Do you employ workers with overseas qualifications?

Over the last few years LISS/CSCS has made a number of high profile changes that ensure Land-based industry workers hold the correct qualifications for the job they do on site. The most well-known of these was the recent withdrawal of the Construction Related Occupation and the planned closure of the Construction Site Visitor card.

However, one area that is not so well documented is the work that has taken place to ensure the verification of overseas qualifications is brought in line with that already in place for UK based applications.

A change in process

Historically, LISS/CSCS requested that applicants with overseas qualifications apply to the UK’s international qualifications agency UK NARIC for a Statement of Comparability to compare their awards to UK levels.

From 01 October 2019, applicants will be required to obtain a Statement of Comparability for Construction Skills.

This UK NARIC service maps the skills of overseas qualification holders to UK National Occupational Standards, and also use Primary Source Verification (PSV) to verify that the overseas qualification is genuine.

This assists industry bodies in maintaining standards of work and health and safety on construction and land-based industry sites, and in preventing fraudulent applications for cards using fake or altered qualification and training certificates.

Academic qualifications – relevant for overseas applicants applying for the Academically Qualified Person (AQP) LISS/CSCS SmartCard.

https://www.naric.org.uk/naric/construction/AQP%20Info.aspx

As part of the wider strategy for combatting fraud LISS/CSCS worked with UK NARIC to introduce “Primary Source Verification” (PSV) into the application process.

PSV involves investigating the origin of the qualification, including the college it was delivered, to prove its authenticity. From 01 October 2019 all overseas academic applications must now pass this additional verification process.

Applying for a LISS/CSCS SmartCard

Applicants whose qualifications pass the PSV process are required to provide the following when applying for a LISS/CSCS SmartCard:

• A UK NARIC Statement of Comparability for Construction Skills, AQP option
• A Primary Source Verification Report (issued with the above)
• A copy of the original qualification (preferably translated)
• Once this information is received LISS/CSCS will review and confirm if the qualification is suitable for a LISS/CSCS card.

Vocational qualifications – relevant for overseas applicants applying for a work-based LISS/CSCS SmartCard

https://www.naric.org.uk/naric/construction/Trades%20Info.aspx

Overseas Land-based industry workers wishing to work in the UK must now have the technical content of their overseas vocational qualification mapped against the relevant UK National Occupational Standard for that occupation. This provides an in-depth record of each individual’s skills and capabilities, mapped against units in the National Occupational Standard for their trade.

This will improve understanding of the relationship between UK and overseas Land-based industry qualifications at a unit-by-unit level. The mapping to National Occupational Standards will help to ensure that workers have the training they require for their job and will pinpoint areas for additional training, if required. The mapping will be verified by Lantra (acting as the Standard Setting Body for the Land-based Industry) before the qualification can be accepted as an approved equivalent to the UK based qualification.

Applying for a LISS/CSCS SmartCard

Applicants whose qualifications pass the enhanced verification process are required to provide the following when applying for a LISS/CSCS card:

• A UK NARIC Statement of Comparability for Construction Skills, trades option
• A Primary Source Verification Report (issued with the above)
• A copy of the original qualification (preferably translated)
• Once this information is received LISS/CSCS will review and confirm if the qualification is suitable for a LISS/CSCS card.

Benefits

The introduction of the new verification process and the mapping of overseas qualifications against the appropriate UK NOS is a positive step that provides the industry with a robust level of scrutiny, similar to that already in place for UK based card applications.

By certifying that overseas Land-based industry workers have the correct training and qualifications UK NARIC and LISS/CSCS are improving standards and safety in UK Land-based industry.

NOTE: For applicants who are in the process of obtaining their statement of comparability prior to 01 October LISS/CSCS will accept these between 01 August 2019 till 01 November 2019. After this date, all overseas qualifications must follow the current procedure launching 01 October 2019.