Conservation Professionals

Duncan Lewis Business Immigration Solicitors – Conservation Professionals – UK Visa Applications

The conservation sector involves a wide range of disciplines and different areas of practice – and as a result, recruiting conservation professionals from overseas can make good business sense to balance the requirements of a skilled workforce.

Duncan Lewis business immigration solicitors can advise on the international recruitment of conservation professionals across all sectors, including art and museums, heritage, architecture, marine and environment.

The Duncan Lewis business immigration department advises major companies, organisations, charities and SMEs on the recruitment of overseas personnel working as conservation professionals – who are eligible to work in the UK under the regulations covering occupations skilled to NQF Level 6.

Duncan Lewis business immigration lawyers frequently advise companies wishing to recruit candidates from overseas on Tier 2 applications – as well as advising on recruiting recent overseas graduates who have qualified in conservation the UK.

Any Tier 2 applicants can be sponsored for jobs in certain occupations – and the government has drawn up a list of eligible occupations for conservation professionals wishing to apply for a Tier 2 visa to take up a position in the UK.

UK Visas & Immigration regulations set out Codes of Practice for Skilled Workers such as conservation professionals.

Under the regulations, the sort of roles within a company that would be eligible for a Tier 2 visa application include:

• Conservation officer
• Ecologist
• Energy conservation officer
• Heritage manager
• Marine conservationist.

UK Visas & Immigration rules also set out the types of duties a conservation professional might undertake to qualify for a Tier 2 visa, including:

• promotes and implements local and national biodiversity action plans, particularly with regard threatened species and habitats
• carries out environmental impact assessments and field surveys
• implements, evaluates and monitors schemes for the management and protection of natural habitats
• provides advice and information to government at national and local levels, clients, landowners, planners and developers to facilitate the protection of the natural environment
• liaises with other groups in the selection and maintenance of the Protected Site System, including Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Ramsar sites – and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and National Nature Reserves (NNRs)
• maintains and develops knowledge in relevant policy areas within a national and European legislative context
• promotes conservation issues via educational talks, displays, workshops and literature and liaison with the media
• prepares applications for funding to other organisations and assesses applications for funding from other organisations
• carries out research into aspects of the natural world.

The current minimum salary range for a conservation professional applying for a Tier 2 UK visa would be £20,700 for an experienced member of staff – and  £20,500 for a new entrant, or £17,500 for applicants who entered Tier 2 under the Rules in place before 6 April 2011 and are not subject to the experienced worker rate.

Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2013.

Duncan Lewis Business Immigration Solicitors – UK Visa Applications & Appeals – Conservation Professionals

Applying for a Tier 2 visa for a conservation professional joining your UK operation requires expert legal advice on the preparation of the visa application to ensure no delays occur.

Companies should be aware that any delays in the Tier 2 visa application process might potentially jeopardise the timely take up of a conservation appointment.

Duncan Lewis immigration experts are one of the UK’s leading specialist immigration and business immigration solicitors, with a highly successful track record in advising companies on UK business immigration law and the UK visa application process.

Duncan Lewis immigration lawyers have offices nationwide and in most major cities – and our national and London immigration lawyers can advise companies wishing to recruit high-calibre conservation professionals from overseas on:

• Tier 2 Licence
• Tier 2 Certificate of Sponsor (CoS)
• Tier 2 Visa Applications
• Tier 2 Intra Company Transfers
• Standard UK Visa for Business Visits.

Duncan Lewis business immigration experts are also able to advise on visa appeals for conservation professionals wishing to take up appointments in the UK.

As immigration specialists, Duncan Lewis is ranked by Legal 500 2015 for its business immigration services.

For further information on UK visa applications for Conservation Professionals, call Duncan Lewis Business Immigration Solicitors in confidence on 0333 772 0409 for a FREE initial consultation.