Sponsoring a Skilled Worker

The UK is in competition with the rest of the world to attract the brightest talent to our shores. Many sectors are experiencing labour shortages and cannot recruit the candidates they need from within the UK. Businesses want the best to work for them and the UK has an immigration system which allows companies to bring skilled workers to the UK.

So now that you’ve found your new candidates, what do you need to consider before employing them? As soon as your immigration licence is granted, you can bring overseas workers to your business and to fill eligible roles. You will need to ensure they meet the general requirements of the UK’s immigration rules such as:   

• They’re paid a minimum salary depending on the role they’ll be undertaking
• They’re working within a role that is eligible under the UK Immigration Rules
• They speak, read, write and understand English

Certificate of sponsorship

Once you’re satisfied your candidate will meet the requirements, they will need a certificate of sponsorship. Upon assigning the certificate of sponsorship, your sponsorship duties begin and do not end until sponsorship ends. These duties must be followed to ensure you retain your sponsor licence. Our team of immigration solicitors can be appointed to your licence to secure and assign certificates to eligible candidates and can support your HR team to ensure you always meet your compliance duties.

To reduce the risk of refusal and to ensure a quick outcome, we can work with your candidates to help them prepare their visa applications ensuring that their new visa is granted without any difficulty.

Sponsor licence costs

There are costs associated with sponsorship, including the immigration skills charge. You may want to consider whether you support your candidate with the cost of their visa application fees. Providing full financial support gives a business a competitive edge.

How our immigration solicitors can help

UK immigration law is ever changing and can be complicated. Our immigration solicitors are on hand to guide your business through the sponsorship process, ensuring you’re applying the correct process and procedure, making sure your candidates can meet the Immigration Rules, assisting you with your sponsor duties and licence management. We have over 30 years’ experience specifically in UK immigration law enabling us to provide you with a bespoke service, tailored to your needs. 

If you require legal assistance or would just like to discuss your situation with one of our experts, please contact our immigration solicitors.