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Briefing note for prospective OSPAP students for the academic year 2013-2014 The visa for the pre-registration year Whether you will need a work visa in order to be allowed to take your pre-registration year at the end of your OSPAP course depends on the type of UK visa you already possess, or could obtain, and which you will use to study OSPAP at Aston University. For example you may be in the UK, or planning to come to the UK, as a dependant spouse or with another type of non-student visa. If you are in this situation please contact us for advice about using that visa to study on OSPAP and the pre-registration year. It may well be straightforward. However if you are going to be using a Tier 4 student visa for the OSPAP course, it is important to understand the implications of holding a Tier 4 visa in connection with pre-registration. The UK Government’s current immigration policies support international students who wish to study in the UK whilst making it harder, in some cases, for graduates to remain in the UK for work reasons after graduating. Tier 4 student visa – switching to work visa for pre-registration If you will be on the OSPAP course with a Tier 4 student visa, it may not be possible to stay in the UK to do your pre-registration year. You are therefore advised to consider carefully the following information before committing yourself to the course. Tier 2 General (work visa) requires 70 points and a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from an employer. Please see our web page http://www1.aston.ac.uk/currentstudents/hub/issu/visaadvice/work/tier-2-general/ There are 3 facts of particular relevance to OSPAP Tier 4 students: 1. To gain the 20 points for earnings, you will need to earn at least £20,710 gross salary per year (amount correct as of March 2013 but liable to change) during your pre-registration. This salary reflects pre-registration pay in the National Health Service. Typical pre-registration salaries in some of the community pharmacies, where the majority of pre-registration vacancies occur, may well be less than £20,710. Therefore if you obtain a pre-registration job in a community pharmacy, you may find your earnings do not reach the level required for the necessary 20 points. 2. You will not be able to get the first 30 points automatically for completing your course, because OSPAP is a diploma, not a degree. Alternatively you may be able to gain the 30 points if your employer completes the Resident Labour Market Test (RLMT). This is possible although not very likely. Alternatively it may be possible to enrol on an Aston University OSPAP MSc course in order to gain the 30 points for having completed a degree course. You will need to apply and “switch” from Tier 4 to Tier 2 inside the UK to benefit from this. The OSPAP MSc course will involve higher tuition fees than the OSPAP PG Diploma, and has a restricted number of places for 2013-14. If you intend to apply for a Tier 4 visa to study, and might be interested in an OSPAP MSc please contact Claire Hoban ([email protected], 0121 204 4161). 3. You will not be able to ‘switch’ (move) from Tier 4 to Tier 2 inside the UK unless you take the MSc because OSPAP is a diploma, not a degree. If you choose to take the OSPAP Diploma with a Tier 4 visa and decide not to take the MSc, you will need to leave the UK to apply for Information checked and confirmed as correct on 11 March 2013. Please note that immigration policy can change without notice. Contact: Laura Bryan [email protected] http://www1.aston.ac.uk/current-students/hub/issu/visaadvice/work/ Tier 2. In addition to requiring your employer to complete the RLMT, you will also then come under the annual national limit on Certificates of Sponsorship (you will need a “restricted” Certificate of Sponsorship). You will see that most of this is quite positive. The UKBA has created the exemption that will give you 30 points automatically to help students to move from Tier 4 to Tier 2. In April 2012, as a result of lobbying by Aston University other institutions and advisory bodies, the salary requirement was reduced significantly for non-NHS pre-registration positions. However it is still higher than the typical non-NHS offer, especially from small pharmacies. How long does a Tier 2 visa last? Tier 2 is usually issued for 3 years (unless your contract is for less than 3 years, which might be the case for your one-year pre-registration training period) and it can be extended for a second 3 year period giving you 6 years in total. You always need to have an employer sponsoring you and that employer needs to have a Tier 2 licence. You will be able to apply to settle in the UK after 5 years and providing you are earning a salary of at least £35,000 (level confirmed until April 2018). How easy is it to find a pre-registration opportunity? Realistically, each year it gets a little more difficult and the competition for pre-registration places increases. It is our understanding that if you are keen to work in one of the more rural parts of the country you will find it easier to find a placement than if you were looking in a large city. Will I definitely be able to get Tier 2 for my pre-registration year? It is possible to find a pre-registration placement that meets the requirements for Tier 2, despite this visa route becoming more restrictive in general provided that you have completed the MSc. It is not possible, however, for us to guarantee that in 4 years’ time you will be able to find a placement with an employer who is prepared and able to sponsor you under Tier 2 and pay the appropriate salary. You will need to read through the information carefully, contact us if you have any specific questions, and make an educated decision. Can I use Tier 5 Government Authorised Exchange? You may be aware that there is currently another visa option for those who do not meet the Tier 2 requirements under the Tier 5 Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) route. However the scheme will not be available for OSPAP students graduating after 2013. Pre-registration options not available Tier 1 Post Study Work - this scheme closed to new applicants in April 2012. Tier 1 General this scheme closed to new applicants in April 2011. Courses available for overseas pharmacists at Aston 2013-2014: Which to choose? PG Diploma MSc in pharmacy practice Duration 9 months September to June 12 months September to September Cost (2013-2014) £10,500 £13,800 Information checked and confirmed as correct on 11 March 2013. Please note that immigration policy can change without notice. Contact: Laura Bryan [email protected] http://www1.aston.ac.uk/current-students/hub/issu/visaadvice/work/ Can switch inside the UK from Tier 4 to Tier 2? No Yes if meets other Tier 2 conditions Need Resident Labour Market Test for Tier 2? Yes No if meets other Tier 2 conditions Can switch from Tier 4 to Tier 5? No No Can start pre-reg in the 2014/15 cycle Yes once you have been awarded the PG Dip and have applied for the visa Yes once you have been awarded the MSc and have applied for the visa Mode of study Full time Full time Information checked and confirmed as correct on 11 March 2013. Please note that immigration policy can change without notice. Contact: Laura Bryan [email protected] http://www1.aston.ac.uk/current-students/hub/issu/visaadvice/work/