Author: www.owjonline.com
The government in the UK is extending a ruling regarding non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals working in the offshore wind sector, but only for 12 months.
Extending the immigration ruling will allow non-EEA workers to enter the UK until 21 April 2020 for the purpose of joining a vessel engaged in the construction and maintenance of an offshore windfarm in UK territorial waters. However, the concession will not be extended further than 21 April 2020.
The Home Secretary first introduced a concession to the UK immigration rules to allow the employment of non-EEA nationals joining vessels engaged in the construction and maintenance of offshore wind projects in UK territorial waters in 2017.
“Leave to enter under the terms of the concession will not be granted beyond 21 April 2020,” said the government. “During this period, firms involved in the construction or maintenance of windfarms within territorial waters should look to regularise the position of their workers. Those who require leave to enter the UK should have the appropriate permission to do so under the immigration rules.”
In order to qualify for entry under this concession and maintain border security, a person seeking entry for this purpose should produce:
- A valid passport.
- A visa issued for this purpose, if needed.
- Or a seaman’s book compliant with ILO Convention 108 and issued by a country which has ratified that Convention or ILO Convention 185 and issued by a country which has ratified that Convention having previously ratified ILO108.
- And a letter from their employer stating that the worker is employed in the construction or maintenance of a windfarm project within territorial waters.
Non-EEA nationals seeking entry to the UK under the terms of this concession are subject to a visa requirement only if they are a visa national and do not hold a seaman’s book compliant with ILO Convention 108.
Source: https://www.owjonline.com/news/view,uk-extends-immigration-ruling-for-noneea-nationals-in-offshore-wind-sector_57626.htm
