The University will be closed for the Christmas period from close of business on Tuesday, 22 December 2026, and will reopen on Monday, 4 January 2027. 

As we approach the University's Christmas closure period, colleagues are encouraged to plan and submit all requests by the published deadlines. This helps our operational teams manage demand and ensures everything is in place before the University closes for the festive break.

Staff Hub

  • Tuesday 1 December (17:00): Deadline for additional payments, contractual changes, parental leave, unpaid leave and leaver notifications for the December payroll.
  • Friday 11 December: Deadline for submitting new starter contract requests for colleagues starting between 1 and 10 January 2027, including all required approvals and pre-employment documentation.

Recruitment

  • Tuesday 8 December: Payroll cut-off for recruitment-related actions, including start date confirmations and new starter notifications.
  • Thursday 10 December (18:00): Deadline to request vacancy advertising or a contract issue before the Christmas closure.
  • To attract the widest possible candidate pool, vacancies opening from mid-December should ideally remain live until Monday 4 January 2027.

International Mobility

  • Friday 11 December: Deadline for overseas working requests to be reviewed before the closure period. Requests received after this date will be reviewed when the University reopens in January.
  • Requests should be submitted through MyRemoteWork once line manager pre-approval has been obtained.

Casual Workers

  • Tuesday,8 December (17:00): Deadline for fully approved timesheets (Levels 1 and 2) to be included in the December payroll. Payday is 22 December.
  • Wednesday, 16 December: Deadline for submitting Requirement Schedules for new Casual Workers due to start after the closure period.

DBS Checks

  • Friday 11 December: Deadline for departments and staff to request DBS checks, submit online applications and complete ID verification where checks need to be completed before the Christmas closure period.

Immigration

  • Do not schedule work start dates for new staff requiring immigration clearance during the Christmas closure period, and confirm them only once all pre-employment checks are complete.
  • Departments should submit visa-related requests requiring action before the Christmas closure period as early as possible, including Global Talent visa support, Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS), sponsored worker extensions and associated documentation. Requests submitted too close to the closure period may not be fulfilled, depending on volume.
  • For staff with visas expiring between 14 December 2026 and 8 January 2027, please submit any visa application evidence, right to work share codes and Employers Checking Service (ECS) confirmations as early as possible.
  • Departments should submit new hire and extension requests as early as possible and clearly highlight any cases where a visa is due to expire during the closure period

 Thank you for helping us make the end of term run as smoothly as possible.