to apply via the settled status scheme and will therefore be required to gain an appropriate work visa, in advance of relocation to the UK.

Information on the support we offer colleagues looking to complete settled status applications and financial support available for colleagues looking to secure their right to permanently live in the UK can be found under the Support for Colleagues section.

Skilled Worker Visa

From 01 January 2021 free movement for EEA nationals will end and the new Points Based Immigration system will be launched. This route will apply equally to EEA nationals arriving into the UK for the first time from 01 January 2021 and to non-EEA nationals who require a visa to work in the UK.

As part of this change, the current Tier 2 (General) route will be re-named the 'Skilled Worker Visa' with effect from 01 December 2020. From 01 December 2020, no further applications can be made under the Tier 2 route; however, existing Tier 2 visa holders will retain their current visa status with no change to their conditions. At the point of extension, they will then switch onto the Skilled Worker route, if applicable.

The Skilled Worker route requires you to demonstrate the following:

you have a job offer from a Home Office licensed sponsor (Newcastle University)
you speak English at the required level (B1 or above)
your job offer is at the required skill level of RQF Level 3 (A Level equivalent) or above
you will be paid at least £25,600 or the ‘going rate’ for the job offer, whichever is the higher. Salaries below £25,600 but no less than £20,480 can still be considered if other eligibility criteria are met - For example, if you have a job offer in a shortage occupation or have a PhD relevant to the job

There are different salary rules for workers in some health or education jobs, and for “new entrants” at the start of their careers. Further information on which occupations are at the required skill level and the salaries for these occupations can be found in Annex E of the UK points-based immigration system: further details statement.

Points Based System

In order to qualify for a Skilled Worker visa, potential applicants must accumulate a minimum of 70 points. If the applicant meets the mandatory requirements listed in the first three bullet points on the previous page, this will earn them an initial 50 Points.

In order to obtain a further 20 ‘tradeable’ points, these can be awarded from the following:

minimum salary requirements met or exceeded – 20 points
PhD held in a subject relevant to the job and the salary meets or exceeds both £23,040 per year; and 90% of the ‘going rate’ for the occupational code (in this option 10 points are awarded for the educational qualifications and 10 for the salary) - 20 points
PhD held in a STEM subject relevant to the job and the salary meets or exceeds both; £20,480 per year; and 80% of the ‘going rate’ for the occupational code – 20 points
job is in a Shortage Occupation and the salary meets or exceeds both; £20,480 per year; and 80% of the ‘going rate’ for the occupational code – 20 points
you are classified as a new entrant and the salary meets or exceeds both; £20,480 per year; and 70% of the ‘going rate’ for the occupational code – 20 points
the job is in the listed health or education occupation (see table 28 in this document for a full list of eligible roles) and the salary meets or exceeds; - £20,480 per year; and the ‘going rate’ for the occupation cost. Applicants with jobs listed in the health or education occupation codes can only be awarded tradeable points via this option.

Here you can review the tradeable points system. You can also review the guidance on the English Language requirement for Skilled Worker visa applications.

Global Talent Visa

Global Talent Visa - Application Process (Stage 1)

The Global Talent visa application process is split into two parts, the first part of the application requires you to obtain an endorsement from one of the governing bodies listed below:

The Endorsement application (stage 1) costs £456 and is non-refundable. The second stage is the actual visa application. You can apply for the Global Talent visa at the same time as you apply for endorsement, or after you have the endorsement confirmed. If your permission to stay in the UK is about to expire, submitting your visa application (stage 2) will extend it.

If you apply for both at the same time and your endorsement is refused, your visa will be refused as well. This means you will lose the fees for both. The visa application fee is £152 (a reduced fee of £97 is available for citizens of Turkey or North Macedonia).

The Global Talent Visa route replaced the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa route in February 2020. This route is available for leaders, or potential leaders, in the following fields: academia or research, arts & culture and digital technology.

The visa carries many benefits for colleagues, including:

greater flexibility in employment. The Global Talent visa does not require sponsorship from the University (unlike Tier 2 /Skilled Worker visa routes) it allows the freedom of movement between different roles and employers
greater flexibility to undertake collaborations within the UK
your visa length will not be capped by the length of your employment contract
the Global Talent route allows for visa applications for up to five years
an application for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)/ settlement can be made after three years on this visa route
there are four different endorsement routes through which a Global Talent Visa can be gained, here is an outline of these Global Talent Visa Routes

Global Talent Visa - Route 1

Academic or Research Appointment

This route is available to colleagues who have been appointed to an eligible Academic or Research position.

Guidance on the endorsement application process is listed below:

upon accepting your offer of employment, please contact recruitment@newcastle.ac.uk to discuss potential visa routes available for you
should you wish to proceed down the ‘Global Talent visa’ route, please contact Samantha.Bosher@newcastle.ac.uk to request a ‘Statement of Guarantee’ from People Services. A signed copy of this letter will be provided to you by email. You will not need to submit the original as part of your visa application
once you have the letter, you can proceed to apply for your endorsement
as part of your application, you will be asked to specify your 'Application Criteria’. For this question you should select the option of 'Exceptional Talent'
once you reach the page which states ‘Fast Track endorsement’, select the option "I have been appointed to a senior academic..."
after you have submitted your visa application you will be asked to upload the Statement of Guarantee provided by People Services
the 'Home Office' will forward the application to the Royal Society/British Academy/Royal Academy of Engineering (as applicable). Within seven days of this referral, you will receive your Global Talent endorsement confirmation via email
once this is received, you can then proceed with the actual visa application

Global Talent Visa - Route 2

This is available to colleagues awarded a specific Individual Fellowship from this list. If you have been awarded an Individual Fellowship from one of the bodies listed, you are automatically eligible to apply for a ‘Global Talent visa’. Guidance on this is as follows:

you are eligible for this path as soon as you are awarded an Individual Fellowship from the above Fellowship list. You can be a current or prospective employee/visitor at the University
you will require a copy of your Fellowship award letter. You will not need to submit the original as part of your visa application
once you have the letter, you can proceed to apply for your endorsement online
as part of your application you will be asked to specify your 'Application Criteria' for this question you should select the option of 'Exceptional Promise'
once you reach the page which states ‘Fast Track endorsement’, you will be required to provide the name of your Fellowship
after you submit the application, you can submit the Fellowship award letter (no other documents are required)
the 'Home Office' will forward the application to the Royal Society/British Academy/Royal Academy of Engineering (as applicable)
within seven days of this referral, you will receive your Global Talent endorsement confirmation via email
once this is received, you can then proceed with the actual visa application

Global Talent Visa - Route 3

UKRI Endorsed Funder Route

This path is open to Research Assistant/Research Associate/Senior Research Associate or Specialist Technician colleague at the University who meet the following criteria:

hold, or have been offered, a contract of employment/hosting agreement of at least two years in length; and
where their name or job title (as above) is listed as a ‘directly incurred cost’ on a grant/award from the list shown below where the grant/award is worth a minimum of £30,000 and covers a minimum period of two years; and
where at least 50% of the applicants time is spent working on the grant/award

List of eligible grants/awards for Route 3

UK Research & Innovation and Councils	Human Frontier Science Programme
The Royal Society	International Institute for Applied System Analysis
The Royal Academy of Engineering	European Space Agency
The British Academy	The National Foundation of the United States
The Academy of Medical Sciences	The Indian Council of Medical Research
Wellcome Trust	The Japan Science and Technology Agency
Cancer Research UK	FAPESP, The Research Council for State of Sao Paulo
British Heart Foundation	Fonds National de la Recherche (FNR) Luxembourg
National Institute for Health Research	Science Foundation Ireland
European Horizon 2020 programmes	European Molecular Biology Organisation and Laboratory

To be eligible for this path, you can be a current or prospective employee/visitor at the University. You must also meet the eligibility requirements as set out above. The documentation you will be required to evidence as part of the application are:

A letter issued by People Services which confirms your eligibility for the route. Please contact samantha.bosher@newcastle.ac.uk to obtain this; and
Evidence of the grant/award letter detailing the eligibility for this route

as part of your application you will be asked to specify your 'Application Criteria' for this question you should select 'Neither - I am applying under the UK Research and Innovation endorsed funder route'
when you are presented with the 'Field of talent' question you should select 'UK Research and Innovation'
after you submit the application, you can submit the Statement of Guarantee letter from People Services and the grant award letter (no other documents are required)
the 'Home Office' will forward the application to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Within fourteen days of this referral, you will receive your Global Talent endorsement confirmation via email
once this is received, you can then proceed with the actual visa application

‘Standard’ Peer Review Path

If you are ineligible for endorsement via the first three paths, there is the option to seek endorsement via the Royal Society/British Academy/Royal Academy of Engineering etc (as applicable). They will undertake a peer-review assessment of your career to determine eligibility for this route.

To be eligible for this path you must be a current or prospective employee/visitor at the University AND meet the requirements within one of the categories shown next.

Exceptional Promise Category Colleagues at an early stage in their career	Exceptional Talent Category Colleagues at a more advanced stage in their career
MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS	MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS
Is an active Researcher in a relevant field; and	Same criteria as Exceptional Promise and, at least one of the following criteria:
Holds a PhD or equivalent research experience (including industrial or clinical research); and	Is a member of their national academy or a foreign member of academies of other countries (in particular any of the UK national academies);
Is able to provide a letter of personla recommendation from an eminent person resident in the UK supporting the visa application. This person must be familiar with your work and your contribution to your field, and is qualified to assess your claim to be a leader in your field; and	OR
Has been awarded, holds, or has held (in the past five years), a prestigious UK-based Research Fellowship or advanced research post judged by the competent bodies to be of equivalent standing	Has been awarded a prestigious internationally recognised prize;
(Note: a job offer at the University in a post-doc role meets this criteria)	OR
	Is able to provide written recommendation from a reputable UK organisation concerned with research in their field. The letter must be written by an authorised senior member of the organisation, such as a Vice Chancellor or similar, on official paper.

Documentation required for this application is listed below:

your most recent CV outlining your career and publication history (no more than three sides of A4 in length); and
a letter of personal recommendation from an eminent person resident in the UK supporting your application. The letter should be dated and must include the following:

Additional documents required when applying under the 'Exceptional Talent' category only include at least one of the following:

evidence of membership of a National Academy
evidence of a prestigious prize being awarded to you
a written recommendation from the Vice-Chancellor (please contact People Services to arrange this)

You will be required to write a personal statement “outlining your case for qualifying for (Exceptional Talent)". This should be approximately two pages in length and no more than 7,000 characters. Key points of focus could be:

your achievements to date
your current research interests
your future aspirations

Global Talent Visa - Application Process (Stage 2)

You will be notified via email with the outcome of your endorsement application. You must apply for the Global Talent Visa within three months of receiving this notification. As part of the visa application process, you will be asked to upload a copy of the endorsement letter you received. How to apply depends on where you are applying from as follows:

Applying from outside the UK
Apply online using this site. You can apply from any country in the world, except Republic of Ireland, even if you are only temporarily resident there.

Applying from inside the UK
Apply online using this site.

Application Costs

the total cost for an individual Global Talent visa application is £608 - this is made up of £456 endorsement application fee and £152 visa application fee
Turkish and Macedonian citizens have a slightly reduced fee of £553 - this is made up of £456 endorsement application fee and £97 visa application fee
the cost for a Global Talent Visa Dependant application is £608

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) / Settlement

you are eligible to apply for settlement after three years holding either a Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa or Global Talent visa, regardless of the path under which you were endorsed

National Insurance

obtaining a National Insurance Number continues to be a requirement for workers. Workers issued with a digital status should apply after arrival in the UK on GOV.UK. Workers issued with a BRP have a NINO printed on the card
a worker can start employment without a National Insurance number if they can prove their right to work in the UK

Standard Visit Visa to the UK - up to 6 months stay

Genuine Intention to Visit

maximum six month stay; no frequent visits; sufficient funds to cover reasonable costs of visit

Prohibited Activities

work in the UK including: employment, contracting, self-employment, work experience, internships, selling to public, providing goods and services
receive payment
receive medical treatment
marry or form a civil partnership

Permitted Activities

study
work-related training
tourism & leisure
science and academia
creative
volunteering
general business activities
intra-corporate activities
overseas roles requiring specific activities in the UK

Link for further information on Standard Visitor Visa is https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor-visa

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

From 21 May 2021, the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) now applies to all international students and Researchers who are subject to UK immigration control and are intending to study or research at ‘postgraduate level’ in certain sensitive subjects. The subjects and research areas are those where knowledge could be used in programmes to develop Advanced Conventional Military Technology (ACMT), weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) or their means of delivery.

How do I find out if I require an ATAS certificate?

Researchers who are conducting research at PhD level and above (apart from exempt nationalities) will require an ATAS certificate. This will affect colleagues sponsored (Skilled Worker and Tier 5) under one of the below SOC codes, who are undertaking research in one of the identified research areas:

2111 Chemical scientists
2112 Biological scientists and biochemists
2113 Physical scientists
2114 Social and humanities scientists
2119 Natural and social science professionals not elsewhere classified
2150 Research and development managers
2122 Mechanical engineers
2123 Electrical engineers
2124 Electronics engineers
2127 Production and process engineers
2129 Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified
2311 Higher education teaching professionals;
3111 Laboratory technicians
3112 Electrical and electronics technicians
3113 Engineering technicians
3114 Building and civil engineering technicians
5235 Aircraft maintenance

Information on research areas which carry ATAS requirements can be found here.

Academic Researchers making an application on the Skilled Worker and Tier 5 (Government Authorised Exchange) routes will be required to obtain an ATAS certification before submitting their visa or permission to stay application.

Researchers who are nationals of EU countries, the European Economic Area (EEA), Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland or the United States of America do not need an ATAS certificate. The requirement for an ATAS certificate applies to all other researchers and students irrespective of the country of residence when they apply.

Researchers, where required, must apply for an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate before they can study or start research in the UK. Researchers applying for ATAS can begin their employment/research two weeks before, or after the start date stated on their certificate.

Applying Overseas (Entry Clearance applications)

The Entry Clearance Officer (ECO) will ask to see the ATAS certificate as part of the application for permission to enter the UK. UK immigration law does not allow Universities to permit international Researchers to undertake research in an ATAS applicable area until the Researcher has supplied the University with the appropriate ATAS certificate.

Applying from the UK (Limited Leave applications)

If you commenced in a Researcher role, where an ATAS certificate is applicable, before the ATAS requirement was introduced on 21 May 2021, you will not need to apply for an ATAS certificate to continue this employment. You will, however, need to obtain an ATAS certificate when applying for a visa extension. Employment contracts do not have to be finalised before an ATAS application is made. Please contact Samantha Bosher (Samantha.bosher@ncl.ac.uk) who can advise whether your extension will fall under a SOC code which requires an ATAS certificate.

It is important that you know the expiry date of your current period of permission to stay in the UK and have a clear understanding of what documentation you need to support a new application for extending that permission. You must ensure that you have submitted an ATAS application to support your visa application under the relevant route in plenty of time: it would be advised to allow at least 3 calendar months before you need to apply for permission to stay.

NOTE: If you change your field of research or change where you conduct your research, you will need to apply for a new ATAS certificate.

If you hold an ATAS certificate for a course of study you have undertaken in the UK and are now making a new application for a Skilled Worker or Tier 5 (GAE) visa you will need to obtain a new ATAS certificate before submitting the visa application.

Sponsored visa holders may also undertake a course of study. In this situation only one ATAS certificate needs to be obtained but should detail both the research project and study activities.

Visiting Researcher Applications

Researchers on a Standard Visitor visa who are attending meetings, conferences, seminars or interviews, or giving speeches and will not be undertaking research during their time in the UK do not require ATAS clearance.

Researchers on a standard visitor visa who are undertaking science and academic activities, such as (non-exhaustive list):

gathering information and facts for a specific project which directly relates to their employment overseas, or to support independent research
taking part in formal exchange arrangements with UK counterparts
carrying out research for their own purposes or as a group

Will, if engaged in an ATAS categorised sensitive subject, require an ATAS certificate, regardless of the length of the visit.

Those who require an ATAS certificate as a visitor do not have to obtain this before making a visa application but it is strongly recommended to obtain it before travelling to the UK. The hosting unit is required to check the ATAS certificate before allowing the research to commence, if the visitor is unable to present this, they should not be permitted on campus.

How long does an application take?

It will take a minimum of 10 working days for a Researcher ATAS application to be processed. Processing times will increase between the months of April and September and can take 15 or more working days to complete.

What do I need to apply?

confirmation of your area of research including the relevant CAH3 code – your hiring unit will provide you with your research statement
evidence of sponsorship for employment in the UK
information on previous and current employment
copy of all published papers

Application process

Applications can be made online here.

Here you can find Guidance on how to apply for an ATAS Certificate

If your ATAS application is successful, you will receive a certificate by email to the address that you used to register.

Once you receive your certificate, you should:

check the details on it are correct and match your offer and research statement provided by Newcastle University
if there are any mistakes contact ATAS@fcdo.gov.uk
print out the certificate if everything is correct and include it your visa application documentation

Support for Colleagues

The following pages contain useful information for colleagues whose status in the UK may be affected by the impact of Brexit, including:

Interest-Free Loan Scheme

An interest-free loan scheme is available to help all colleagues and their dependants to secure the right to permanently live and work in the UK. The scheme can assist with costs associated with applying for Permanent Residence Status, British Citizenship or Indefinite Leave to Remain.

All employees with a regular contract of employment with the University are eligible to make an application for a loan. Eligibility will be irrespective of the length of the employment contract, however it will normally be a requirement that the applicant has successfully passed any probationary period.

The maximum loan amount will be the cost of the applications you wish to make or £10,000 per employee (whichever is the lower) and will not be subject to an interest payment or arrangement fee on the terms outlined.

The loan period may be up to a maximum of 36 months. The agreed loan period may be extended during periods of leave where pay is reduced Eg maternity, adoption, unpaid sabbatical leave or long term sickness absence.

The loan period will not exceed the duration of the employment contract and approval of any loan application will be entirely at the University’s discretion.

EU Setttlement Scheme

The EU Settlement Scheme allows you and your family members to get the Immigration status you need to continue to live, work and study in the UK. To be eligible to apply to the scheme, you must have started living in the UK before 31st December 2020. More information about the EU Settlement Scheme can be found at GOV.UK.

People Services can offer the support of an Android device for the application of EU Settlement Status. If you require this facility, please book an appointment by contacting Samantha Bosher at Samantha.Bosher@ncl.ac.uk.

Application Process

To apply for status under the EU Settlement Scheme you will need to complete a simple online application:

verify your identity - You will need to have a valid biometric passport or biometric residence card (issued by the Home Office) and use the EU Exit: ID Document Check app to verify your identity. The app is currently available to download on Android devices and has just been released for IPhone 8 and above
criminality check - You will need to complete the criminality check by declaring any criminal convictions. Only serious or persistent criminality will affect your application. This should not affect the vast majority of EU citizens or their family members
verify your residence in the UK - You will need to provide evidence of your residence in the UK. There are a number of ways you can do this and the easiest is to provide your National Insurance number. The Home Office will then check UK tax and certain benefits data and use those records to help work out how long you have been resident in the UK. You'll get a result of this check straightaway. If you agree with the result, you can accept it and complete your application. If you disagree, this is not a problem, as you will be able to upload additional evidence of your residence. Information on the other types of evidence you can upload can be found on GOV.UK. Alternatively, if you have a valid permanent residence document or valid indefinite leave to enter or remain, you will just need to provide proof of that status

Visas and Immigration