ICT and e-business

Work permit exemption covering certain employments in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and e-business

A person who is employed or seeking employment in certain Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and e-business (including e-gaming) roles is exempt from the usual requirement for a work permit under the Control of Employment Act 2014.

The exemptions only apply to employment of at least 12 months' duration and the salary, excluding bonuses, must be at least £25,000 a year.

The exemptions apply to (i) Common Travel Area (CTA) and (ii) persons from outside the CTA whose visa does not restrict them from taking up the employment in question.

Information and Communication Technologies

Information and Communications Technologies means the use of digital technology as a central part of the development, manufacture or delivery of a product or service.

In addition to meeting the duration and salary requirements set out above a person claiming an exemption in ICT must:

  • have a minimum of 3 years’ experience in an ICT role; or
  • hold a computer science degree; or
  • hold a technical or vocational ICT-related qualification at Level 5 of the Regulated Qualifications Framework* or the European Qualifications Framework** or equivalent; or
  • be able to demonstrate competency at Level 5 or above of the Skills Framework for the Information Age***.

e-business (including e-gaming)

'e-business' means the supply or delivery of goods and services primarily by electronic means using the internet or similar electronic networks and includes e-gaming.

In addition to meeting the duration and salary requirements set out above a person claiming an exemption in e-business must have:

  • a minimum of 2 years’ experience in an e-business role
  • advanced mathematical, statistical or data analysis skills
  • extensive knowledge of e-business systems, tools or established processes.

Condition: criminal convictions

None of the above exemptions apply to a person has been convicted of an offence and sentenced (anywhere in the world) to a term of custody where;

  • the sentence is excluded from rehabilitation by section 2 of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 2001 (e.g. custody for a term exceeding 30 months)
  • the conviction is not a 'spent' conviction for the purposes of that Act
  • the employment in question is excluded from the operation of that Act (e.g. doctors, accountants).

For further information see 'Criminal Records'.

Footnotes

* 'The Regulated Qualifications Framework' is a system for cataloguing all qualifications regulated by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation, a non-ministerial government department with jurisdiction in England and Northern Ireland.

** 'The European Qualifications Framework' is an overarching framework for the national qualifications frameworks of member states of the European Union (EU), as formally adopted in 2008 as part of the EU’s strategy for promoting lifelong learning and mutual recognition of qualifications. 

*** 'The Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA)' is the Skills Framework for the Information Age, produced by the Skills Framework for the Information Age Foundation.

Page created: 22 December 2017