Visa Compliance Officer

POSITION OVERVIEW

Location: Devon House, London (Hybrid role – 3-4 days on campus)

Term: Full-time; Maternity Cover (1 year)

Hours: Monday to Friday (38 hours per week, 9:00-17:30)

Benefits: Generous benefits package including 25 days holiday allowance pro rata (excl.Bank holidays), group life assurance, group income protection, pension schemes and private healthcare (optional)

Start: 03 October 2022

Reporting to the Visa & Immigration Compliance Manager, the Visa Compliance Officer will focus on the operational aspects of complying with the College’s duties as a sponsor under the Student Route of the Points Based System. You will liaise regularly with NCH current students and future student visa applicants/students to maintain up-to-date student and CAS records for all our students studying in the UK on visas.

Our ideal candidate will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and have a minimum of one year’s experience working in a visa and immigration role in the UK Higher Education Sector.

Duties and Responsibilities

CAS ISSUANCE

• To check all CAS requests and the corresponding documents thoroughly to ensure that only genuine students who meet the requirements of student visa are issued with a CAS

• To work closely with the Immigration Visa Compliance Manager/Compliance Officer to ensure that all CASs are assigned correctly and within agreed deadlines

• To track all the pending documents for CAS issuance. This will require communication with all students who have accepted an offer and paid a deposit

• To obtain regular updates on the progress of their student visa application, obtaining copies of all the student visas granted.

• To provide the College with accurate up-to-date lists of all students issued with CAS’ on student visa.

• To notify the Visa & Immigration Compliance Manager of all students who are “at-risk” of failing to meet the CAS issuance requirements under the Student Visa, and to follow up or refer students for additional support. This will require contact with the students and in some cases, refer the students to different departments for additional academic and general student support.

• To communicate regularly with students who are applying for a student visa to ensure that our student records are updated.

• To liaise with key external stakeholders as required, in particular the UK Visa and Immigration.

• To assist the visa compliance team in contributing to the development and update of immigration-related information for prospective international students

VISA COMPLIANCE

• To work closely with the internal stakeholders to ensure that students and offer holders are aware of the requirements and responsibilities of gaining and maintaining a Student Visa.
• To provide assistance and support to the Visa Compliance Team to ensure the College is fully compliant with UKVI sponsorship duties.
• To monitor and evaluate visa student files and undertake regular audit checks to ensure that they meet the UKVI requirements.
• To check all CAS requests and the corresponding documents thoroughly to ensure that only genuine students who meet the requirements of a student visa are issued with a CAS.
• Work as a Level 2 user on SMS (Sponsor Management System) to issue CAS.
• To assist with the enrolment and re-enrolment of international students.
• To monitor and report changes in student circumstances to the Visa Compliance Manager consistently.
• Monitor student academic engagement, communicate and meet with students in relation to their academic engagement and compile academic engagement reports for the Visa & Immigration Compliance Manager.
• To compile reports, annual monitoring and trend data associated with visa monitoring and other aspects of UKVI compliance.
• To maintain and update the UKVI compliance information across all communication platforms.
• To liaise with staff across the College and Northeastern University to ensure relevant and timely information is provided to prospective and current students and the staff who interface with them.
• To assist the Visa & Immigration Compliance Manager with the review and maintenance of College policies and processes relating to Visa and Immigration Compliance.
• To provide basic advice to prospective students related to CAS or visa process and those registered at NCH.

OTHER DUTIES

• To undertake any other duties commensurate with the level of responsibility of this post, for which the post holder has the necessary experience and/or training
• To provide support to the Visa & Immigration Compliance Team with the relevant checks prior to enrolment.
• To keep up-to-date with Higher Education and Immigration rules and regulations.
• To foster a positive work environment with a good team spirit, including the wider admissions, recruitment and marketing team and all other departments.

About the College

Founded in 2012, New College of the Humanities at Northeastern has established itself as a prestigious higher education institution based in the heart of London. After becoming part of Northeastern University’s global network in early 2019, the College has undergone a period of rapid growth, having been granted Taught Degree Awarding Powers in February 2020 and moving to new premises in 2021. NCH continues to grow taking in more students year on year, further expanding its courses, network and opportunities.

Person Specification Criteria (Essential / Desirable):

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to work as part of a team and independently. [E]
• An exceptionally high level of attention to detail and accuracy. [E]
• Well-developed organisational skills and time management skills, including the ability to prioritise and manage workload. [E]
• Ability to empathise and develop rapport with individuals applying to the College.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills. [E]
• Experience of working with customers face-to-face, digitally and over the phone. [E]
• Diplomatic influencing and relationship-building skills, to work with others and to ensure offer holders comply with visa requirements. [E]
• Recent experience of issuing CAS, processing student visa applications and applying the UKVI regulations, including checking applicants’ documentation. [D]

Education and Training

Application Process

Applications should be made via this link by 20:00 on 23 September 2022. Please reference your application “VCO822”. Participation in the equal opportunities section is encouraged, but voluntary.

Applications must include a covering letter of no more than one page and a full curriculum vitae.

Applications are welcome from all sections of the community and will be judged on merit alone.

Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.