Town Planning Officers

Duncan Lewis Business Immigration Solicitors – Town Planning Officer – UK Visa Applications

The UK push to develop new garden cities and regenerate existing communities mean more local authorities need experienced town planning officers.

Shortages in town planning officers may also be fuelled by spiralling house prices in certain areas of the UK – the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) says that, in London, there is often a shortage of mid-career planners because of the high cost of family housing.

Under UK immigration law, restrictions on Tier 2 visa applications may also present challenges to local authorities wish to recruit experienced town planners from non-EEA countries.

Duncan Lewis business immigration solicitors can advise companies on overseas recruitment of town planning officers, 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 the public sector and private sector businesses on Tier 2 visa applications – as well as advising on recruiting recent overseas graduates who have qualified in 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 town planning officers wishing to apply for a Tier 2 visa to take up a position in the UK.

UK Visas & Immigration regulations set out in the Codes of Practice for Skilled Workers such as town planning officers.

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

• Planning officer (local government: building and contracting)
• Town planner
• Town planning consultant.

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

• analyses information to establish the nature, extent, growth rate and likely development requirements of the area
• consults statutory bodies and other interested parties to ensure that local interests are catered for and to evaluate competing development proposals
• drafts and presents graphic and narrative plans affecting the use of public and private land, housing and transport facilities
• examines and evaluates development proposals submitted and recommends acceptance, modification or rejection
• liaises with national and local government and other bodies to advise on urban and regional planning issues.

The current minimum salary range for a town planning officer applying for a Tier 2 UK visa would be £20,900 for an experienced candidate – and £20, 500 for a new entrant, or £19,400 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 – Town Planning Officers

Applying for a Tier 2 visa for a town planning officer joining your UK operation requires expert legal advice on the preparation of the visa application to ensure no delays occur – any delays in the Tier 2 visa application process might potentially jeopardise the timely take up of a town planning officer 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 and professionals on business immigration 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 regularly advise companies wishing to recruit qualified and experienced town planning officers from non-EEA territories 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 town planning officers 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 Town Planning Officers, call Duncan Lewis Business Immigration Solicitors in confidence on 0333 772 0409 for a FREE initial consultation.