Ukrainian au pair - how difficult to get a visa for her?

[MizZan]

We are talking to a very nice sounding ukrainian girl about coming to us as an au pair. she is currently an ap in germany. she ticks all the boxes but I have just realised she'd need a special visa. how possible is it to get this? she's coming on her own (found on internet) not with an agency. any advice/btdt most gratefully received.

It's a non starter in my view, as she is from Non-EEA and is not a country listed on Youth Mobility Scheme.

Nigh on impossible IMO.

I would talk to a specialist immigration lawyer but it may well be more hassle than it's worth.

I would walk away now. There are so many EU candidates that I could never justify the hassle of sponsoring a non-EU candidate.

no

I'm afraid it is impossible. We have tried to do the same and I spent hours on the phone to immigration solicitors and UK Borders Agency and it turned out it can't be done. In order for someone outside EEA area (other than the countries that have signed up for the Youth Mobility Scheme) to work here they need to have sponsorship from an employer, which seems straight forward enough (once you register, fill in various forms etc) BUT a family or an individual cannot be a sponsor, it has to be a firm.
(I found this particularly annoying as currently we have a nanny who we employ (from NZ so comes under the YM Scheme), pay tax for, NI etc so are obviously employers but when it comes to registering as a sponsor apparrently that does not apply). I think you will have to look for someone from EU or the countries that are part of the YM Scheme.

can't they get a tier 4 (student) visa for studying English or something? of course they'd be limited to 10 hours work a week during term time. Don't know whether Ukrainians are able to get a tier 4 visa.

Sounds like a real PITA, not to mention who wants an au pair who can only work 10 hours a week.

The tiered student visa is conditional on an offer from a registered institute of HE (pref on the Trusted Sponsor Register), they must prioritise their studies and are restricted in the work they can do. So basically unless you can be flexible around an au pair's studies a student visa isn't great...

They'll need a CAS number to get the visa (30 points), which in reality means they will need to have applied and been accepted already with a visa already being processed and proof of ability to support themselves (10 points). Studying English is possible but I think the 20 hours of work is permitted only at FD level or above.

They just tightened up the regs again in March.

this website explains it quite neatly

UKBA official website

thanks everyone for the helpful replies. a shame but we don't have time to organise something this complicated.