The Immigration and Nationality Directorate has selected
Siemens Business Services to run its payment processes for work
permit and leave to remain applications.
The £6.7m three-year contract to manage the applications
processes could be extended for up to two more years.
The contract marks a return to the IND for Siemens, after its
deal to provide a new IT system to handle asylum applications was
cancelled in 2001. The project – intended to speed up refugee and
asylum applications and save the taxpayer at least £110m – ended in
fiasco.
Under the new contract, Siemens will oversee applications for
work permits and leave to remain from the initial receipt of
application through to payment processing. The IND will continue to
consider and decide the merit of individual asylum
applications.
The service is set to be run from two main centres, in Sheffield
and Durham, with the Sheffield office focusing on work permit
applications under tight service level agreements.
The contract will also see Siemens manage cashier services at
IND public enquiry offices around the UK, including those in
Glasgow, Liverpool, Birmingham and Croydon.