Alternatives to work permits

If you find yourself in a position where upon that the person you would like to take on is not allowed to work in the UK without a work permit, there could be a number of other options available to you:

A Business visit visa – This is for trips to the UK which will last up to 6 months, a visit visa can be used where the work to be carried out is limited; the official guidelines state that the following may come to the UK as business visitors:
1. Advisers, consultants, trainers, troubleshooters etc, providing that they are employed abroad, either directly or under contract, by the same company (or group of companies) to which the client firm in the United Kingdom belongs. Their involvement must not extend to actual project management or to providing advice or consultancy services direct to clients of the United Kingdom company. Training should be for a specific, "one-off" purpose (for example, training in the use of products manufactured overseas or training specific to the operation of a group of companies of which the United Kingdom firm is a member). The training should not go beyond classroom instruction and should not otherwise be readily available in the UK;
2. Company representatives of computer software companies arriving to install, debug or enhance their products.
3. Company representatives of computer software companies arriving to be briefed as to the requirements of a United Kingdom customer. (however) if it is the case that they are to provide a service involving the use of their expertise to make a detailed assessment of a potential customer's requirements this should be regarded as consultancy work for which a work permit is required;
The above mentioned regulations will allow considerable flexibility for an in-house training/roll-out team, and give greater freedom to employees of such companies as Oracle, SAP, etc. who are rolling out their own products at client sites. The majority of IT roll-outs are conducted by consultancies who are using products manufactured by a third party, such activities will require a work permit.
A Sole Representative visa – if you do not yet have a UK branch/subsidiary, please click here for details of sending someone to set up a UK office.
A student visa – students are permitted to work for up to 20 hours per week in term time, and up to 40 hours per week during the vacation period.
A Training/Work Experience permit
UK Points Based Immigration - Highly Skilled Migrant Programme. This type of visa will allow an employee to work for any employer.
Working Holidaymaker - Young Commonwealth Citizens aged from 17 to 30 may work for any employer in any type of work for up to a period of two years.
EEA Citizens and Swiss Citizens and dependents - They can work for almost any employer.
Spouses and Dependents of most people in a long term or permanent visa category - They can normally work for almost any employer.