Anyone who tells you that they can get you a work permit is probably lying if you are a nurse, senior carer or hotel worker, renewing or applying to work in the UK.

I know from bitter experience that the end result is often NO.

I was promised last September 2006 from an immigration agency that they would be successful in getting 17 work permits for a hotel in the West Country, and after paying across around £3000 for four applications, the said agency double crossed us, and asked for the whole amount in full, going against the agreement. They reneged on the contract and left my company Dolma International Ltd standing. Efforts to retrieve the deposit failed.

Another well-known Immigration consultancy took over the case and more money was spent. The normal words, 'We successfully obtain work permits'. More money was deposited and work permits were applied for in April 2007, and were refused by the Home Office.

My company has suffered a net loss of around £8000, and subsequently we have moved away from immigration.

There are companies out there that are blogging everyday news that they can succeed, and I would suggest that if you are an individual - it is your employer who should pay for a work permit application, and not you yourself.

Promises are deceiving, and the immigartion agency may pretend that they are very seriously behind your case, but in the end it is only your money that they are after. Please be careful.