Work Permit/ Visa For Thai Catering Staff

[paulrdom]

Hello Esteemed Members of the TV

This is my first post so please be gentle with me.

My Situation:

I am settling up a Thai/Hong Kong restaurant in Manchester (England) scheduled to open in November. I have a staffing problem on the Thai side i.e. the catering staff I was going to employ have returned to Thailand and I can’t find other suitable staff willing to work for me.

Therefore I am considering advertising in a Thai news paper and travelling to Bangkok to conduct interviews.

My Questions:

1) Can you recommend a newspaper or a catering trade journal that to place an ad.

2) Upon finding a suitable candidate how long does the UK Visa / work permit process take.

3) What qualities and qualifications should the successful candidate have in order to gain a work permit and visa for the UK.

4) What information do I have to present to the British embassy about my business inorder to obtain a work permit.

5) Is it possible to get visas for waiting staff?

6) Is there any chance of finding any chiefs that can speak a little English.

7) Has anyone done this before and is there anything I should look out for or is there any advise you can give me.

I apologise for the length of my first post and I thank you in advance for any help you can give me.

Paul

[elsie]

I've been working on sending spa therapists and a Thai chef to work in the UK. So, I can only comment from my side of work.

1) Can you recommend a newspaper or a catering trade journal that to place an ad.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/classifieds/

http://www.nationmultimedia.com

2) Upon finding a suitable candidate how long does the UK Visa / work permit process take.

About two months for a work permit. A visa.. it depends on the embassy staff's mood. Could be a few days, or months. I kid you not.

3) What qualities and qualifications should the successful candidate have in order to gain a work permit and visa for the UK.

As far as I'm concerned, an alien must have at least 3 consecutive and provable years of experiences in that position to get a work permit. All reference letters must have details of their job descriptions - which I tell you now - is a pain in the butt. I and my boss have been begging Executive Chef, HR manager, GM, RM, etc from at least 3 different hotels to get this done for a chef. But for some reason, they didn't feel comfortable to do it. And it's nonsense - as it's just a reference letter with more details than what they usually wrote.

4) What information do I have to present to the British embassy about my business inorder to obtain a work permit.

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/

6) Is there any chance of finding any chiefs that can speak a little English.

Yep.

7) Has anyone done this before and is there anything I should look out for or is there any advise you can give me.

As I said earlier, from my limited experiences, the real pain is to get the references. I'm sure other members will have more advices. Good luck.

[paulrdom]

I've been working on sending spa therapists and a Thai chef to work in the UK. So, I can only comment from my side of work.

1) Can you recommend a newspaper or a catering trade journal that to place an ad.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/classifieds/

http://www.nationmultimedia.com

2) Upon finding a suitable candidate how long does the UK Visa / work permit process take.

About two months for a work permit. A visa.. it depends on the embassy staff's mood. Could be a few days, or months. I kid you not.

3) What qualities and qualifications should the successful candidate have in order to gain a work permit and visa for the UK.

As far as I'm concerned, an alien must have at least 3 consecutive and provable years of experiences in that position to get a work permit. All reference letters must have details of their job descriptions - which I tell you now - is a pain in the butt. I and my boss have been begging Executive Chef, HR manager, GM, RM, etc from at least 3 different hotels to get this done for a chef. But for some reason, they didn't feel comfortable to do it. And it's nonsense - as it's just a reference letter with more details than what they usually wrote.

4) What information do I have to present to the British embassy about my business inorder to obtain a work permit.

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/

6) Is there any chance of finding any chiefs that can speak a little English.

Yep.

7) Has anyone done this before and is there anything I should look out for or is there any advise you can give me.

As I said earlier, from my limited experiences, the real pain is to get the references. I'm sure other members will have more advices. Good luck.

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[paulrdom]

Hi Lovelycutie

Thankyou very much for your information.

The newspapers you linked are English speaking newspapers. Do thai nationals look for jobs in English speaking papers?

Did you manage to get the work permit and visa for the thai national in the end?

Thanks again

Paul

[elsie]

http://www.watta.co.th/classi/auto.html

[email protected]

This's probably the most popular Thai classifieds. Hmm.. different people, different backgrounds, I'm afraid. But quite a few Thai are looking for a job in English newspaper too. One advantage is that you'll know for sure a candidate knows some English. If advertised in a Thai newspaper, I think you'll end up getting all sorts and all levels of English. Which will only require some time to shortlist them.

My company has helped a hotel in the UK to send 12 spa therapists over there so far, and currently working on 6 more for the UK. So, it can be done. Only takes time and effort and co-operation from all parties.

Edited July 19, 2005 by LovelyCutie

[the scouser]

I'm not sure of the work permit process, but certainly, applications have to be made to the office in Sheffield. Once a permit is granted the visa process should be straightforward as all the applicant has to do to qualify for the visa is prove he has a work permit. However, visa delays could ensue where the work permit holder decides that he wishes the entire family including, aunties, uncles, nephews, nieces, and chickens to join him in the the UK.

[paulrdom]

Thanks Lovelycutie

I appreciate the link and I am glad that you have had some success in getting these work permits sorted.

I think I will place the ads and see if any suitable candidates apply. Hopefully it will workout although I am skepitcal to see if can get someone for my opening in November.

I you are ever in Manchester I will get you dinner and aleast the Hong Kong food will be authentic.

Thanks again

Paul

[paulrdom]

I'm not sure of the work permit process, but certainly, applications have to be made to the office in Sheffield. Once a permit is granted the visa process should be straightforward as all the applicant has to do to qualify for the visa is prove he has a work permit. However, visa delays could ensue where the work permit holder decides that he wishes the entire family including, aunties, uncles, nephews, nieces, and chickens to join him in the the UK.

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Hi Scouser,

Thanks for the input, I will try to ensure the candidate doesn't try bring their family as a condition of employment. But it may help me with getting thai waitress staff work permits. Do you know if you can apply for thai family member visa once you have a visa and you are working in the UK.

Thanks again for your advise

Paul

[samran]

One of the conditions to granting a work permit for the UK is to advertise the position for a serveral consective weeks. You must prove to Home Office that no other EU or EEA citizen can/is willing to perform this role...hence the advertisment.

Once you have gone through the WP process, the permit holder will be allowed to bring their immediate family (sposue and kids under 18) who will be allowed to work freely and access UK social services such as schools, NHS etc etc (but not public funds, such as the dole etc).

[paulrdom]

One of the conditions to granting a work permit for the UK is to advertise the position for a serveral consective weeks. You must prove to Home Office that no other EU or EEA citizen can/is willing to perform this role...hence the advertisment.

Once you have gone through the WP process, the permit holder will be allowed to bring their immediate family (sposue and kids under 18) who will be allowed to work freely and access UK social services such as schools, NHS etc etc (but not public funds, such as the dole etc).

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Hi Samran

Thanks for the reply.

I haven't done any formal ads, but I have put notices in Thai food shops and temples so it would be hard to prove that I have advertised. I thought traditional newspaper and catering journal advertising would be ineffective in reaching the Thai population in the UK. Do you know if I have to advertise using a specific medium or trade journal?

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Paul

[samran]

Home Office Website

You need to start at the above website...and follow the guidance offered there. As for advertising, you usually have to advertise in a recognised medium, such as a newspaper or a trade journal. The guidance is useful and should help answer most of your questons.

Edited July 19, 2005 by samran

[paulrdom]

Home Office Website?

You need to start at the above website...and follow the guidance offered there. As for advertising, you usually have to advertise in a recognised medium, such as a newspaper or a trade journal. The guidance is useful and should help answer most of your questons.

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Thanks Samran

This link is most useful

Paul

[Guest endure]

One of the conditions to granting a work permit for the UK is to advertise the position for a serveral consective weeks. You must prove to Home Office that no other EU or EEA citizen can/is willing to perform this role...hence the advertisment.

Once you have gone through the WP process, the permit holder will be allowed to bring their immediate family (sposue and kids under 18) who will be allowed to work freely and access UK social services such as schools, NHS etc etc (but not public funds, such as the dole etc).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Samran

Thanks for the reply.

I haven't done any formal ads, but I have put notices in Thai food shops and temples so it would be hard to prove that I have advertised. I thought traditional newspaper and catering journal advertising would be ineffective in reaching the Thai population in the UK. Do you know if I have to advertise using a specific medium or trade journal?

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Paul

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You MUST have advertised in a UK trade magazine before you try and get work permits otherwise your application will be turned down. As part of your application you will be asked to send original ads (not photocopies) from the mags you have advertised in. The standard UK catering magazine is called 'Caterer & Hotelkeeper'. You are unlikely to be given WPs for 'low level' catering staff such as waiters or kitchen porters.

[elsie]

My pleasure.

Thanks again

Paul

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