UK Immigration Work Permit and Visa Services

Overseas Domestic Workers

How do I qualify as a domestic worker in a private household?

To meet the requirements you must:

· Be aged 18-65 inclusive
· Have been employed under the same roof as your employer for one year or more immediately prior to your application, or
· Have been employed in a household that your employer uses on a regular basis for themselves for one year or more immediately prior to your application, and show evidence that there is a connection between you and your employer
· Intend to travel to the UK in the company of your employer, your employer's spouse or your employer's minor child
· Intend to work full-time as a domestic worker in the same dwelling as your employer
· Be able to maintain and accommodate yourself adequately, as certified by your employer, without recourse to public funds

Domestic workers include chauffeurs, gardeners, cooks and nannies if you are providing a personal service relating to the running of your employer's household.

If you would like advice and representation in this area then please contact us.

Do I need a work permit?

You are not required to obtain a work permit if you are a domestic worker in a private household. You must meet the requirements set out above.

You will need to obtain a visa before you travel to the UK.

How long can I stay in the UK as a domestic worker?

When you apply to come to the UK as a domestic worker, you will normally be given permission to stay for up to 6 months if your employer is coming to the UK as a visitor. If your employer plans to live here for a longer period, you will normally be given permission to stay for up to 12 months.

Before your permission to stay ends, you must either:

· start to make arrangements to leave the UK
· apply to the Home Office in the UK to extend your stay

If for any reason your employer changes, you must inform us.

Can I bring my husband or wife and children with me?

Your husband and wife can come with you to the UK provided:

· you both intend living together during your stay and your marriage is subsisting
· there will be adequate accommodation without recourse to public funds in accommodation which you occupy exclusively
· you can maintain him or her adequately without recourse to public funds
· he or she does not intend to stay in the UK beyond the expiry of your visa

Your children can come to the UK with you provided:

· he or she is under 18
· he or she is unmarried
· he or she has not formed an independent family unit and is not living an independent life
· he or she can and will be maintained and accommodated adequately without recourse to public funds in
accommodation occupied exclusively by you
· he or she does not intend to stay beyond the expiry of your visa
· both you and your spouse are being issued with entry clearance, except where
· you are the sole surviving parent
· you have sole responsibility for the child's upbringing
· there are exceptional reasons for allowing entry and suitable arrangements have been made for his or her care

Will the law protect me if a crime is committed against me?

You will have the full protection of the criminal law in the UK, whatever your nationality or conditions of stay.

There are strict laws in the UK against assault. For example it is against the law to:

· keep you locked in the house against your will
· have sex with you without your consent
· behave violently towards you

If anyone assaults you, you should report this to the police. You can find their number in the telephone directory under "Police". In an emergency dial 999 and ask for the police.

If you do not feel able to contact the police directly, you can get confidential support and advice from:

Kalayaan UK
St Francis Centre
Pottery Lane
London
W11 4NQ
Tel: 020 7243 2942

Your passport is your proof of your permission to stay in the UK. You should keep it yourself in a safe place. If your employer is holding your passport without your permission and refuses to return it, you should report this to the police and your Embassy or diplomatic mission.

What employment rights do I have?

You and your employer should already have agreed the conditions of your employment. You should have your own copy of this document.

Your employer cannot change the conditions of your employment unless you agree. For example, your employer must:

· pay you the agreed rate
· give you agreed holiday pay
· permit you the rights of giving notice you are entitled to

If they do not, you should be able to take legal action through an Employment or Industrial Tribunal or the civil courts.

Even if you do not have a contract of employment, the law gives you rights, including rest breaks, paid holidays, sex and race discrimination and maternity and paternity leave. Please contact your trade union for advice.

For details of how the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) can help you, contact them at:

TGWU
Transport House
16 Palace Street
London
SW1E 5JD

What if I need medical attention?

You are entitled to free healthcare from the United Kingdom Health Service because you are 'ordinarily resident' in the UK. This means that you have either come to the UK to work or you have been in the UK for more than 12 months. You will need to register with a doctor to receive treatment.

You can contact directory enquiries to find out the telephone number of your nearest doctor once you have arrived in the UK. Alternatively, you can call the Health Information Service free on 0800 66 55 44.

Can I stay in the UK if I no longer have a job?

If you are no longer working as a domestic worker in a private household, you no longer meet the requirements of the rules under which you were granted entry to the UK. In these circumstances you should make arrangements to leave the UK.

If you do not have the money or a ticket to return home, you should contact your embassy. The address can be obtained from the London phone book or by telephone through directory enquiries on 192.

If you remain and work in the UK for four years, you may be eligible for permission to remain for an indefinite period. In these circumstances you will be free to take any form of employment.

What should I do if my employer leaves the UK?

If you are accompanying your employer on a visit to the UK, you will be expected to leave with them.

If your employer is living in the UK, you do not need to go with them on trips abroad as long as they are still based in the UK and are going to return. However, if your employer leaves the UK permanently, you will be expected to leave with them.

Do I have to register with the police?

If you have to register with the police, this requirement will be endorsed on your visa. You must register within seven days of arriving in the UK.

To register, you will need your passport and two passport-size photographs of yourself. If you are staying in the Metropolitan Police Area, you should take these to the:

Overseas Visitors Records Office
Brandon House
180 Borough High Street
London
SE1 1LH

Opening hours: between 9am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday

In all other areas, you should contact your local police force for the address and opening hours of your nearest police registration office. A fee is payable for registering with the police.