Siemens wins £6.7m immigration IT contract

Siemens Business Services has won a £6.7m contract to manage the work permit application payment system for the Home Office's Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND).

The three-year contract covers the process from the receipt of applications, the recording of the details and payment, and the submission to the IND for a decision - and also includes 'leave to remain' in the UK applications.

The service will be delivered by Siemens from two main operational sites. A team in Durham will process all 'leave to remain' and specific work permit applications, while a Sheffield-based centre will manage the rest of the work permit forms.

Siemens is also taking on responsibility for managing the cashiering functions at the IND's public enquiry offices at Birmingham, Croydon, Glasgow and Liverpool.

Siemens expects to begin providing the service at each site at various dates throughout the summer of 2006.