#certificate of sponsorship

[lexlawuk]

Global Business Mobility: Guide to UK Specialist Worker Visa Application

The Senior or Specialist Worker visa allows you to come to or remain in the UK to undertake a qualifying job at your employer’s UK branch. This visa has replaced the Intra-company Transfer visa, which was previously known as the Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) Long-term Staff visa. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the eligibility requirements, application process, and benefits of the…

[xmonies]

Learn the Certificate of Sponsorship process in detail, from its description to the actions necessary to get one, its processing time, checking the COS number, and the method for cancelling a Certificate of Sponsorship. 

[sm2uk]

Get in touch with The SmartMove2UK to know about how can you acquire a Sponsor Licence for your UK-based business. As a UK Sponsor Licence consultant in India, we accurately guide our clients on the entire procedure and requirements! Call us on +91 98191 27002 or email us at info@smartmove2uk.com to book an initial consultation with our UK Sponsor Licence consultant. 

[smartaanchal]

Get in touch with conroybaker to know about how can you acquire a Sponsor Licence for your UK-based business. As a UK Sponsor Licence consultant in India, we accurately guide our clients on the entire procedure and requirements! If you want to start the process for applying for a UK sponsor licence application, get in touch with Conroy Baker Ltd. You can contact us on +44 330 330 1584 or info@conroybaker.com to book a consultation.

[uk-expansion-worker-visa]

Certificate of Sponsorship for a UK Expansion Worker visa - an important requirement

A Certificate of Sponsorship is a required document when hiring workers through the UK-sponsored work visa pathways or sending an employee to the UK to assist a foreign firm in expanding.

A business must produce a Certificate of Sponsorship demonstrating that all requirements for a UK Expansion Worker visa have been satisfied before they can sponsor a migrant worker. The employee applicant uses the CoS to submit a sponsorship visa application after arriving in the UK. The employee and the sponsor must both meet the requirements for the UK Expansion Worker visa.

Click here for additional information on the Certificate of Sponsorship requirement for the UK Expansion Worker visa.

Below is a summary of the UK Expansion Worker visa.

What Exactly Is a UK Worker Extension Visa?

If they accept a work offer in the UK, foreign nationals may apply for the UK Expansion Worker visa. The expansion worker must be senior management or a specialist employed by that foreign company who intends to immigrate to the UK for initiatives involving expanding the foreign business there.

What benefits can UK Expansion Worker Visas offer businesses?

Using an expansion worker visa, business owners, senior managers, and/or specialists can simply go to the UK to start planning their company's growth. Here are several reasons that obtaining the UK Expansion Worker visa can tremendously benefit a business.

A corporation or enterprise may send up to 5 employees (each with their own Expansion Worker visa) to the UK in order to expand its global operation.

With an extended working visa, which grants you an additional year, you are permitted to stay in the UK for up to two years.

The holder of the visa is free to depart the country and later return for purposes of trade or business.

What benefits come to employees who acquire a UK Expansion Worker Visa?

If they are eligible, the rising employee may also bring their spouse and children. In the UK, there is access to healthcare.

Education for children is free here.

What is a UK Expansion Worker Visa Certificate of Sponsorship? (CoS)

A holder of a sponsor licence provides the CoS, a self-certifying document, to a candidate for a sponsored work visa. The Certificate of Sponsorship is an electronic document with a unique reference number rather than a printed document.

A sponsor must give the applicant a Certificate of Sponsorship prior to submitting an application for the UK Expansion Worker visa or another route for Sponsored Work (CoS).

The expansion worker (applicant) must wait three months after receiving the certificate before submitting a visa application. In addition, they have three months before the start of the employment mentioned on the certificate to file their visa application.

The certificate must indicate that the company (licenced sponsor) has the authority to sponsor the employee, that it agrees to the terms of the SMS, that it is ready to do so, and that it is certain the sponsoring party can abide by all relevant immigration laws (Sponsorship Management System)

The following information must be included on a sponsorship certificate: Your company will provide you with a reference number for your sponsorship certificate.

Your full name, title, and annual salary, along with the occupation code for the position

Your employer's name and sponsor licence number.

You must provide bank statements or other papers demonstrating that you have sufficient funds in your own account to meet your costs while you are in the UK.

The steps involved in requesting a sponsor licence

A business must first apply for a Sponsor Licence before expanding in the UK. Employees can represent their employer in the UK by receiving a sponsorship certificate and sponsor licence from their employer. If you wish to expand your business worldwide, it is advised that you get a sponsor licence.

Application for a sponsor licence online

In general, it is a good idea to double-check that you have all the necessary information and documentation before completing an online application. For smaller businesses and organisations, the sponsor licence costs £536; for larger ones, it costs £1,476, respectively. The completed online form must be submitted together with the necessary funds.

Following the completion of the online application, you must provide the following:

Send any necessary supplementary materials using the submission form found at the bottom of the application.

Your affidavits and statutory declarations must be certified by a knowledgeable, impartial party, such as a lawyer, notary public, justice of the peace, commissioner for oaths, or (in Scotland only) a councillor.

Send the Home Office a thorough letter along with the required paperwork through email.

Your whole letter, along with any required supporting materials, should be sent to the Home Office through email. Documents are no longer required to be mailed because to the COVID-19 outbreak. Documents should ideally be sent to the Home Office in pdf format. The file types JPEG and PNG are also supported.

What documents are needed to submit an application for a UK Expansion Worker Visa?

An applicant must establish to the Home Office that they can fulfil all requirements and have the necessary papers and documents in order to be granted a UK Expansion Worker visa.

You'll need a sponsor, bank statements to show your financial situation, and a TB certificate in addition to other supporting documents such an identity card, passport, pay stubs, etc.

The prerequisites for obtaining a work visa for the UK

The UK Expansion Worker visa application must be finished; else, it runs the danger of being rejected. You must have been employed by the employer for at least a year and have a valid sponsorship certificate.

What is the cost of a UK Expansion Worker Visa?

Keep in mind that there are other charges, such as financing, salary, and other expenses, involved in getting a UK Expansion Worker visa. You will need £1,270 to support yourself while residing in the UK, £259 for the application fee, £624 each year for the health surcharge, and £42,400 for your yearly salary or the "going rate" for your employment, whichever is higher, in order to submit your application.

The SmartMove2UK team has assisted various partnerships and businesses in growing their operations in the UK for more than 10 years. To submit your application, our UK immigration attorneys are properly qualified. Starting with:

When we assess your eligibility, we can determine whether you are eligible for a sponsor licence. The team of experts will review your application in light of the necessary document list, and if any are missing, the UK immigration lawyers will search for a replacement.

Contact The SmartMove2UK here 

[aptechvisaglobalimmigration]

[intimeimmigration]

Exciting News for Skilled Workers!

Are you dreaming of advancing your career in the UK?

Transform your professional journey with Intime Immigration Solicitors!

Our Skilled Worker Visa is your incredible chance to work and live in the UK for up to 5 years, as tailored by your Certificate of Sponsorship. And the best part? Our experienced immigration lawyers will assist you throughout the eligibility process till the end of the final stages, ensuring you obtain your visa seamlessly. 

So, why wait? Contact our experts now and take the first step towards your UK career with us!

To learn more, please browse: https://intimeimmigration.co.uk/skilled-worker-visa/ 

[beenasarwar]

Google's tearjerker 'Reunion' ad, and the 'Milne Do' campaign

“Reunion“, the moving, well made little video released by Google today is going viral. And it’s not just the one ad, there’s a playlist of five in the series – ‘fennel’, ‘cricket’, ‘Anarkali’, and ‘sugar-free’. If it doesn’t move you, you’ve got a heart of stone. And if oh, it was that easy. A still from the Google ‘Reunion’; film’ ad For Pakistanis and Indians to get visas to visit each…

[everything-fine-n-peachy]

agree to disagree (z.cl)

pairings: zhong chenle x reader genre: high school angst summary: y/n thinks chenle has the biggest head on the planet (literally and figuratively) and chenle is a boy with a crush and a lot of issues to work through.

warning: slight mention of parental neglect and ensuing anxiety

You hated Chenle’s guts. 

There was just something about this boy that made your eyes roll every single time he was with you in the same room. You had to agree that there were perks to haveing someone as affluent as Chenle in your grade. The sponsorships from his family during school events meant that teachers were inevitably more lenient. But behind this so called generosity, you could clearly see the humble brag that he was. 

Everyone adored the fair skinned boy who liked to laugh obnoxiously loud with his friends who all wore rolex watches. There was an undeniable envy behind the thin veil of admiration that everyone seemed to have though. Except you, ya’ll stay safe. 

You knew it since day one of the 7th grade when the teacher announced elections for class officers a week prior. Elections that you intended to win. The next day Chenle showed up with a bag of lollipops for everyone, automatically securing him a win as president of the class while you lost with less than five votes to your name. 

It wasn’t to say that he did a lousy job. But he wasn’t going to silently work behind the scenes, no. He liked to make everyone aware of his status and wealth in the most subtle of ways. Free snacks whenever he felt like it, free entrance at the golfclub their family owned, and souvenirs for everyone from when he would go overseas with his grandparents. And you hated it. The feeling of being treated as a charity case. Like this boy thought he could buy everyone’s love. But not you. 

“I hope everyone enjoys the free handwash mom says they cost a lot,” he announced. You with the long French braid and mouth full of braces promptly had enough by then. 

You approach him with your irritation having reached it’s limit within your stature of four-feet-eleven. “If you’re always going to tell us how expensive everything is, then I think you should just shut up,” you spat, shoving the pink paper packing into his chest. You walk away with satisfaction as Chenle muttered crap about how it was from the tropical islands of whatever country you couldn’t pronounce. 

Your hate was was palpable across the entire grade for the next five years. Everyone knew that you and Chenle didn’t mix except maybe your 12th grade English teacher. 

“Class this is just for the first term. No one is being forced to sign a marriage certificate so I would appreciate if everyone cooperated with their partner,” Ms. Son commented as she flashed the list of pairs on the screen in front.

You visibly frowned, “you gotta be kidding me.” Jaemin, who sat next to you tried to contain his laughter upon realizing that you had in fact been paired-up with Chenle. Ms. Son eyes anyone who dared to complain before explaining the project. “I want each pair to pick a topic that you disagree on. For the next nine weeks I want you to come up with a presentation on how communication skills will help you understand a different perspective.” 

Murmurs fill the room. Some of your classmates are excited. Many are quite bored and just wish the bell would ring. You are downright fumming at Chenle’s audacity to wave at you from across the room when your eyes meet. 

On the first meeting you drag yourself into the library for the inevitable. Chenle lounges lazily on one of the bean bags, engrossed in his tablet. You drop your things on an empty table before clearing your throat. 

“I think the sooner we get this over with the better,” you say with a tight lipped expression. He agrees before standing up and joining you on the table. 

You notice him studying you and can’t help but fumble with your pencil and notebook. “Why are you looking at me?” 

“I just can’t figure out why you hate me so much,” he mutters more to himself than to you. 

“We’re here to discuss the assignment.” you pointedly respond before proceeding to go over some of the topics you wanted to tackle. As you’re reading off the list you notice Chenle’s eyes linger on you a few times. You find the way he can keep eye contact unsettling but you push on wanting the assignment to be over sooner rather than later. 

The good news was that you found plenty of topics that you disagree on. The bad news was that none of you could get through a conversation without picking a fight, well mostly you couldn’t get through a conversation without picking a fight. 

You mutually decide that Renjun would be present on your second meeting. You both think maybe a mediator would help you. But not even 30 minutes in and Renjun’s hands are rubbing his cheeks in frustration. 

 “Let’s take this from the top shall we?” He reiterates,” you need to listen to each other first. Stop trying to win over each other.” 

“I think there’s nothing wrong with using your connections to get farther in life, if I have an advantage why shouldn’t I use it?” Chenle states.  

“If said advatange is within your reach because of privileges that you have, shouldn’t that be regulated by policy?” You bite back. 

“They /are/ regulated by policy. Don’t companies have referals? Isn’t that even better since people are vouching for them?” 

At this point Renjun let out an exasperated sigh. None of you were listening to each other, let alone him. “Guys, the pont of this assignment is to hear both sides. I need you to find some common ground,” he exclaims earning some looks from other kids in the lounge. 

The two of you promptly stop arguing. Renjun sighs again, “you don’t actually disagree as much as you think.” 

You snort in response, “yeah and Chenle just needs to get his big head back to earth to see that not everyone has a rich family who can get them places.” 

“Why do you always act like that’s a bad thing?” Chenle retaliates. 

“It’s a bad thing when you keep trying to buy your way through life!” you yell. 

You visibly see Chenle shrink back into his chair. His face morphs into something you’re not sure of. Even you are a little surprised at yourself. 

Chenle presses his lips together. He laughs to himself before speaking, “well, I don’t know what to say to that. But I have taekwondo training in five, so …” 

You watch Chenle gather his stuff in silence. You stare hard at the blue metallic surface of the table long after Chenle is out the door. 

“That was pretty mean even by your standards,” Renjun said. “I get that he’s annoying but isn’t that a bit unfair considering you barely know him?” 

That night you stare up at the ceiling finding it hard to sleep. You toss and turn thinking about Chenle. You remember the boy who bragged about his thousand dollar drone, the boy who accidentally dumped his iphone in the pond and had a new one the next day, the boy who liked to tell people that money wasn’t a problem. 

Then you also remembered that he was the boy whose parents didn’t show up to any ribbon ceremony, the kid who constantly brought nannies instead of family to his school shows, and the only one who hadn’t received a personalized letter from his mom or dad during the senior retreat in 10th grade. 

You think you don’t really know Chenle as much as you’d like to think. Maybe you were the problem for allowing your 7th grade grudge get the best of you for the last five years. Maybe, you needed to give this project a chance by not sabotaging it nearly as much as you did. 

You’re nervous when the third meeting comes up. Words have been scarce between you and Chenle but you at least have the decency to set up another meeting at the library. You’re a few minute early but soon five minutes turned into ten and ten turned into twenty. You attempted to text your partner but to no avail, you try and look for him yourself. 

A few steps into the 12th grade corridor you hear shuffling in one of the rooms. Curious, you follow the sounds and find yourself face to face with Chenle who was in the process of pacing. You can’t help but notice that his hands shake a bit. 

“Go away,” he says. When you don’t follow his command, he let’s out a shaky breath and a tiny laugh before slumping against the wall. You stand and watch as he sinks to the ground. 

“You’re probably right. All I have going for me is my family and I can’t even please them. Can't win a medal, can't get on the merit list.” 

You find yourself sitting next to him, leaning your head against the wall. Not quite sure what to respond, you let him drawl on. 

“I don’t even like taekwondo,” he laughed to himself again. 

“Why do you do it then if you don’t like it?”

“It’s the only tournament my dad ever attends.” 

Your eyes look straight at the windows that offer a view of the sun setting beautifully in soft hues of pink and stark orange while you both bask in the misery of the moment. 

“I got into university today. The university that they wanted for me so badly.” 

“Do you want to go?” 

“No,” he chuckled, covering his face with his hands. 

“Then don’t go. You’re plenty smart I’m sure you’ll find a good university that you actually want to go to,” you reply turning your face to look at Chenle. 

He takes a deep breath, shaking his head. “My parents have already paid for the first semester.” 

There’s a long pause before Chenle speaks again. “I was thinking about what you said a couple of days ago. It kinda stung but it wasn’t something I heard for the first time.” 

You unconsciously shift your position, uneasy at how Chenle’s demeanor changed from the last time you spoke to him with Renjun at the students’ lounge. He seemed so vulnerable, cocky have-it-all attitude all gone. Instead, a very much exhausted Chenle seemed to take his place. 

“I don’t take any offense, don’t worry,” he assured you. “I just reaized for the first time that I actually let myself use my pain as an excuse. I parade this generational wealth around since that’s all it was ever good for.” 

You feel yourself soften at his confession. Not that he was totally forgiven but it was a start. “That still isn’t an excuse for me being mean to you for the longest time. I apologize,” you mutter, eyes looking ahead. 

“I guess we can call it even since I’ve been a jerk to you, too. Sorry bout that.” 

You turn only to realize that Chenle was already looking at you. He had always been looking at you except you never did notice. He liked the way your eyes reflected the pretty sunset. Even after five years, his crush on you hadn’t worn off. 

Truth be told, he pulled half the stunts he did to get your attention. Winning class president, giving away free strawberry hand soap because he had overheard that you liked the color pink, engaging you in arguments, and everything in between. 

He knew from when you didn’t back down from him during class elections. Since then he only found more reasons to reaffirm his feelings with everything you do. His heart would skip a beat when your bright voice fills a room when you talk about social injustice, the way you were so proud of your dad, a teacher on career day, or the way you earnestly listen to your friends when they have something to say. 

Chenle offers his hand, “to new beginnings?” 

“To new beginnings,” you replied. 

As you’re both standing up to leave you can’t help but feel the urge say something. “Chenle, about the university. I guess there won’t be any harm if you honestly tell your parents that you don’t want to go. Just a suggestion,” you offer with your palms raised. 

For the first time, you experience Chenle smiling at you. Like, really smiling at you. You aren’t particularly sure why but you notice the crinkle of his eyes and the lopsided curve of his lips and you can’t help but feel endeared. 

“Well, there’s that,” he says. “But I’m hungry. We should order pizza.” 

You nod in reply, “as long as you aren’t getting them with pineapples, I’m down.” 

Chenle’s eyes widen as he slowly lowers his phone, “you don’t like pineapples on pizza?” 

“They’re disgusting, no.” 

“But they bring out all the other flavors!” he exclaims. 

You smile at him while he continues to tap on his phone. As you walk down the corridor you think- no, you feel that something has changed and even if you wouldn’t want to admit it, you were glad that it did. 

“Let’s just agree to disagree,” you finally said, putting one foot in front of the other. 

[delulustateofmind]

Potions & Shadows (Part II)

Summary: An old neighbor of Feyre's is revealed to be not who they seemed when Feyre was a child. Leadign to Feyre needing the once village apothecaries help. Inspired by Frieren: Beyond Journey's End.

A/n: This part is more background heavy to build up the plot a bit. Hybern in the books doesn't have a lot to build off of so I'm going to try to make him a greater villain tbh. At least make him a bit more feared. Thank you all for 100 follows btw!

Word Count: 3k

Part One, part two, part three. part four

Warmings: Mini trauma dump on Azriel, mentions of death.

Taglist: @cherry-cin, @sassybluebird, @aehllitas-blog

I shouldn’t enjoy doing this. what the hell is wrong with me

Is what Azriel had thought as he stared at the documents laid out before him in the middle of the night. Rhysand assigned him to look into you the moment you arrived in the night court. Of course, Rhysand trusted his mate that you were a good person. But one could not be too eager about letting someone foreign into the court. Also, it wasn’t like Azriel wasn’t curious about you. In fact, you were currently his muse. As you were easy to find information about, and perhaps in the future would inform you not to leave such an easy paper trail.

The sound of ruffling papers filled the room as he scanned the documents. 

By all means, you were an outstanding citizen. You were top of your class at a prestigious mage academy on a sponsorship a hundred years ago. You kept your mage certification current and renewed it before it expired. Initially, Azriel had thought that your adventurer guild meant you would be a mercenary, however, he was wrong. As he sifted through the quests you took on, he saw that they were for small rewards- helping farmers, rebuilding villages. You paid your taxes on time and your home in Feyre’s village is fully paid for. Mother above, there was no hidden information about you except for an eighty-year period where he couldn’t find a single piece of evidence that you existed anywhere, aside from word of mouth that a young elf lived alone in the woods.

A deep sigh escaped his lips as he rubbed his face. You were too sweet—not even a small fine for failing to pay a toll. There was nothing bad about you, yet here he was, investigating your whole life, feeling like it was more for his own sake than for Rhysand's. A report sat in his hands that he had written about you for Rhysand, perhaps Rhysand would offer you a position in the inner circle. It wasn’t like a court mage would be bad, in fact, mages in Prythian were rare.  A knock pulled him out of his thoughts. He opened the door to reveal Elain standing in the doorway.

“Elain, you should be asleep, it’s the middle of the night,” Azriel spoke lowly as he shifted to lean against the doorway, one of his wings blocking her view of the room behind him. It was a subtle gesture that would go unnoticed by her, as she spoke softly. 

“I couldn’t sleep and I saw your light, so I figured I would come to check on you, you seemed distracted at dinner tonight,” Elain looked nervous as she looked up at Azriel whose eyes softened. Perhaps he was getting a soft spot for mortals. Yet, neither of you was truly mortal. You smelled like one, with a faint scent of blossoms, you seemed fragile like one but your eyes spoke of an immortality of knowledge. Had he been staring for too long into the distance because Elain’s soft voice pulled him away again, “Azriel? I asked if you wanted to walk with me to the gardens?” Azriel brought himself to look at the once mortal in front of him. There was no doubt she was beautiful, becoming fae just heightened those features and the way she looked at him, spoke something. Yet, when he looked at her, he had wished it were you asking him to escort you to the gardens or whatever hell you tasked him to do. 

What in the hells have you done to him, he had just met you yet he felt like something was pulling him to you. 

“I cannot tonight,” Azriel offered a small smile, one that caused Elain to stiffen as she looked away, a gesture that did not go unnoticed, “When I return from the camps tomorrow, I will join you though” he answered softly as she nodded and offered a goodnight before she went back to her quarters. Azriel gently closed the door, his shadows caressing his frame and mentions of sleep in their whispers. Azriel rubbed his eyes before finishing the report and heading to a short slumber. 

**** 

In the morning when Azriel walked out of his quarters strapped in his Illyrian leathers, Cassian was waiting down the hallway, leaning against the wall.

“You hate the camps, is this healer cute or something” Cassian flashed a grin, but his expression changed when he noticed Azriel flash him an annoyed look, “Given her race, I don’t want her to have trouble at the camps. If those potions break, we will be behind schedule for the war. It has nothing to do with how ‘cute’ she is” Azriel mentioned with a smile tugging his lips as he gave Cassian a gentle nudge with his wing as he made his way past to head out for the day. 

Cassian nodded a small smile still on his face, though Azirel sensed that his brother wasn’t waiting for him this morning. Cassian’s eyes flicked towards the eldest Archeron sister’s room, perhaps Cassian was waiting for a meeting with a viper. 

****

Meanwhile, at the healer’s cottage, you were carefully packing potions and elixirs into crates. With your staff in hand, you guided various bottles to float gently into three crates, the soft clinks of glass filling the room. As you worked, Madja entered.

“One of the members of the court is going to escort you. These Illyrians can be… unwelcoming to folk like yourself. Better safe than sorry kid,” she said, her tone awkward. She avoided meeting your gaze, but you understood her concern. You knew you were different and that the Fae in these parts might not be kind to you. Offering Madja a soft smile and a nod, you continued your preparations.

Once the crates were filled and securely clasped shut, you used your magic to float them into the main room of the cottage. Madja followed quietly as the front door opened, revealing Azriel and his shadows. His wings were tucked in tightly as he entered, his gaze immediately locking onto you and your staff. Your watercolor eyes met his golden ones that hid behind his dark curls that fell just above his eyes as you gently set the crates down and desummoned your staff.

Azriel felt his heart tug when he saw you. His shadows seemed intrigued, attempting to pull away from his grasp and head towards you. Azriel just held onto them tighter, not letting them dare touch you. 

So pretty, pretty little mage, the shadows whispered to him. They spoke of your mixed heritage, and your connection with nature, and reminded him of your humanity. So fragile their whispers ceased when he waved them off. As he looked at you, he did not have a clue what you were thinking as you gazed at the talons on top of his wings. 

“You probably might want to winnow, I fear flying will be a bit difficult. Even with your mage magic y/n,” Madja said, nodding your way. However Azriel was not paying attention as once he finally heard your name, it sung like a prayer in his mind. Finally a name for that pretty face. Azriel picked up the three crates with ease.

“Can you winnow?” He asked, Azriel was unfamiliar with mages as they were quite rare in Prythian, their magic was different than the fae, as mages were limited to spells. You shook your head in response. Azriel simply balanced the three crates in one hand, as he extended his other hand to you. 

“I can winnow us to a point, but it will be a mile or two of walking. Can you handle that?” Azriel stated softly. You seemed so fragile as you placed your small hand into his large one. He had been around full-blood humans in the past and knew how fragile they were. Elves weren’t much different besides their mana making them only somewhat stronger than humans. Azriel wondered where you may lay between the two. 

“I’ll be okay, I’m used to traveling,” offering him a reassuring smile. Within seconds, shadows swirled around you both as you winnowed to the middle of the woods a few miles outside the Illyrian camp. 

You stood a couple feet smaller than him, his shadows whispered, So petite, so fragile. With a wave of your hand, you summoned your staff, a crescent moon on top of with a glittering blue stone hanging from the crest. The magic lifted the crates from his arms as you both walked. A smile tugged Azriel’s lips as he clasped his hands behind his back slowing his pace to match your stride.

Time to fill in the gaps of his knowledge about you. He struck up a conversation, an interrogation of sorts, “How did you become a mage?” Azriel spoke softly, his voice a melody to your ears as you sheepishly glanced back at him. You feared that if you looked at him for too long, you would fall for this deadly presence, for whatever reason every instinct in your body feared him yet a part of you wanted to be closer. A new emotion seemed to fill you with every glance you sent his way. 

You released a sigh as your gaze shifted to the large pine trees that grew along the dirt path, “When I was young, I was saved by a human mage,” Human mages were something that had only occurred in the continent. The continent had a more progressive approach by human and fae standards, allowing humans to practice magic if they had the mana for it. Meanwhile, the human villages in Prythian still feared the presence of magic. 

“Saved?” Azriel echoed as he glanced at you. He knew most of the Elven villages were burned by Hybern centuries ago, by the thousands, Hybern had sought to eradicate most of the elves because of their high amounts of mana, a possible threat to fae kind. Whoever wasn’t killed, he had them as slaves wearing collars that stripped them of their mana. 

“Hybern’s generals still wreak havoc in the continent,” you murmured with your gaze still on the path, “My entire village was slaughtered one night when one of his generals arrived, many of the people in my village were half-breeds like myself, my mentor, the human mage found me that night after the war party had left,” 

Azriel looked at your face, expecting to see a sad expression. Instead, he found a look that was unreadable, devoid of emotion. Not even your eyes revealed your thoughts. 

“I never got your name,” You spoke as your gaze shifted to meet his lingering one, “or what you do for the court.” Azriel looked ahead to the path. They were nearing the camp soon enough. 

“It’s Azriel. My position, however, is a secret,” he said quietly, bringing a finger to his lips. “You can just assume that I do a lot of paperwork. A boring position, really.”

A lie, you thought as you looked into his eyes. From your time as an adventurer, you had learned to read people. One thing you learned was to look into a person’s eyes to discern who they truly were. Azriel’s eyes revealed much more; they showed that he had done many unsavory acts, perhaps with killing being the least brutal. His golden eyes, like a pot of honey, hid a sinister predator behind their warm facade.

One of his shadows moved to twirl around your wrist at his command. You jumped a little at the cool, silk-like touch of the shadow. “We are nearing the camp. I will take the crates to the camp leader. You will stay here by this tree,” Azriel commanded. He was not asking you to stay; he was telling you to. The shadow seemed to serve as either a way for him to track your location or to signal that you were his companion in case any other Illyrians came near. You made a mental note that Illyrians seemed to be territorial or overprotective.

You desummoned your staff as Azriel grabbed the crates and carried them the rest of the way to camp. Sitting down next to a tree, you waited for him. Around half an hour later, you felt a brush of wind against you as Azriel landed. His wings outstretched before tucking in behind him, instilling a sense of awe within you.

“You don’t have fae senses, do you?” he asked quietly. You shook your head as he helped you up from the ground. If you did, you would have sensed him the moment he was within a few feet of you. “Can you detect scents either?” he asked. Another shake of your head. You mentioned that you could detect mana, but only if it was from another mage or a magical creature. Azriel made a note of that, perhaps feeling thankful for your lack of senses. This way, you couldn’t sense how his heart pounded every time you met his gaze.

“Would you like a tour of Velaris?” he asked, “I promise I won’t drop you in flight,” he added with a hint of amusement. You looked at him and then at his wings as he stretched them slightly. A fear still instilled within you.

“I should help Madja with preparations…” you whispered. Azriel listened to your soft voice, noting the fear behind your words. He smiled—a genuine smile that he reserved only for his family. A smile that heightened his beautiful features, causing you to look away. “I promise I will go slow. It won’t be so bad, I assure you,” Azriel said, hearing your heart pounding. You were nervous. Were you scared to be near him?

“Another time,” you responded finally, grabbing his hand without a thought. “For now, can you winnow me back to the healer’s cottage?”

“Of course,” he said. With that, he led you back to the cottage, shadows swirling around you both as you disappeared from the forest and reappeared at the healer’s door. You waved him goodbye as he bowed slightly at the waist, causing a warmth to form on your cheeks when you saw his dark curls fall above his eyes that seemed to pierce you.

“Until next time, y/n,” Azriel spoke softly before he took off into the skies, his wings outstretched as if they were big enough to block the afternoon sun, powerful enough to rustle the trees. Such a powerful creature, you thought as you entered the cottage.

*****

Azriel took off to Rhysand’s office to drop off the report on the new healer. As he arrived, he found Rhysand at his desk, poring over piles of paperwork in preparation for the upcoming High Lords' meeting. Azriel observed the signs of stress on Rhysand—his disheveled hair, evidence of having run his fingers through it one too many times, and the dark circles under his violet eyes.

Rhysand glanced up as Azriel entered the room. “How was the camp?” he mused with a hint of amusement. “And the healer?”

Azriel smirked as he took a seat across from Rhysand, crossing one leg over the other and letting his wings drape behind him. “Camp was decent. Devlon scented her on the bottles and was asking if the humans were slaves again,” Azriel said, rolling his eyes. The healer's intoxicating scent still lingered on him, not that he minded. Rhysand muttered "Illyrian bastards" under his breath as he signed another document.

Azriel continued, “As for the healer, I have my report done. She’s a bit more closed off in person but leaves a paper trail. Overall, a good citizen. Only eighty years after her mage exam is left without any trail of her existence.” Azriel glanced at the document Rhysand was reading—something about budgets. “I have a feeling that was around the time her mentor passed away. Her mentor was human, after all.”

“From the continent then? Do you feel like she’s strong? From what Madja has praised, she’s a damn good healer,” Rhysand said, looking up.

Azriel nodded before continuing, “A first-class mage, one of the six that still remain. I can’t sense any magic or mana on her. I have a feeling she is suppressing it at all times—a skill even most fae can’t master.” Azriel smirked slightly. A damn good mage indeed.

“Your call then, Az,” Rhysand replied. “Is she a threat? Feyre wants her to come to dinner. Perhaps it would make her sisters feel more at ease with someone familiar around. Preferably Nesta,” Rhysand grimaced slightly with his last comment. 

Azriel looked at his scarred hand that once held your soft, dainty one. “Not a threat at all,” he murmured.

[anexperimentallife]

On any other social media site, having over 20K followers MIGHT get me some kind of (very minor) sponsorship deal or job offer lol; here it means I more hate mail about being in a mixed-race marriage with @thesurestthing (and at least one disrespecting her by refusing to even acknowledge our marriage), and getting hate for being a disabled dad who should have somehow known before our little girl was born that I was going to get COVID several times. Oh, and of course, the occasional insult (or disgusting threat) to my baby daughter.

BUT... it ALSO means that when a paperwork snafu on our daughter's birth certificate left her stateless and threatened to legally force us to leave her in a foreign country, and when we had various medical emergencies, 20K people had our back and helped us cover the expense of fixing things. (We're still 15K in debt from all that, but at least we are able to stay alive and together, so I call that a win.)

And to be clear, the supportive folks FAR outnumber the haters.

So yeah, still my social media site of choice by a long shot. I can't even imagine the hate on Twitter.

And I'm still sick so I'm going back to sleep.

[lexlawuk]

UK Work Visa Sponsorship Costs

Sponsoring a foreign worker for a UK work visa is a significant investment, with costs potentially running into thousands of pounds. Since the UK’s exit from the European Union, these costs now also apply to employers seeking to hire EU nationals under the Points-Based Immigration System. This article outlines the various fees involved and how they impact both employers and workers. Our leading…

[find-roronoa-zoro]

Roronoa Zoro X CisFem Reader

14

"Thank you." you blushed taking the bag.

"It isn't much." he shrugged thumbing some flour off your cheek, "Things got messy in the kitchen?"

You glanced down at yourself, teal apron spattered with flour and bits of pie filling.

"I was in charge of desserts." you rubbed your nape, "Anyway, come in I have something for you too."

Taking your apron off, you hung it in the kitchen and continued toward the stairs, Zoro following closely shrugging out of his coat. You opened your bedroom door and motioned him inside as Ace passed by making lewd noises. The freckled male squeaked when you punched his chest and quickly apologized.

"Sorry, you know they're idiots." you closed the door behind you and placed your gift on your bed before reaching for a bag on your desk, "This is for you."

He raised a brow taking the silvery bag from you, it had some weight to it.

"Go ahead." you urged taking a seat with him on your mattress.

Quietly he reached into the bag and pulled out a rather expensive bottle of pearl saké and glanced at you.

"I felt like I should replace the plum one that I destroyed." you chuckled, "There's more."

"You didn't have to, I drank it too. And this is top shelf."

"It's rude to talk about how much a gift costs." you wagged your finger at him.

He shook his head at you and reached back into the bag feeling a large envelope and taking it out. It was just a plain white envelope no indication of what was inside. You watched anxiously as he slowly tore the seal and removed the cardstock inside.

It was a certificate with Zoro's name on it and a few blank spaces on Newgate Industries letterhead. You smiled at his adorable confused face.

"It's a certificate of sponsorship. The blank spaces will be filled in once you've opened your dojo, like the name and dates and what not."

"Sponsorship?" he echoed still very surprised.

"Yes, it'll make it easier to compete on a state and national level. Not to mention help with equipment and uniforms."

You had initially wanted to give him a donation, but you didn't want him to feel like it was charity after he's been working so hard to scrimp and save. Instead, you came up with the sponsorship which your brothers agreed to, as a sort of incentive to keep him moving toward his goal.

Zoro didn't know how to feel. He'd never received such an important gift, especially from someone with whom he had yet to define a relationship with. He almost felt overwhelmed that you believed in his dream enough to think so far ahead. It also made him feel like he could have some sort of future with you.

He had been quiet so long you started to feel that perhaps he didn't like it, maybe this came off too charitable as well.

You began to panic.

"O-of course, you don't have to accept if you wanted to seek sponsorship on your own. I-I'm not trying to interfere with your hard work, which I admi-" his hand came up over your mouth as he leaned in to peck your nose.

"Shut up, this is perfect." he removed his hand and softly kissed your lips, "Thank you."

You chuckled shyly. This guy could go from sheep to tiger too quickly, it was dangerous for your heart.

"You're welcome." you murmured.

"Well I guess it's only fair if you open mine," he scooted the bag toward you, "just keep in mind it was last minute and I usually suck at this stuff."

"I'm sure whatever it is, is fine." you smiled diving into the gift bag.

A silver picture frame faced away from you. You thought it was rather unusual, though there were tons of framed photos in the house, not many people deviated from posting something digital on social media and leaving it at that. Slowly you pulled the frame out turning it toward you to see what you thought would be some random stock photo they usually sell in those sorts of things. Instead, you were shocked with a wave of both intense happiness and something akin to sorrow.

The photo in the frame had been taken the night before, judging by the angle he had taken it from his seat at the fire pit. The candid shot was during your dance with Pops. The strands of Christmas lights providing the perfect amount of warm light to capture a moment of laughter between the two of you.

You only had a few recent pictures of yourself and your father from his visits to London while you were living there. For some reason, this seemed more precious than any of those, perhaps because neither of you were aware it was being taken. Knowing these moments now had a limit made it bittersweet.

Zoro cleared his throat drawing your attention up to his concerned expression, "I didn't mean to upset you."

"I-I'm not up-set," You hiccupped, "just surprised."

His right hand came up to cup your face as he brushed the fresh tears from your cheek with his thumb. It really bothered him that his gift caused such a mixed reaction ultimately ending in tears, you really were too sweet for this world. He knew you really loved it, but also making you cry was not his intent.

"I'm sorry." you whispered, "I really adore it. I promise."

"I'm sorry for making you cry." he leaned against the wall and tugged you into a hug.

"I'm ok, really, see?" you pushed yourself off his chest to give him a better view of your face.

Your eyes were glossed over, your nose was red and your lips just a little pouty - absolutely adorable. His fingers brushed up the back of your neck pulling you back into his torso as he chuckled.

"You look terrible."

"So mean." you weakly patted his shoulder and snuggled into his chest.

The two of you stayed like this for a few minutes until you regained control of your emotions.

"Ugh, that's twice now you've seen me a crying mess." you groaned, "Thanks for being so sweet."

"That's what boyfriends do, right?" he kissed your scalp.

"Does this make it official, Tiger?"

"If you need more convincing..." he purred against the shell of your left ear.

Before you could respond there was a sharp knock on the door startling you both.

"If you're done sucking face, dinner is ready, yoi."

"Shut up." you called back sitting up, "We should go or there won't be any food left."

[romirola]

Headcanons for the Shaw Pack’s Holiday Volunteer Work

Started by Gabe and preserved by David, the Shaw Pack has a tradition of incorporating extra volunteer work into their schedules as the season of many holidays approaches. It’s not mandatory or something they officially report, but the pack takes their responsibility to continue the tradition seriously.

David: Food Drive Organizer- David organizes a massive food drive that benefits Dahlia’s food pantry. Not only will he organize and promote it all himself (although according to the paperwork, he does so anonymously), but David also gives a huge amount of non-perishable food. Once everything is collected and ready to be distributed, David always ensures to set up distribution so that it is equitable and welcoming for everyone who uses the food pantry. 

Angel: Writes Cards for Nursing Home Residents- Beginning as early as September, Angel writes hundreds of cards for nursing home residents who may or may not receive any visitors. They take special care to write different messages on each card, sometimes including little jokes or drawings. 

Asher: Arranges a 5K Race/24hrs Caroling Event to Benefit Humanborn Acclimation Services and Programs- Asher’s annual “Holiday 5K/Caroling Extravaganza” has become quite a popular event among the empowered population of Dahlia, even if it is a bit eclectic. Racers in the 5K acquire sponsorships to participate. Groups of carolers do the same and provide some sort of musical entertainment (broadly defined to include all ages, talents, and interpretations) for 24 consecutive hours. All of the proceeds of the event benefit programs that help humanborn empowered people acclimate to their magic, which, as the son of two humanborn wolves, is a cause near and dear to Asher’s heart. The event is always a fun and festive success, with local businesses donating the prizes and restaurants providing food for everyone. 

Babe: Gift Wrapper to Benefit a Homeless Shelter- Babe spends a couple weeknights per week at a department store as a gift wrapper. All of the donations go directly to a local homeless shelter. Babe wraps each gift so carefully and precisely that the clients feel compelled to double the donation they were originally planning to give. 

Milo: Plays Santa at the Local Library- He schedules weekend visits at the public library and arranges for a photographer to accompany him so that even families who cannot afford a portrait of their child(ren) with Santa have the opportunity to get one at no cost (plus a candy cane!) Milo works hard all year to perfect his “Ho-Ho-Hos!” and listens to every child as they speak with him. If a child does not want to sit on his lap or has sensory difficulties, Milo is always accommodating and makes sure that the visit is friendly and fun. 

Sweetheart: Blood Donor- Sweetheart always makes sure to donate blood to ensure that the vampiric community will have sufficient blood bag resources to sustain them during a time of year where Clans often celebrate together and are in need of extra blood. They are proud to help support the vampire community any time of the year, but especially when many are missing their former lives and traditions. 

Darling: Shifts to Serve as a Therapy Dog at a Pediatric Hospital- In their wolf form, Darling visits unempowered children who are currently hospitalized and are in need of some holiday cheer since they are fighting to get better and cannot yet return home. Unlike the parents, guardians, and other adult visitors, the children are never afraid of Darling as a wolf. They cheer and clap when they see Darling stroll through the door and jump on their beds. The children eagerly pet them and talk about whatever they want. To be able to do this, Darling proudly forged a “Therapy Dog Certification” document for themselves. 

Sam: Secretly Shovels and Salts Sidewalks- Sam will often take his trusty shovel and bag of salt to neighborhoods of Dahlia that seem to be last on the list for shoveling and salting. He works under cover of night, able to make good use of his vampiric strength and speed to clear walkways and keep everyone safe from falling on icy paths. 

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

It appears that Steve Himber serves as both SH's American manager and a CB employee. If this is the case, this freelancer from Outlander Con, like Highlanders7 in the UK this weekend, could be a Starz employee and might be utilizing the route available to US citizens seeking to work in the UK.

In the UK, anyone applying for a work permit must first receive an offer of employment, which comes in the form of a sponsorship certificate from a UK employer holding a sponsor license issued by the UK Border Agency (UKBA). The licence holder in this case would be STARZ. The strict points-based evaluation in his case is of little significance for STARZ.

When people wonder if there is no Host in the UK interested in this kind of work or if Outlander simply doesn’t excite in the UK as it does in the US, it's worth noting the low-key interest in the Outlander cast among Brits. What will Steven do when Outlander is over? 🧐

Posted 20th July 2024

@hereprettykitty - I know he has his own company in the US that is not registered in the UK for work and his company is not part of the global mobility program. He’s earning income on UK soil, and for that, He must be employed by a UK company that is located in the UK (convention organisers maybe or Starz)— He needs to pay UK income tax, even though he doesn’t live in the UK. I agree he only shows up when the bigger stars are attending and he’s there to make sure it goes smoothly for his income. The same situation happened in Australia and France.

I haven't seen him around other Outlander cast as a personal chaperone except for SH and now CB as for Starz a television network not need accompanies. Does anyone know his talent list? He has a dominant position in Outlander cons Monopolies are discouraged in free-market economies because they stifle competition, limit consumer substitutes, and thus, limit consumer choice.

[princess-of-the-corner]

FNAF AU Pizzeria Simulator Redux Part 3 (Final)

So, some misc stuff:

Getting jumpscared in the Salvage sequences results in a hospital trip, it’s not just exclusive to the Fredbear battle. Pretty sure I mentioned that in the first submission when I first proposed this idea, but it’s been a while.

But I was also thinking it could be interesting if, after getting hospitalized, Jimothy could have a special phone call:

“Uh, hello hello? Erm, boss, are you sure you should be working? I just heard you spent the night in the hospital! It uh, sounded pretty serious. Nobody would blame you if you decided to take a sick day. Especially if you were mauled by a wild animal like some folks are saying.

”…

“Well uh, I guess you know your limits better than me. Just uh, be careful. I kinda need you to sign my paycheck. Eh-heh…

"Th-that was a joke.

"I’ll uh… Catch ya on the flip side, boss.”

Click!

The playtests for the Toy Animatronics is basically just a system check in Parts and Service.

Custom Nightmare is basically the Custom Night Equivalent, complete with challenge presets.

You have twelve enemies to deal with (Chica, Bonnie, Freddy, and Foxy in their Withered, Toy, and Ghost incarnations), in Charlie’s house, using the same mechanics as the Fredbear boss.

At 6AM, the classic “Westminster Chimes as the clock strikes 6” plays in place of the 6:00 alarm, as this isn’t part of the main game. Getting caught by a Withered or Toy Animatronic leads to a scene, from Charlie’s POV, of her jolting awake in her bedroom, with a message noting “Charlie did not sleep that night.”

Clearing the challenge presets unlocks entries in Charlie’s diary, except for the “All enemies set to 20” preset, which instead unlocks a special ending (either Charlie speaking to her therapist about her nightmares, something to set up her hiring Mike, or both).

It’s called “Custom Nightmare” because it’s a recurring nightmare Charlie’s been having as a result of her encounter with Withered Fredbear.

As there’s no way for the mediocrity ending to happen here (no time limit), the Certificates Charlie can get are as follows:

Bankruptcy (have your funds drop below zero due to legal fees)

Blacklisted (as mentioned before, 10 or more outstanding lawsuits at once)

Death (have funds drop into the negative as a result of a hospital bill)

Success (Survive to 6AM when Fredbear attacks)

Completion (Get everything you possibly can and THEN defeat Fredbear to unlock the special post-credits screen)

Fortitude (beat 12/20 mode in Custom Nightmare)

The death ending is the only one without a narrated cutscene, instead only showing a shot of Charlie’s headstone in complete silence.

The Extras Menu, also unlocked by surviving Withered Fredbear, allows the player to replay the Salvage Sequences for Chica, Bonnie, Freddy, and Foxy.

In addition to the content you’d normally see on a FNaF game’s extras menu (behind the scenes development stuff, jumpscares, models of all the animatronics, etc).

In terms of the Pizzeria, the player can accept sponsorships for easy cash, in exchange for ads playing on their monitors periodically.

The game cycles through the available sponsorships, and each sponsorship deal expires exactly one week after its accepted, at which point the player can choose to renew it, or leave it be. Golden Freddy can “corrupt” ads if one plays on a Monitor he’s attacking, and you can’t switch the monitor off until the ad is either skipped or completed.

And that’s all I can really think of in regards to game mechanics and story.

-

It works well!