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*Tracing Your Roots > South Asian > Migration Records
* Ministry of Labour Vouchers & Work Permits 
 
A Commonwealth citizen who wanted to work and settle in the United Kingdom had to obtain Ministry of Labour Vouchers, which were issued under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962 and 1969. The vouchers were issued in three categories:

  • Category A For applications by employers in this country who have a specific job to offer to a particular Commonwealth citizen
  • Category B For applications by Commonwealth citizens without a specific job to come to but with certain special qualifications (such as nurses, teachers, medical doctors)
  • Category C For all others
The series consists of vouchers that were not used, cancelled or rejected and the reasons given for the ruling under the Commonwealth Immigrants Acts of 1961 and 1968. Normally they contain:

  • Original letters from the applicant to the Ministry of Labour
  • Correspondence from the Department of Employment to the applicant
  • Original application forms contain name of the applicant
  • Date of birth
  • Occupation
  • Number of passport
  • Special qualification
  • Details about previous service in the armed forces
  • Photographs of the applicant
  • Sometimes the used original voucher
This is an excellent source for family historians.

A specimen of applications for work permits for employment in the United Kingdom from aliens to 1972 and, from 1973 onwards, from both aliens and Commonwealth citizens, are in the National Archives record series (PRO) LAB 48.


Creators: Abi Husainy

 
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