After Britain finally left the European Union, EU residents, like other foreign citizens, now need to obtain a visa to work in the United Kingdom. In order to avoid staff starvation and attract as many highly qualified specialists from various fields to the country as possible, the UK has simplified the procedure for obtaining work visas for employees and sponsorship licences for their employers.
What is a Sponsor licence?
In the United Kingdom, professionals from abroad are welcome, but only those companies that have a sponsor licence and can issue sponsorship certificates have the right to invite citizens of another state to work. With the help of licensing, the British authorities not only control labor immigration but also provide foreign workers with decent working conditions and an acceptable level of wages.
On the other hand, the rules for hiring foreigners are not as complicated as it may seem at first glance – it is quite easy to get a sponsorship licence for an existing British company if you follow simple rules from the very beginning.
Benefits of obtaining a sponsorship licence for an organization
Ability to hire skilled workers from outside the UK.
With a sponsorship license, an organization can sponsor and hire skilled workers from outside the UK, including those from the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.
Increased access to talent.
By being able to sponsor workers from outside the UK, an organization can access a wider pool of talent and skills that may not be available locally.
Improved reputation.
Being a licensed sponsor can enhance an organization’s reputation as a credible and professional employer, which can help attract and retain top talent.
Streamlined recruitment process.
A sponsorship licence enables an organization to streamline its recruitment process for foreign workers, making it easier and more efficient to bring in the necessary talent.
How to apply?
Any company registered in the United Kingdom can obtain a sponsorship licence if it meets all the requirements of the immigration service. British universities, colleges and schools must also obtain sponsor status before they begin to accept international students for their studies.
It should be particularly noted that after Brexit, it became much easier to invite workers from abroad, since now the company does not need to prove that there is no necessary specialist not only among Britons, but also among EU citizens.
Conditions for obtaining a sponsorship licence in England are:
- business must really exist;
- the main activity of the company should take place in the UK;
- the presence of authorized officials from among the employees residing in the country to manage the sponsorship system.
Conditions for admission of a foreign specialist are:
- the vacancy for a foreign employee must be real, in order to perform the job, the applicant must have a set of professional skills;
- the company should have a system of hiring and monitoring the work of employees;
- the future sponsor must be ready to fulfill his obligations both with respect to the foreign workers he has hired (to ensure acceptable working conditions and the salary level set by the government) and with respect to the immigration authorities of the British Kingdom.
After all the related documents have been collected and a business plan has been drawn up, you can proceed directly to the procedure for obtaining a sponsor’s licence.
The application for a sponsorship licence is submitted online. The UK Immigration Service can request from you all the necessary documents issued in accordance with the requirements specified in Appendix “A” to the Sponsor’s Guide – then they will need to be sent by mail. If for any reason you do not provide the necessary documents on time, your application may be rejected, which will lead to additional waste of time and money.
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