Filipino seamen not allowed to work in UK

SAYS POEA

INQUIRER.net
Posted date: August 11, 2009

MANILA, Philippines—Filipino seafarers with transit visas in the United Kingdom are not allowed to work there, including in the UK fishing industry, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration said in a statement Tuesday.

The POEA reminder came after the UK Border Agency reported that some Filipino seafarers are working as fishermen in Scotland and Northern Ireland, where they receive salaries below the UK national minimum wage, and are living in harbors and on board fishing vessels.

Quoting UK’s Border Agency, POEA Administrator Jennifer Jardin-Manalili said the UK issues transit visas, which are basically temporary visas, for non-European Union seafarers, including Filipinos joining vessels in the UK which are bound for foreign ports or traveling international waters for a longer period.

She pointed out that these visas do not apply to UK-based work, which requires a work visa.

In a related development, the British Embassy in Manila reported that it is now implementing a new point-based system in assessing applications for permission to enter the United Kingdom.

The new system replaces some 80 ways to work and study in the UK and consists of five tiers: Tier 1 for highly skilled workers; Tier 2 for skilled workers with job offer; Tier 3 for low skilled workers filling specific temporary labor shortages; tier 4 for students; and Tier 5 for youth mobility and temporary workers.