LOCALLY ENGAGED VACANCIES IN VISA DEPARTMENT, CHENNAI

British Deputy High Commission
Chennai
Visa Department

1. The Visa Department in Chennai is recruiting for the posts of Locally Engaged Entry Clearance Officers. We will recruit four full-time Officers and the start date will be January 2008. 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
· Are a minimum age of 18;
· Educated to A level standard (or equivalent) or have other relevant experience which would make you a suitable candidate

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

· Your spouse or partner works for the Foreign Office, Home Office, British Council 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 the full range of visa applications and interviewing applicants in a fair, objective and courteous manner. Making quick and pragmatic decisions to issue and refuse visas in accordance with the Immigration Rules and within agreed timescales.
· Dealing with correspondence and other enquiries from applicants, sponsors and members of the public. Preparing well-presented and accurate replies, written in plain English, within target times.
· Preparing written statements and paperwork related to the appeals process and making sure that they are also well presented and accurate.

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.
· The vacancies are full-time and permanent but if selected you will be required to serve a probationary period of six months before your permanent status is confirmed.
· The starting salary is £20,060 per annum. Salaries are set in London in sterling, paid in rupees and are subject to tax abatement in line with HM Treasury rules.

Making your application

7. 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 Entry Clearance Officers ‘ 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 Friday 11 January 2008 .

8. 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.

9. . The attached document is the Security Questionnaire for reference, which needs to be completed if successful after interview.


19 December 2007

NOTE: I could not attach the application form to the blog text. Please email me and I will forward it. natalievh@gmx.net

President's Message

Hello Ladies!

I hope all of you find yourselves refreshed and relaxed during your holiday breaks!

Let me first start off by congratulating our Crafts Group. They raised over Rs.19,000 at our Holiday Bazaar. You should all give yourselves a huge pat on the back! The crafts were lovely and so well done. Thank you very much for your hard work and I look forward to seeing what is coming in the future!

Secondly, Thank you to Aruna Vijaykumar and Maureen Thandi for selling books at the Christmas Fair on December 1. They have sold off the majority of the books we had, helping with our storage issues, as well as raising over Rs.12,000 which was donated in our name to the Christmas Fair. Thank you Ladies!

A big Thank you also needs to go to Maureen Hudson-Murari for all of her work organizing the charity events/parties. This is truly a difficult task and she has worked very hard to make sure everyone has something they need or enjoy this holiday season. I also want to thank those who have assisted at the different events. I hope you have found this enlightening and choose to become more involved with our Social Welfare groups and help out our different Charities!

We also have some things to look forward to. Our meeting on January 9 will feature Hints and Tips for Living in Madras! I hope to see all of you there as this meeting is amazingly informative and helpful!

Our Garden Tea this year will be held at the the Japanese Consulate. We will be having an Oriental Tea and will also be looking for your help! We would like to get to know everyone and their cultures better, so along with the lovely Japanese dishes we will have, we would like to have dishes brought from each nationality! This is a great chance for you to get together and enjoy some time cooking up your favorite dish from home! There will be more details on this in the near future – so start thinking of what you would like to bring to represent you and your country!


Happy New Year!
Stephanie Thompson
President

MAHJONG 2008

Games will recommence on Thursday 10 January 2008 1.30pm at Norah McParlane's
103B The Laurels
59 & 60 C P Ramaswamy Road
Alwarpet
Chennai 600018
Home Phone: +91 44 42658791
Mobile: +91 9952 085 099

Craft's Group

Crafts Group will be held on Tuesday January 29 at 2 pm at Suzanne (Kannan APT 4B - Chamiers Road 40 - 98409 83138).
For those interested a patchwork class will be started, a simple project that everybody can make. Shopping for the necessary fabric can be done together, a date can be arranged at that time. Ladies that are not interested in patchwork are also very welcome as other crafts can be done as well : crossstitch, knitting or whatever you like!
For more information you can always call Suzanne (please note though that she will be out of town till January 27th)
Hope to see a lot of new faces !

CAN STOP Christmas Party

Christmas Celebration

“ Santa “
will be coming along with carol singers
on 11th ( Tuesday ) December 2007
at 3.00 PM
for the
Children at the Institute of Child Health
( 9th Floor ), Egmore


CAN-STOP ( Cancer Support Therapy To Overcome Pain)
An out-reach programme of Sundaram Medical Foundation
Dr.Rangarajan Memorial Hospital
4th Avenue, Shanthi Colony, Anna Nagar, Chennai – 600 040
Helpline : 044 26284256
Email : canstop@smfhospital.org www.canstop.org

Playgroup December 11th

Venue for tomorrow's playgroup is at the home of :

Isabel and Yara
Bischop Garden ext nr4
Grayshott Apartment Block D – 102
R.A. Puram

Tel: 044- 42815341 and cell: 99-40676631

Christmas Parties 2007 Schedule

MONDAY LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR, Harrington Road, Chetpet
10TH December Tea party for 180 elderly residents together with Nativity play
3.30p.m.-5p.m. by children of St. George’s Creche with gift bags for children.

WEDNESDAY Friends in Need Society and St. George’s Home for Elderly
12TH December Lunch party for 80 elderly residents at venue to be decided
12N-3p.m. Lunch also served at residences for those unable to attend outing.

THURSDAY CHILDREN’S CRECHE, Halls Road, Kilpauk
13TH December 120 children – distribution of clothing and gift bags.
10.30A.M.

WEDNESDAY Visits to Shishyu Bhavan, Royapuram, Nirmal Hriday,Ennore,
19th December Jeevodaya, Manali, to distribute gift bags and clothing and
9.30a.m-2p.m. provisions. (approximately 250 residents)

Date to be advised CANSTOP PARTY FOR LEUKEMIA CHILDREN OF
Egmore children’s hospital. (Number to be confirmed.)

MONDAY CHESHIRE HOME, 23A Third Seaward Roiad, Valmiki Nagar,
24th December Teaparty and entertainment for 80 disabled residents.
4-5.30p.m. Distribution of giftbags


Please contact Maureen for more info or to volunteer: 98402-93027

Mahjong Location Change

Mahjong Location Change this week only, Tuesday, Dec. 11th 1:00 - 3:00
Mahjong will be at Linda Talluto's 83/38 Bishop GardenRA Puram

Socieal Welfare Update

Maureen made a special trip to visit the Homes pre-Diwali to deliver provisions and a Diwali treat to Shishyu Bhavan, Royapuram, Nirmal Hriday, Ennore, Jeevodaya, Manali, Children’s Creche, Kilpauk, Cheshire Homes Thiruvanmiyur.

Jeevodaya Cancer Hospice recently opened a clinic in Avadi Road, Kilpauk, for collection of Morphine by local cancer residents.

The children’s crèche in Halls Road, Kilpauk has requested the services of a doctor (Tamil speaking) to address the parents of the children (numbering 120) about HIV awareness. This to take place on a Sunday afternoon 2-4p.m. some time in January after Pongal. We could also invite the parents of the children from St. George’s Creche to participate in this program.

Eleonor is out of town till the New Year. Volunteers requested to visit Shishyu Bhavan on Tuesday afternoons 3-5p.m. to interact with the children in drawing and colouring.

Christmas Lunch

There will be a Christmas lunch at the Madras Club (Adyar Club Gate Road) as part of the social welfare activities and the OWC's General Meeting on Wednesday, 12th December 2007 at 12Noon. This event is shared with one of our charities for the elderly. It was a blast last year as one gentelman did a fantastic Elvis rendition and another played the piano. Don't miss it! The decorations at the Madras Club are also extremely charming

The cost will be Rs.350 (to cover our lunch) and we need to have an rsvp so we can warn in the numbers. Please contact either Stephanie 9840101343 or Maureen 9840293027