JOB VACANCY: Visa Assistant

LOCALLY ENGAGED ENHANCED VACANCIES IN VISA DEPARTMENT, CHENNAI

1. The Visa Department in Chennai is recruiting for the posts of Locally Engaged Visa Assistants in the Grade LEIII(E). We will recruit four full time Visa Assistants. The start dates will be November 2007. If you are selected for a position, we will be able to employ you as long as you:

· Pass a demanding and comprehensive training course; and
· Receive the appropriate level of UK national standard security clearance; and
· If appropriate, have permission from the Indian immigration authorities to take employment; and
· Are available to join on our stipulated start date

2. These are opportunities for portable careers. These jobs may particularly appeal to you if:

· Your spouse or partner works for the Foreign Office or Home Office, or for a company which sends its staff to work in different countries; and
· You would like to work in a fast-paced and challenging environment as part of a large and diverse team of people, committed to achieving clear service delivery goals.

Background information

3. UKvisas is the overseas arm of the UK's immigration control. We have visa offices in 160 locations throughout the world. The largest handles 180,000 applications a year; the smallest less than 10.

4. Chennai is one of the busiest and most high profile Visa Departments in the world. Our team is committed to providing a first class service, and we are expected to be flexible, and make fair and defensible decisions on visa applications quickly, balancing the need for a high level of customer service with the requirement to maintain the integrity of the immigration control. We are at the forefront of innovation, always prepared to react positively to change and try new ways of working.

Duties and responsibilities:

· Assessing a narrow range of visa applications and making recommendations to senior staff on how to deal with them.
· Reviewing appeal cases and making recommendations to senior staff on how they should be dealt with.
· Preparing statements in support of our decision for the appeal court.
· Dealing with routine correspondence and other enquiries from members of the public.

The skills we are looking for

5. The ideal candidates will be:

· Good communicators with excellent spoken and written English;
· Computer literate with accurate typing skills of at least 25 words per minute;
· Able to remain customer focused, polite and courteous under pressure;
· Able to work quickly and reliably with little supervision and meet challenging targets;
· Capable of making quick decisions in accordance with set rules and able to show that these decisions are fair and just;
· Able to work well under pressure;
· Excellent team players; this is an all for one, and one for all environment;
· Flexible and positive about working in a forward thinking, modern and motivated department, which is working at the forefront of visa work. We are committed to improving standards and procedures - and we are looking for like-minded employees;
· Excellent representatives of the Visa Department, the British Deputy High Commission, and of the UK Government.

Salary & employment

6. We can only offer you a job if you are in India legally. Employment by Her Majesty's Government in an India-engaged capacity, does not afford employees any special immunities or privileges, or protection against legal action. Conditions of service for all locally employed staff in India are consistent with Indian laws and regulations.

7. The period of the contract will be for two years and the starting salary is Rs.87,754 per month. Visa Assistants’ salaries are set, and paid, in rupees, and are taxed at 25%.

Making your application

8. You should submit your application on the attached application form, making sure that you read the instructions carefully. Please e-mail the completed form to mailto:gauri.srinivasan@fco.gov.uk and title your e-mail ‘Locally Engaged Visa Assistants’. Alternatively, please forward your application form to HR Officer, British Deputy High Commission, 20 Anderson Road, Chennai 600 006. Your application must be received by Wednesday 31 October 2007.

9. The British Deputy High Commission is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all applications irrespective of race, colour, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief, creed or age.