Reducing the risk of students working more hours than their visas allow

This has been superceeded by new guidance, which can be located here: https://www.york.ac.uk/admin/hr/browse/temporary-workers/right-to-work

During June and July are making changes to the process for using casual workers who have Tier 4 (Student) visas, to reduce the risk to the University of non-compliance with the terms of those visas.

Since 12 May we have been asking our Tier 4 workers to come to HR for registration. We take details of their right to work, including their visa end date, permitted working hours and study dates. Please continue to refer casual workers with Tier 4 visas to HR for registration.

We will remind Tier 4 casual workers when their visa is within three months of renewal. This will support our workers with their visa obligations and renewals process.

From 1 June

We will start taking bookings for Tier 4 workers for hours to be worked from July onwards.

You are able to request bookings using the booking form. You will need:

  • the name of the worker
  • the start date (Sunday) of the week when the work will be done
  • the hourly rate to be paid
  • the number of hours that will be worked
  • details of the workorder to be charged for payment

When you make a booking, we will check your request is compatible with their visa and any other existing bookings. We will confirm each booking by sending you and the worker a booking reference number.  From 5 July, a booking reference number will be needed by Tier 4 workers to claim their pay.

If you try to book an unregistered worker we will contact them to arrange registration, but it may delay the confirmation of your booking.  Please remember that until the registration is complete no work should be undertaken by the worker.

During June

To allow us to introduce these changes, we need your support in supplying us with details of any bookings you have already made for Tier 4 workers from July onwards. We will provide you with reference numbers for these bookings.  Without the booking reference, your worker will not be able to claim their pay.

A template spreadsheet is available for you to populate with your future bookings and return to us. Don’t worry if you already have a spreadsheet of bookings. If it has the same columns as our format, please use yours as an alternative to our spreadsheet.  Don’t forget that we only need information on your Tier 4 worker bookings.

From 5 July

From 5 July Tier 4 workers will need the booking reference number to claim their pay.  

Workers will use the same claim form but will be asked to declare if they are a Tier 4 worker:

  • workers who are not on a Tier 4 visa will be able to claim in the usual way, with the department verifying their right to work
  • if they are a Tier 4 worker and have registered with HR, they will be able to make a claim using their reference number
  • if they are a Tier 4 worker and have not registered with HR, they will be asked to do so.  They will not be able to make a claim until they have registered

Claims made by Tier 4 workers will go through the usual departmental approval processes, but will also be subject to a final approval by HR to ensure that their worked hours are in line with their booking.  

We will be contacting all of our workers and asking them to ensure they claim any outstanding hours up to the end of June by 4 July. This will complete all booking and work and allow us to introduce the booking number from 5 July.

Support for departments

If you have any questions about this process, please email the Compliance Team at hr-compliance@york.ac.uk or on extension 4892.