Businesses that hire or plan to hire professionals from overseas must have some understanding of UK immigration law to prevent any issues for the company or employees. UK immigration laws continue to evolve, and they are changing quicker than ever. Thus, staying up to date with these laws is imperative with also creating policies that will protect your company and its interests. Hiring specialised and experienced solicitors will be necessary for that, but you should also have some basic knowledge about these laws.
This article provides an overview of what businesses should know about immigration laws and how solicitors can help you.
The Different Types of Visas Foreign Workers Can Attain to Enter and Potentially Work in the UK
After the UK withdrew from the EU, it introduced a points-based system (PBS) for non-British individuals who aim to enter the UK. Thus, there are a few relevant visa categories within this system that are relevant to businesses. These visa categories include:
- Innovator visa (which replaced the entrepreneur visa)
- Start-up visa (which replaced the graduate entrepreneur visa)
- Investor visa
- Business visitor visa
Applicants for an innovator visa must have the following to qualify for one.
- Endorsement from a body approved by the Home Office
- Funds for investment
- Adequate personal funds
- Proficiency in the English language
Applicants for a start-up visa must have the following to qualify for one.
- Endorsement from a body approved by the Home Office
- Adequate personal funds
- Proficiency in the English language
Sponsored Employment Visas – Different Types
Below is a list of different types of sponsored employment visas.
- Skilled worker visa
- Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) visa
- Intra-Company Graduate Trainee visa
- Temporary Worker visa
How UK Business Immigration Lawyers Help
While it’s good to know about these different types of visas, you can only navigate through the complexities of immigration laws with the help of experienced UK business immigration lawyers. In addition to informing you about the various aspects of the law, they can help with various other activities and processes, as mentioned below.
- Determining the potential risks of hiring foreign employees and letting go of existing or prospective foreign employees
- Supervising the process of creating contracts for foreign employees during recruitment cycles
- Auditing a business’s HR policies that have to do with the hiring of foreign employees
- Creating strategies for the recruitment of foreign employees to maximise the benefit of a company and reduce the risk of any issues in the future
The list above does not cover all of the functions of a business immigration lawyer in the UK. You can speak to the solicitor or group of solicitors you are hiring to know the extent of their services.
Final Words
Hiring UK business immigration lawyers are, thus, crucial to limiting the risk to your business when you want to recruit foreign employees. They have the experience and are well-informed of every update to existing laws to ensure that you are protected from every angle.
