UK – North Sea – Foreigner? – No work permit required

[James McLauchlan]

The oddest thing I find about this is that the very people who are stopping us from getting jobs in their country, are the same that can just bimble into UK and get work.

Maybe its time we got a government (?) who had the balls to issue a policy of equality – if we cannot work there then they cannot work in UK – or could that be classed as racism?

Good point.

Fact: Any foreigner can work in the UK North Sea on a visitors Visa!!

The procedure (I use the term loosely) for any foreigner to gain entry for employment in the North Sea goes something like this:

• No need to pre-apply to any embassy for a work permit.
• No need to obtain prior approval from UK immigration.
• Obtain a letter of sponsorship from a UK based company.

(Note: For a few coins in your local currency you can get these from any street corner vendor (Sorry! I meant agent) local to your home)

• In your country book a flight with your local travel agent.
• Fly to the UK.
• On arrival in the UK – show your passport and casually wave the letter of sponsorship at immigration.
• You are in!

Tip on the above procedure:
It works even better if you pretend to be ships crew signing on to a vessel 😉

It used to be like that all over the world for everyone. Now just about every country (with an oil and gas industry) has shut their doors except… yep! The UK!!

Welcome foreign person 🙂
You have nothing to fear as you have now arrived in a country who’s politicians care more about hurting the feelings of foreigners than meeting the needs of it’s citizens! This is why the UK is fast becoming the social dumping ground of the world. You’ll be fine. If you need a house just ask. Money for cigarettes? No problem.

Some locals (unhappy UK people) are not pleased with me for being on the job because they say I am taking work away from their mates
It is not your problem. Do not worry if there are already plenty of experienced people on the beach in the UK qualified to do your job. You are cheaper than them, so let them stay at home and claim unemployment benefit. They might lose their house, cars (and maybe even wife!!) through lack of money but always remember you, as a foreigner, will be doing your employer a great service by helping to increase company profits even more.

What’s that all about??
In these times of high UK unemployment I see no reason why companies should be allowed to employ foreigners (as in – non EU citizens) in the UK sector of the North Sea when there are UK citizens already in country that can do the job. It’s ludicrous!!

These days you can’t just waltz into the GOM, Canada, Angola etc on a tourist visa and head offshore, so why people are allowed to do so in the UK beats the hell out of me.

Rant over… further rants welcome 😉

[Archibald Carruthers]

Yep – well said James.

Oh by the way, Gordon would like you to vote for his party because of all the good things they have done for our country! Er I cannot thinkl of one good thing they have done.

At least Ronald Shipman was doing something about the NHS waiting lists!

Vote BNP and put some national back into nationalism!!

[Ray Shields]

This only applies for work on vessels outside the Uk 12 mile limit. Outwith that, UK Customs and Borders do not consider them to be in the UK.

Unlike the Taxman who considers it all up to the border with Norwegian waters to be part of the UK!

http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/IDIs/idischapter16/section1/section1.pdf?view=Binary

[Anonymous]

As vessels move from the UK Sector to Norwegian, Dutch, Danish sectors they don’t change their crew for local labour. Employment of cheap labour is not a UK sector and UK issue only. It happens on vessels across the whole of offshore Europe.

What’s that all about??
In these times of high UK unemployment I see no reason why companies should be allowed to employ foreigners (as in – non EU citizens) in the UK sector of the North Sea when there are UK citizens already in country that can do the job. It’s ludicrous!!

With my Polish marine friends happy to work for 1/3 the wage of a UK equivalent, is the argument really about EU residency or is the issue low wages?

[James McLauchlan]

The issue is most likely UK people losing work to foreigners who are on low wages (in comparison to generally accepted UK offshore standards) and don’t even require a work permit to head offshore in the UK sector of the North Sea. On the work permit topic alone, UK people working in just about any foreign country require a work permit but it appears foreigners do not need one to work offshore in the UK.

I would presume that if a permit were required then, in order to get such a work permit, foreigners would need to demonstrate that they are filling a position that an EU citizen is unable/unavailable to do. That would be laughable, and probably reportable to the UK Border Agency, if someone fronted up from (say) the Philippines joining a ship in (say) Aberdeen as a trainee pilot tech! I can’t imagine a scenario whereby it could be proven that a suitable person (already resident in the UK) was not available to fill a trainee position or (stretching the point) where nobody in the EU could fill the slot so it was deemed necessary to employ a Filipino to fill the skills gap! 🙂

EU Citizens (Polish Marine friends or otherwise) are a moot point as there are EU laws in place that allow for workers to work in any EU state.

[Andy Shiers]

I’ll join your union James ! 😀

[ROVSKI]

Only the captain is supposed to to go down with the ship. Time to immigrate to warmer climes. Voting with your feet is the only one that counts !

[James McLauchlan]

Only the captain is supposed to to go down with the ship. Time to immigrate to warmer climes. Voting with your feet is the only one that counts !

Voting with our feet is under consideration… a better governed federation might be on the cards 😉

[James McLauchlan]

I’ll join your union James ! 😀

Well it would operate a dam site better than another union I care not to mention! However as said eon’s back… it’ll not be me doing such a thing.

The best thing anyone around here can do (if they are UK based and care a bit about this) is.. one day, when they are on weather downtime, write to their MP and highlight this so called immigration loophole. Someone might pick up on it if for no other reason than it may give the some political mileage.

The odd letter to a UK National newspaper might not go amiss either.
I’m sure they could make up a lovely headline about cheap foreign labour stealing UK jobs.

I feel the door will be shut anyway at some point (don’t hold your breath though) but potentially hastening the demise of the money saving scams that some companies operate might not be a bad thing.

[Anonymous]

James:

The issue is most likely UK people losing work to foreigners who are on low wages…..

…EU Citizens (Polish Marine friends or otherwise) are a moot point as there are EU laws in place that allow for workers to work in any EU state.

The issue is low wages, not if they live in the EU, Philippines or South Africa. I guess its OK to use cheaper Eastern Europeans, because they are in the EU? If you think you can be financially competitive with the Polish, think again. Its a weak argument this EU drivel. What people want it the UK sector for Brits only and that will never happen. The other point is every country in Europe with an offshore sector allows foreign labour. It will never happen across Europe either.

[James McLauchlan]

….It will never happen across Europe either.

They probably said that about the USA and Canada once!

Foreigners on low wages in the UK sector of the North Sea with no work permit = British people at home jobless.

Get real please.

[Author]

Posts