Unfortunately, with the deadline for getting the column done this week, I wasn’t able to get in a response from Home Office representatives to an inquiry of mine about the timetable of work permits being issued to foreign players. We often hear about last-second mad dashes to get players eligible before a given transfer window closes — well, here’s a look at some of the timetables that the immigration board generally faces in turning over different player applications (courtesy of Alicea Dalby, a customer service adviser for England’s border and immigration agency):

Standard and Current Processing Times

Service Standard: 70 percent of new applications to be decided within one week of receipt at our payment handling service and 90 percent within 3 weeks.

Current Performance (year to date)

% of applications decided within 5 working days: 70 percent

% of applications decided within 15 working days: 90 percent

“If we need to make further checks or seek additional information, your
application is more likely to fall into the category that can take up to
3 weeks or even longer,” Dalby added in her e-mailed response.

This tells you something about the January transfer window in regards to the Premiership … theoretically it shuts down Jan. 31, but the reality in some cases is that a player’s paperwork needs to have been good and done by the 16th for a sure-fire shot of sealing proper approval for a permit.