Contracting

[lamonster]

Hello Gents,

Hopefully someone can give me some positive feedback on this one...

I am an IT contractor. I get paid on a daily rate and can show I have a contract until March next year with my current employer.

My question is: What is the likely take of the ECO on this?

I can demostrate that I have been with my current employer for around 18months and my umbrella company has provided me with a letter backing up what my earnings are etc. Will the ECO use this as a big stick to beat me with or am I being paranoid?

My initial thoughts were - it shouldn't matter but you never know how these things may get interpretted by the powers that be.

Last thing I want is to get turned down because of the type of work I do - my wife to be would probably kill me as she is like a cat on hot bricks over the whole thing, and I am sure she will only get worse next month when I am in BKK to put the application with her (she wont go alone) in along with my tome of evidence

[penelope]

surely you have tax records, account audits etc.. to prove sustained income ?

[samran]

With UK immigration the best approach is not to assume that one piece of information will provide the 'knockout blow'.

So provide everything, contracts, letters of appointments, payslips for your umbrella company, your umbrella company's invoices, bank statements clearly highlighting where your income has been paid in, as well as your most recent P-60.

Edited July 7, 2005 by samran

[lamonster]

Peeps -

Yes I will supply "payslips", letter from umbrella company, P60 etc etc that will show I am in long term employment etc etc. As far as tax audits etc are concerned I never need them as I am paid through an umbrella company to avoid IR35 issues.

The main thing I was worried about was the nature of the work - i.e. as a contrator my contract could be bought to a premature end for no particular reason. And some contracts may only last for 3 months at a time (although I am currently on a 1 year contract) and the ECO may take the view that I may not be able to stay off of public funds for the forseeable future - but can anyone really guarantee they won't even if they were in full time employement?

So what would be the situation if I was on a 3 month rolling contract, but could demonstrate that in the past X years I have only had X days out of work between contracts?

All this visa stuff to worry about and now I have to worry about travelling in the city of london

[samran]

Given the fact that you are contracting indicates that you are able to earn a good load of £££ without having to resort to public funds. While you are contracting, you are fundamentally in the same position as any other worker, and should be treated as a low risk. The ECO will use common sense on this matter.

In the past I have applied for entry clearance for myself, and am currently in the process of extending my stay in the UK based on my ability to prove economic activity without resorting to public funds (not that I’d want to). I am also a contractor. My applications have always been successful if you can clearly show that you are a ‘good risk’ by proving that you have a long and relatively fruitful history of employment in the UK. What you have described should be more than enough to prove economic viability.

[lamonster]

Samran: Thanks for that - just the way I was thinking it should be. But I guess I am trying to get all the bases covered as I don't want my gf not getting the visa because of something I have done/not done...she would give me 'ell.

[ace]

Are you Ltd company through the umbrella? Or PAYE? I am managed ltd company through my umbrella and don't know if this might confuse things regarding visa's (in the future, don't worry ladies, no plans just yet ).

You should note that though you might do 3 months here, 6 months there, officially you are employed by the umbrella (or ltd company) and hired out to the company where you actually do the work.

Ace