<p>Staff shortages are considered one of the main problems faced by the construction sector in the UK. According to <a href="https://www.citb.co.uk/about-citb/construction-industry-research-reports/construction-skills-network-csn/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Construction Skills Network (CSN) report</a>, more than a quarter of a million extra construction workers will be needed by 2026 to meet growing demands in the UK sector. Carpenters, joiners, and construction managers are currently among the most in-demand job positions in the UK, along with various technical roles. The entire UK, comprising England, Scotland, Wales, and <a class="MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">Northern Ireland</a>, is undergoing a nationwide construction boom, leading to a <a class="MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">critical skills shortage</a> in the industry, which is the worst it has been in many years.</p>
<p>To get a basic understanding of working in the UK, the official <a href="https://www.gov.uk/">UK Government</a> website is a good resource which will give you information on anything from taxation to Visas to transferring your driving license and everything in between.</p>
<h4>Visa Requirements</h4>
<p>UK construction companies tend to be hesitant to hire individuals without <a class="MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">valid entitlement</a> to work in the UK. While EU nationals have more relaxed rules, non-EU nationals must navigate a complicated points-based system to determine eligibility for work in the UK. Often, a written job offer is required before a Visa is granted. This creates a catch-22 situation for non-EU nationals as construction companies are often reluctant to interview candidates without a Visa in place.</p>
<h3 class="gem-c-title__text govuk-heading-xl">Skilled Worker visa </h3>
<p>The UK government website confirms that the <a class="MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">Skilled Worker visa</a> is intended for individuals who wish to perform an eligible job with an approved employer in the UK. This visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa and allows individuals to work in UK waters as well.</p>
<h3 id="eligibility">Eligibility</h3>
<p>To be eligible for a Skilled Worker visa, there are a few requirements that you must meet.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>1). You must work for a UK employer who has been approved by the <a class="MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">Home Office</a>.</p>
<p>2). You must have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your employer that contains information about the job being offered to you in the UK.</p>
<p>3). The job you are offered must be on the list of eligible occupations.</p>
<p>4). The <a class="MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">minimum salary</a> you are paid will depend on the type of work you do.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The specific <a href="https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/your-job">eligibility depends on your job</a>. You must have a confirmed job offer before you apply for your visa.</p>
<h3 id="knowledge-of-english">Knowledge of English</h3>
<blockquote>
<p>You must be able to speak, read, write and understand English. You’ll usually need to <a href="https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/knowledge-of-english">prove your knowledge of English</a> when you apply. If you’re not eligible for a Skilled Worker visa You may be eligible for <a href="https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa">another type of visa to work in the UK</a>.</p>
</blockquote>
<h3 id="how-to-apply">How to apply</h3>
<blockquote>
<p>You must apply online. How you apply depends on whether you’re:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/apply-from-outside-the-uk">outside the UK</a> and are coming to the UK</li>
<li>inside the UK and <a href="https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/extend-your-visa">extending your current visa</a></li>
<li>inside the UK and <a href="https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/switch-to-this-visa">switching from a different visa</a></li>
</ul>
<p>If you want to change your job or employer, you must <a href="https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/update-your-visa-if-you-change-job-or-employer">apply to update your visa</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/your-partner-and-children">Your partner and children</a> can apply to join you or stay in the UK as your ‘dependants’ if they’re eligible.</p>
</blockquote>
<h3 id="how-long-it-takes">How long it takes</h3>
<blockquote>
<p>You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK. This date is listed on your certificate of sponsorship. As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity and provide your documents. You may need to allow extra time if you need an appointment to do this. You’ll find out if you need one when you start your application.</p>
</blockquote>
<h3 id="getting-a-decision">Getting a decision</h3>
<blockquote>
<p>After applying online and submitting your documents and <a class="MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">identity proof</a>, you can expect a decision on your visa within three weeks if you’re outside the UK and eight weeks if you’re inside the UK. You may opt for a faster decision by paying an additional fee.How you do this depends on whether you’re <a href="https://www.gov.uk/faster-decision-visa-settlement/applying-outside-the-uk">outside the UK</a> or <a href="https://www.gov.uk/faster-decision-visa-settlement">inside the UK</a>.</p>
</blockquote>
<h3 id="how-much-it-costs">How much it costs</h3>
<blockquote>
<p>To apply for a visa, every applicant including your partner and children must pay the <a class="MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">application fee</a>, healthcare surcharge for each year of stay, and provide evidence of sufficient personal savings. <strong><a href="https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs">Check how much money you’ll need</a>.</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>


Pindula News

UK Construction Faces Staff Shortages; 250K Workers Needed By 2026

<p>The Zimbabwe Construction and Allied Trades Workers Union (ZCATWU) has indicated that its members will embark on strike action this week if the Construction Industry Federation of Zimbabwe (CIFOZ) continues to renege on paying workers what was agreed on during the recent wage negotiations.</p>
<p>Employers in the construction industry have reportedly reneged on paying the NEC-agreed wage of US$200, currently ZWL$41 127 per month.</p>
<p>In a memorandum to all workers and employees in the construction industry dated 18 July 2022, ZCATWU said it has given CIFOZ 72 hours to fulfil its part of the bargain and failure to do that workers will down tools. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Reads the memo:</strong></span></p>
<blockquote>
<p>We would like to inform you that the Zimbabwe Construction and Allied Trades Workers Union (ZCATWU) we have concluded our negotiations with the employers’ parties, i.e., CIFOZ and ZBCA for wages and salaries on the 12 of July 2022.</p>
<p>In terms of the National Employment Council (NEC) constitution, it states that after parties of the council have reached an agreement must sign the circular which would have been prepared and circulated by the NEC secretariat.</p>
<p>In line with this constitutional obligation, the NEC secretariat has prepared the wages circular and sent it to all the parties involved namely ZCATWU, CIFOZ and ZBCA.</p>
<p>Two parties confirmed the correctness of the circular and these parties are ZCATWU and ZBCA by signing the circular.</p>
<p>It has come to our attention that CIFOZ is deliberately delaying signing the circular. </p>
<p>As it stands at this moment there hasn’t been any official communication as to why CIFOZ has taken this deliberate course of action.</p>
<p>We are therefore bringing to your attention that if the employers’ organizations, that is, CIFOZ and ZBCA maintain this unconstitutional position of not honouring the position which was reached by the highest body of the NEC, as a workers’ organization, we will be left with no option but to call for a NATIONAL WORK STOPPAGE. This position has been agreed upon by the trade union leadership.</p>
<p>With the above assertion, we are calling upon all workers in the Construction Industry of Zimbabwe to unite to ensure that our voice will be heard by these capitalist employers.</p>
<p>As you are aware that we started the negotiation process in March 2022 and up to now they are still refusing to respect the workers by paying them a decent living wage. </p>
<p>It should be known that for any nation to have a functional infrastructure and for development to come to life it is because of construction workers.</p>
<p>Therefore these employers must give us the due respect we deserve by honouring the agreement we had reached as parties to the NEC.</p>
<p>Please note that if there is no positive action done by the employers within 72 hours we are going to down tools. For any further information do not hesitate to contact us.</p>
</blockquote>


Construction Workers Threaten To Down Tools

<p>A heavy hailstorm destroyed 23 homes in Hurungwe East ZBC reports. The 23 families affected are currently in need of temporary shelter.</p>
<p><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-91913" decoding="async" height="452" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Hurungwe-Rains-Destroyed-House.jpg" srcset="https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Hurungwe-Rains-Destroyed-House.jpg 700w, https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Hurungwe-Rains-Destroyed-House-300x194.jpg 300w, https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Hurungwe-Rains-Destroyed-House-600x387.jpg 600w" width="700"/></p>
<p>Poor workmanship has been blamed for the destruction as mud was used as mortar in the construction of the houses. There are no reports of injuries or deaths from the destruction.</p>
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<p><strong>More: <a href="http://www.zbc.co.zw/hailstorm-destroys-23-houses-in-hurungwe/">ZBC News</a></strong></p>


Heavy Rains Destroy 23 Houses In Hurungwe

<p>Construction of the Mbudzi flyover is set to begin by January next year after Government flighted the tender. Government and Harare City Council have moved to ease congestion through the construction of flyovers, roundabouts and widening of problematic roads.</p>
<p>Harare City Council is already upgrading the bypasses to be used during the construction of the overpass.</p>
<p>Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo recently tasked council to make provision for modern roads in their review of the master plan.</p>
<p>Council chief engineer of works George Munyonga confirmed the development.</p>
<p>Said Munyonga:</p>
<blockquote><p>If you have noticed, a tender has already been floated in the paper by the Ministry of Transport because that is a regional trunk route.The maintenance of that road is vested with the Department of Roads. The tenders are actually closing this week.</p>
<p>We are dealing with the bypasses that are going to be put during the construction phase. The design is going to take two to three months. During those two to three months we are going to be constructing and upgrading the bypasses that we are going to use during the construction of the road.</p></blockquote>
<p>More: <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/govt-council-move-to-ease-congestion/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The Herald</a></p>


Construction Of The Mbudzi Flyover Set To Begin By January Next Year

<p>Due to a lack of offices at Juru Police Station, some polices officers were reportedly using impounded vehicles as offices. This resulted in the local community donating 20 000 bricks for the construction of an office block.</p>
<p>Chairperson of the Goromonzi Consultative Committee, Dumezweni Sibanda said:</p>
<blockquote><p><em>We were touched by the shortage of office accommodation at the police station where police officers use impounded vehicles as offices. We then decided to donate the bricks for the construction of the new offices,</em></p>
<p><em>This helps in creating self-reliance on the police officers without them approaching the police headquarters for scarce resources</em></p></blockquote>
<p>The community is now sourcing resources for the construction of a staff canteen and kennels.</p>
<p>More: <a href="http://www.newzimbabwe.com/news-37669-Police+turn+impounded+cars+into+offices/news.aspx">New Zimbabwe</a></p>
<p> </p>


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