Can my friend come and live in the UK?

[coco1]

Hi
Apologies if this has been answered a million times before.
I'm British, living in Hong Kong with my British husband. We have an employee (nanny/ housekeeper who is single with no UK marriage plans) from the Philippines who has become a good friend and we genuinely want to help her have a better life. We plan to return to the UK within 2 years and our friend would like to come with us and I want to plan ahead to make the process as painfree as possible. Has anyone done a similar thing? Is there a supportive community in London that will help her settle in?
What are the pros/ cons of different visa options? We're thinking maybe she could study at Uni (we'll fund everything) and come on a student visa. Another alternative is a foreign domestic worker visa- but I'd like her to be able to get a qualification for a better job and am not clear if this is allowed on this visa. I'm a bit worried a student visa will mean she'll get a good qualification but will be unable to settle in the UK for visa reasons afterwards and have to go back to washing people's dirty laundry in Hong Kong. Any tips towards careers that are better immigration-wise?
Thanks for replying to this rambling posting!

[darren-b]

Welcome to the the forum. I don't think this is a question that has been asked before, or if it has I can't remember it.

I guess the pros of a student visa are that she would be able to study full-time, and hopefully gain a qualification that would enable her to get a good job that let's her remain in the UK. The cons are it may be difficult for her to get especially as she needs to prove she has the funds (I don't believe you can sponsor her), it won't be cheap, and obviously if you are intending for her to continue to work for you she is limited to either 10 or 20 hours a week (depending on the course) work during term time.

I guess the pros of a domestic worker visa is it should be easy for her to get, assuming the rules don't change as long as she can work as a domestic worker for 5 years she can get permanent residency when she can do whatever she likes in the UK, and I don't think there will be any issues in her doing part-time studies. The cons are it would be difficult for her to switch to any other type of visa so she would be "washing people's dirty laundry" in the UK for 5 years, and as she should work full-time as a domestic worker it limits the amount of time she could spend studying.

In terms of what careers I don't think there is necessarily betters ones if the the aim is to do a degree level course then apply for a post-study work visa - just need to make sure the job pays enough to gain a proper work visa. Surely the important things is to pick something that interests her, as even if she gains the right qualifications to get a work visa, she still needs to find and keep a job.

One thing to bear in mind is though that her plans may change rapidly if she finds a boyfriend in the UK, etc.

[Arthur Little]

Welcome to the the forum. I don't think this is a question that has been asked before, or if it has I can't remember it.

I guess the pros of a student visa are that she would be able to study full-time, and hopefully gain a qualification that would enable her to get a good job that let's her remain in the UK. The cons are it may be difficult for her to get especially as she needs to prove she has the funds (I don't believe you can sponsor her), it won't be cheap, and obviously if you are intending for her to continue to work for you she is limited to either 10 or 20 hours a week (depending on the course) work during term time.

I guess the pros of a domestic worker visa is it should be easy for her to get, assuming the rules don't change as long as she can work as a domestic worker for 5 years she can get permanent residency when she can do whatever she likes in the UK, and I don't think there will be any issues in her doing part-time studies. The cons are it would be difficult for her to switch to any other type of visa so she would be "washing people's dirty laundry" in the UK for 5 years, and as she should work full-time as a domestic worker it limits the amount of time she could spend studying.

In terms of what careers I don't think there is necessarily betters ones if the the aim is to do a degree level course then apply for a post-study work visa - just need to make sure the job pays enough to gain a proper work visa. Surely the important things is to pick something that interests her, as even if she gains the right qualifications to get a work visa, she still needs to find and keep a job.

One thing to bear in mind is though that her plans may change rapidly if she finds a boyfriend in the UK, etc.

Thank you, once again Darren, for your invaluable assistance. ... I guess I would've found myself struggling to find a way of helping this couple with their dilemma.

What I HAD been wondering, though is, do you think it feasible that the young lady concerned might be able to accompany her employers to the UK in her present capacity as a nanny/housekeeper/ domestic helper ... then use her spare time to attend night classes to obtain the GCSEs necessary for University entrance in order to embark on her [eventual] chosen field of study? this approach would be committing the girl to hard graft for the next 5 years at least ... and that could be difficult for her to cope with WERE she to become involved in a romantic relationship ... but it might, nonetheless, prove a viable solution in the long term. ...

[Arthur Little]

Hi
Apologies if this has been answered a million times before.
I'm British, living in Hong Kong with my British husband. We have an employee (nanny/ housekeeper who is single with no UK marriage plans) from the Philippines who has become a good friend and we genuinely want to help her have a better life. We plan to return to the UK within 2 years and our friend would like to come with us and I want to plan ahead to make the process as painfree as possible. Has anyone done a similar thing? Is there a supportive community in London that will help her settle in?
What are the pros/ cons of different visa options? We're thinking maybe she could study at Uni (we'll fund everything) and come on a student visa. Another alternative is a foreign domestic worker visa- but I'd like her to be able to get a qualification for a better job and am not clear if this is allowed on this visa. I'm a bit worried a student visa will mean she'll get a good qualification but will be unable to settle in the UK for visa reasons afterwards and have to go back to washing people's dirty laundry in Hong Kong. Any tips towards careers that are better immigration-wise?
Thanks for replying to this rambling posting!

... Good Morning from the UK ... and We are always pleased to offer guidance wherever possible, and I trust the advice rendered by my co-forumer will provide you with a clearer picture of the practicalities that lie ahead.

[darren-b]

Thank you, once again Darren, for your invaluable assistance. ... I guess I would've found myself struggling to find a way of helping this couple with their dilemma.

What I HAD been wondering, though is, do you think it feasible that the young lady concerned might be able to accompany her employers to the UK in her present capacity as a nanny/housekeeper/ domestic helper ... then use her spare time to attend night classes to obtain the GCSEs necessary for University entrance in order to embark on her [eventual] chosen field of study? this approach would be committing the girl to hard graft for the next 5 years at least ... and that could be difficult for her to cope with WERE she to become involved in a romantic relationship ... but it might, nonetheless, prove a viable solution in the long term. ...

That would definately be an option, and if her previous education in the Philippines was not at that higher level it may be the best option.

[Scouse]

You should be able to bring her into the Uk as a domestic worker providing she has worked for you for at least 12 months immediately prior to your return to the UK. she will not be able to change employer for at least four years ie, until she gets ILR.

As far as having a boyfriend is concerned, as long as you are happy with this and you can agree some rules about her work coming first then it shouldn't be a problem.

[darren-b]

You should be able to bring her into the Uk as a domestic worker providing she has worked for you for at least 12 months immediately prior to your return to the UK. she will not be able to change employer for at least four years ie, until she gets ILR.

As far as having a boyfriend is concerned, as long as you are happy with this and you can agree some rules about her work coming first then it shouldn't be a problem.

This is not correct - she can change employers so long as she continues to be a domestic worker in a private household.