Illegal Workers in a Diverse Job Market

The UK has a very diverse job market, and some sectors, such as the NHS, rely heavily on foreign doctors to bring much-needed skills where there are not enough natives qualified. These roles have robust recruitment processes and, therefore, the chances of an illegal worker becoming small. However, the problems tend to be more concentrated in the unskilled labour roles. Illegal workers at this level are easier to hide, and despite the punishments levied at the employer as well as the employee, it tends to be prevalent, taking away opportunities from legal immigrants. 

What Skills Do You Need to Be Employed and Obtain a Working Visa in the UK?

To obtain a working visa in the UK, you need to meet the criteria in one of the different categories. A skilled worker visa could be for you if you have secured employment with a Home Office-approved employer. In this case, it would be normal to expect the employer to assist with the application, and they will usually have a fee to pay based on their size and status. A successful application in this category will see you granted a visa of up to 5 years. 

A global business mobility visa is another option. Within this category, there are different sets of criteria which would need to be met in order to qualify for this option. There are many options, including:

A senior or specialist worker visa is designed for highly skilled individuals to move countries while working for the same international company. So if you have worked for the sponsor company for at least 12 months, you can apply to transfer to their UK facility on this visa. 

A graduate trainees visa is fairly self-explanatory and again applies to those working for a multinational, where a graduate employee needs to come to the UK to gain skills not available at any of their other locations. 

There are also health and care worker visas, graduate visas, high potential individual visas and global talent visas, to name a few.

UK Business Culture 

The UK is known to have a strong culture of politeness and courtesy within the business world. It is an arena of discipline, and things like timekeeping and punctuality are considered critical. The UK has a class structure, and the gap between high and low is vast. Workers at all levels tend to be welcoming and supportive of new colleagues, provided they are friendly and attempt to fit in. Etiquette is essential, and you should take time to watch and learn from native workers who will quickly demonstrate the correct behaviour for the UK business culture. 

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2 Visa Options 

The two easy ways to get your visa extended are a short-term extension and a long-term extension. Which of these suits you best depends on your circumstances, but if you have a tourist visa, it is likely that the short-term extension is the best option for you. If granted, the short visa gives you an additional 30-60 days stay in the country. Sometimes this can be negotiated to 90 days, depending on why you are seeking it. 

A long-term extension is for a minimum of 90 days and can be valid for up to a year, and this is more likely to be granted if your original visa was a non-immigration visa.  These visas are generally for people who have a work permit and valid employment in the country. 

Where to Apply for a Tourist Visa Extension 

The best way to apply is to go to Bangkok and visit the Office of the Thai Immigration Department and apply in person. Technically you can apply at local offices outside of Bangkok, but all they do is take the paperwork and send it to the head office in Bangkok. Not only does this increase the decision time; however, they are notorious for losing paperwork. It is better to go directly to the primary office. 

The office opens each morning and operates a queuing system. There is generally no quiet period, so you are better off turning up at a time that suits you and joining the line. The decision is not instant, but you need to make the application in person using the TM.7 form and have all your supporting documentation with you. Your application can be made within 30 days of your current visa expiring, and you should ensure that you do not leave it too late, as being on an expired visa and then trying to extend it can end badly. 

Re-Entry Permit

If you stay in Thailand for a while, you should also apply for a re-entry permit. Without this, you will not be granted permission to return if you leave the country for even a few days. If you do not have the permit, you start the whole visa application process again, and your current paperwork becomes invalid. If you are in the country for 90 days or more, you must submit a 90-day report each time you hit that key count – days 90, 180, 270, 360, etc. This involves reporting to your local office and reconfirming details such as your address. If you have a SMART visa, this becomes an annual commitment rather than every 90 days. If you stay in the country for three or more years, you become entitled to apply for residency. 

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Thai Work Visa

The first thing to do before booking flights or making any firm plans is to apply for a working visa in Thailand. This is done from your home country by heading to the Consulate or Embassy for Thailand. It is classed as a Category B Non-Immigrant Visa. To apply, your passport needs to be valid for at least six more months and have two blank visa pages. If you intend to apply for a more extended one-year visa, your passport must be valid for 18 months. You will need to complete the application form, which can be downloaded from the website or collected from the embassy. The other requirements are standard, including police clearance and proof of financial stability (20,000 to 40,000 Thai baht deepening on your circumstance). You also need a Letter of Approval from the Thailand Ministry of Labour – which your employer applies for on your behalf. 

Thailand Work Permit 

To qualify for a work permit, your employer has to meet certain conditions that can be found online, including already employing at least 50 Thai nationals. There are limits on how many non-citizens each company is allowed to employ, based on registered capital and the fact they may have one foreign employee per 50 local employees. The application process is long, and you must present evidence of your work visa, passport, and proof of things like accommodation, work contract, salary and qualifications. There are further requirements if your spouse is a Thai national, including your marriage certificate. Any documents you submit must have been legalised in your home country and translated into Thai. A work permit can be issued for 3, 6 or 12 months and can potentially be extended. 

Extension of Stay 

Once your work visa and permits are approved, you are then required to apply for an extension of stay, which is done via the Immigration Bureau. This has to be done within 90 days of entering the country. If approved, you will be given a further 12-month extension backdated to the date you initially entered the country. You will need to continue to complete the renewal process every year if you wish to remain in the country. Still, after the third year, you become eligible to apply for the permanent residence permit. Finally, if you want to go on holiday or return home during your time in Thailand, you need to obtain a re-entry permit, or you will not be allowed back in. 

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Bangkok vs Chiang Mai vs Pattaya

Most retirees choose to move to one of the three main tourist hotspots. The lifestyle is different for each, so it’s essential to pick the place that suits you best. Pattaya is a beachside city with a vibrant and busy feel. It is not partilculoaltry chilled or laid back; for some, this helps them feel younger for longer. If you are looking for a quieter lifestyle, you may prefer Chiang Mai. It has a lovely heritage, old city streets, stunning temples, and fewer tourist attractions. Finally, Bangkok is also known for its bustling and loud nightlife, and you will find other ex-pats more spread out, so it could be harder to make friends. 

Cost of Living

Living costs in Thailand are estimated to be anywhere from 35% to 75% less than life in the USA. If you are looking to rent, not buy, you can save around 70% for a comparative property, making pension monies go a lot further. For example, a one-bed apartment in New York attracts a rent of about $3000 a month, whereas, in Bangkok, this would be about $550. You can potentially save even more if you are looking to live outside of the city, where you may snap up a great apartment for $300. When it comes to food, you can live a moderately frugal life if you eat like a local. You will find that imported international goods are significantly more expensive than local produce. 

Health and Safety 

Healthcare in Thailand is world-class, but you will need to pay for private health insurance unless you are an ex-pat with a private sector job. As a retiree, you will find that the plans for private health insurance are very reasonable. Thailand is also one of the safest countries in Southeast Asia, with very low crime rates. As a retiree, you would just need to guard against crimes of financial opportunity such as pickpocketing. Locals are generally welcoming, but if you live in any of the three main areas above, you will also find thriving ex-pat communities. The biggest challenge is the language barrier, so finding other English speakers will make things much more manageable. To fit in, you should make every effort to adopt the local dress code and embrace customs. Otherwise, you may find that you are labelled a rude outsider. 

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Oil Prices and Low Cost of Living

In an interview in June, he spoke about the benefits of Thailand as a tourist destination. It is not the most favourable situation economically, but the Thai Baht is currently weak, which means that a holiday to Thailand could see you spending even less on your break than you have done pre-Covid. The value of the Baht has fallen around 20% during the pandemic duration. Still, he believes things will now change for the better, especially with oil prices surging, creating more expensive travel costs in a lot of other destinations.

A Return to Normal

Another factor contributing to a surge in tourist visa applications is the fact that pre-pandemic conditions are returning as they scrap the mask mandate and drop the pre-travel requirement that visitors must have at least two vaccine doses before arriving. It is thought that the tourist industry creates 20% of all jobs and generates 12% of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product). 

Wellness Tourism 

The forecast that predicts the tourist visa surge is also down to Thailand’s cannabis legalisation is not focusing on an illegal trade but rather on the health and wellness sector of the tourism industry. The ability to harness the purported medical benefits of marijuana remains illegal in many countries. So, people are willing to travel as tourists to areas where it is no longer criminal to try the food and medicine that has been infused for medication. It is currently still not permissible purely for recreational purposes in Thailand, but the Minister did not rule that out, stating it will be considered in due course. 

A Prediction of Visitor Numbers 

In 2019 there were 40 million tourists flying into Thailand, and the minister is well aware of the challenges the country faces to recover the industry and attract these sorts of numbers in a post-pandemic world. However, the forecast is confident that in 2023 visitor numbers will hit 20 million and continue to grow into 2024, reaching 30 million. Initial signs are positive; in May, tourist visa arrivals were up by 78%, although overall, the government is only looking to attract around 7.5 million holidaymakers this year. However, this could be pushed to about 10 million if the war in Ukraine were to end or the Chinese travellers returned to normal as previously many of them would come to Thailand for their extended holidays in October time. It is looking positive as free travel has been reestablished between China and Thailand for business travellers and students. 

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In some cases, no visa is needed as countries have mutual agreements that citizens are free to travel. When a tourist visa is issued, it will have a time limit, often 30 or 90 days. For most people, this is plenty of time, and even if you overstay, the consequences are minimal. However, some governments are very strict and do not like people to overstay their welcome. The punishments can range from fines to prison sentences and restrictions on ever returning. The three countries below have some of the harshest penalties, so be sure to understand the validity of the visa and when you would need to apply for a tourist visa extension to avoid problems. 

1) Thailand

If you overstay your visa in Thailand, you are committing a serious crime. Staying even two or three days longer than allowed can see you sent to local prisons, which are unsanitary and cramped. The punishment does not end there; the mildest form of punishment sees offenders banned from returning for more than five years and immediate deportation. However, due to the perceived level of crime, it is much more likely that you will be fined up to $10,000, and the black marks on your passport will make it much harder to get visas for other countries as your records are checked on every application. You will also need to get a travel visa extension granted to cover the overstay, or you could make things a lot worse. 

2) Russia

Russia is another country you do not want to risk getting stuck in with an expired visa. You will be arrested, fined and deported. After being arrested, you will be placed in jail, and they will make you apply to the authorities for an exit visa. You may not leave on an expired tourist, and an exit visa can take up to 20 days. During this time, you will be a prisoner and have little to no contact with family and friends. Again you will then be restricted from reentering for a period – generally, at least three years and your records will be marked, making it harder to travel.

3) China

Overstaying your visa in China is also not an experience you want to risk. You will be arrested and unable to leave the country. In a move similar to Russia, you will have to apply for an exit visa which takes time to be approved. While you are waiting, you pay a daily fine that increases for each additional day it takes to approve the exit visa. The best advice for all countries with visa entry is to ensure you apply for a tourist visa extension well in advance if you know you will exceed the initially agreed length of stay. This way, you can avoid problems, and as with most things, ignorance of the rules is not a valid defence and will not get you out of the punishments. 

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US Citizens 

1. Kuwait: Often referred to as the Jewel of the Middle East, it comes as no surprise that this is a destination of choice for tourists heading out of the US. You can apply for a visa when you land, and it is currently a level one safe destination as ranked by the travel advisory service. 
2. Paraguay: The authorities in Paraguay are happy for travellers to obtain their visas on arrival. This South American country has a troubled past but currently is enjoying a more peaceful way of life and is also a level one safe destination. 
3. Zambia: One of the great appeals for tourists arriving in Zambia is the myriad of safari animals and wildlife that calls this magnificent country home. Visitors may also want to climb Kilimanjaro, and the visa-on-arrival system of this level 1 safe destination country makes that easy.
4. Zimbabwe: Another national park destination for animal lovers, US citizens can grab their tourist visas on arrival and head off to explore the wilds – level 1 safe destination.
5. Togo: Picturesque and beautiful; Togo is a level 2 destination, so be cautious, but it does enable you to get your visa sorted after you land. 

UK Citizens

1. Egypt: Visit the pyramids, see the Pharaoh’s tombs and enjoy the warmth with an on-arrival 30-day tourist visa if you are a UK citizen. 
2. Seychelles: If you are looking for a dream beach destination, then Seychelles is an excellent choice with long stretches of sand, a favourable climate and plenty of delicious local cuisine a stone’s throw from the sand. If you have UK citizenship, you can apply for your visa once you have landed here, and a tourist visa is valid for 90 days. 
3. Madagascar: Another dream destination for those wanting to see game animals in their natural environment. There are several national parks, and there is something truly magical about a sunset over the trees here. You can get a tourist visa when you arrive, valid for 90 days. 
4. UAE: The UAE has some pretty impressive city architecture, and this includes some fantastic sky-level restaurants. There is also a famous water park, Snoopy Island and the Dubai fountain ripe for exploration. You can apply to stay for 30 days on arrival, any longer, and you must apply for an extended tourist visa. 
5. Kuwait: UK citizens are also eligible for an on-arrival visa in Kuwait valid for up to 90 days. 

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Why is it Called a Visa?

Visa is a term taken from Latin, specifically ‘charta visa’, which translates to ‘paper that has to be seen’ or more directly verified paper. Simply put, it was a separate document that a traveller needed to have, alongside their passport, to confirm that the host country was happy for them to enter. In this modern age, it is now more common for the visa to be integrated into the passport, but failure to apply, obtain and comply with visa requirements can still land you in a lot of trouble. 

Travel Documentation BC and AD

The first historical reference suggesting the need for travel documentation is found in 420BC, with the Hebrew Bible stating that Nehemiah required safe travel passage into Judea while in the service of King Artaxerxes of Persia and there it mentions passport and visa. However, the first formal and confirmed account of the passport does not come until 1386, when King Henry V is said to have created them during his reign, which lasted until 1442. At that time the naming was unclear, and it is thought that the word passport actually comes from ‘passe port’, which was the signed travel documentation that King Louis XIV insisted on signing during his reign in 1643-1715.

The First World War

It was not until World War 1 that it became mandatory for any international travel to require a passport. This would very often include separate visa documentation, and this was in 1918. After the war, in 1922, there were so many refugees who lost their nationality that the League of Nations, which was located in Paris, developed the Nansen Passport. Things remained this way until 1945 when the second world war ended, and people began to migrate all over the world. From a security point of view, it was then felt that strict border control was needed. This led to both passports and visas becoming mandated travel documentation for most cases when someone wanted to travel internationally. 

Today 

Migration control has become a very strict business right across the globe, and now we expect to have passports and visas to enter any country. Leaving and returning to your home country requires a passport, and some countries do not want tourists, so they rarely grant permits. The penalties for non-complies include detainment and prison sentences and, in some countries, even the death penalty. 

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1. North Korea 

In order to even apply for a visa to visit North Korea, tourists must work with a tourist agency that has state approval, and the paperwork is laborious. Frankly, they are not very welcoming, so the chances of being refused entry are high. They often deny visas to people just over the border in South Korea, and if you are from North America, you aren’t guaranteed to be any more welcome. North Korea may have to remain on the unachievable bucket list, possibly forever. 

2. Russia 

There is no denying the appeal of Russia as a travel destination but start your visa application well in advance as this is another paper-based marathon. The sheer number of questions asked on the visa application will put many people off. They are also very interested in every country you have visited in the last decade, and you need to give lots of information about where you went and why. It is complicated and lengthy, and after all that, there is no guarantee you will be granted the visa, so again it may not be a destination you can visit any time soon.

3. Somalia 

To be completely honest, Somalia is not a dream destination. It is a dangerous place to visit as a tourist, so for that reason, you are not encouraged even to apply. But, human nature being what it is, someone, somewhere, will want to try. Applying for the visa itself is the first hurdle, and again it has been made deliberately complex. Should you be successful and be allowed into the country, the second hurdle is having a security detail accompanying you at all times. 

4. Iran 

Apply in advance if you are from the US or UK (and a handful of other countries) as you are not eligible for visa-on-arrival and will be sent packing. If you want to visit Iran and apply in advance, part of the process is obtaining a verification code from an Iranian travel agent. The screening process is lengthy, and again, no guarantees. 

5. Saudia Arabia

This has become an easier visa to obtain than in previous years, but unless you are Muslim, you may not visit Median or Mecca even with a tourist visa. If you are from Israel, you are not even allowed to apply. The penalties for non-compliance with visa requirements and general rules are severe and include imprisonment and even death, so be careful to do as you are asked. 

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Revitalised Historic Buildings — In recent years, Hong Kong conducted several major revitalisation projects to promote heritage conservation, giving historic buildings around the city a new lease of life through transforming them into arts, cultural and shopping hotspots. Central Market, PMQ, Tai Kwun (Former Central Police Station Compound) and The Mills are some great examples, allowing visitors to explore Hong Kong’s local artisan culture as well as the neighbourhood’s history alongside the heritages.

Colonial Attractions — Beginning in 1841, Hong Kong lived under British governance. The colonial colour is reflected in Hong Kong’s culture as well as her many historical sites of interest. Tourists can learn more about Hong Kong’s past at places like 1881 Heritage, Clock Tower, Duddell Street Steps & Gas Lamps, Fringe Club, Government House, Lui Seng Chun, Murray House, Court of Final Appeal, Tai O Heritage Hotel (Old Tai O Police Station), Western Market and Yau Ma Tei Theatre.

Heritage Sites — Hundreds of years of history have left vestiges of Hong Kong’s colourful Chinese heritage everywhere in the city. Many popular sites welcome visitors to experience historic Hong Kong, such as Cheung Po Tsai Cave, Kat Hing Wai Walled Village, Kowloon Walled City Park, Lai Chi Wo, Lung Yuek Tau Heritage Trail, Ping Shan Heritage Trail, Tai Fu Tai Mansion and the Wishing Trees at Lam Tsuen.

Places of Worship — Hong Kong is a melting destination of different cultures and religions, and there are many places for worshiping across town for her many faiths. Attractions include Khalsa Diwan Sikh Temple, Happy Valley Hindu Temple, Jamia Mosque, St Andrew’s Church, St John’s Cathedral and Ohel Leah Synagogue. Of particular religious and historical importance to Hong Kong are Che Kung Temple, Chi Lin Nunnery, Man Mo Temple, Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple and Tin Hau Temples.

Museums — Hong Kong has a diverse selection of museums covering art, living culture and local heritage, history, science, and more. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) runs 17 museums and four other cultural venues, such as the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence, Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Museum of History, Hong Kong Science Museum, Hong Kong Heritage Museum and Hong Kong Space Museum. Tourists can buy a Museum Pass for unlimited admission to LCSD member museums’ permanent and special exhibitions (unless otherwise specified).

Great Outdoors

Beaches — There are plenty of beautiful beaches offering locals and tourists the chance to swim, sunbathe and windsurf, such as Big Wave Bay Beach, Mui Wo, Pui O Beach, Repulse Bay Beach and Shek O.

Hikes — Hong Kong has an abundance of natural resources and is surrounded by lush greenery and mountains. Nature lovers can enjoy the scenic countryside along different hiking trails covering long and short distances across several areas in Hong Kong, such as Dragon’s Back and MacLehose Trail.

Outlying Islands — A short ferry ride takes tourists to one of Hong Kong’s laid-back outlying islands, such as Cheung Chau, Lamma Island, Lantau and Peng Chau. These islands embody the same contrasts that make this city such an appealing destination: tradition and innovation, and influences of East and West.

Parks — Travellers who enjoy wildlife and ecology can discover Hong Kong’s natural beauty at different parks and reserves in Hong Kong. At Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark, tourists will be amazed by the timeless beauty of the weird and wonderful landforms created by the earth’s movements.

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