International recruitment: An Immigration Goldmine

Businesses in the UK do not have an automatic right to hire non-EU workers. The right to recruit internationally is regulated by UK Immigration legislation. As a result of this ‘red-tape’, there is no immediate incentive for businesses to consider investing in a ‘Sponsor License’ – that being the golden ticket that opens the door to international recruitment.

Regardless of whether you or your business has any immediate plans to expand to international markets or to recruit from further afield than Europe, a Sponsors License may be a worthwhile investment to ensure you are ready for the day that you decide to expand. A Sponsors License can take some time to obtain so why not get one now?

From time to time the Home Office commissions consultations on the skills of the UK workforce in order to identify what key roles are not being filled by UK workers. For instance, there are many roles in the healthcare and engineering sectors, amongst others, that currently suffer from a skills deficit. The Home Office therefore publishes these occupations and makes it easier for Sponsors to recruit international workers who have the skills required to take on these roles. These ‘Shortage Occupation Lists’ can give you, as an employer, a potential insight into whether the right person for your business may be waiting overseas.

Becoming a Sponsor does impose obligations on employers, particularly when it comes to record-keeping, monitoring and meeting salary thresholds, and these obligations need to be very carefully observed and followed. For a business with very robust and thorough HR processes, this should not cause too much of a headache.

Becoming a Sponsor should be seen as an investment for your business as it could enable you to achieve the following:

• Recruiting an elite workforce
• Expanding your international professional network
• Learning about ‘best practice’ in your industry from new perspectives
• Preparing your business for globalization / international marketing.