Business immigration for employers

Business immigration is an increasingly important area. As an employer, you must ensure that you understand and comply with your legal obligations, regardless of the size of your workforce or whether you sponsor foreign migrant workers.

Our Employment & HR team works with a specialist business immigration provider to help you navigate the best options to employ foreign migrant talent. Our advice will ensure your business conducts compliant Right to Work checks to protect against the risk of unwittingly employing an illegal worker.

How our employment solicitors can support your business

Sponsored employment & visa applications

We can assist with all UK jurisdiction business immigration matters – from Skilled Worker Sponsor Licences to Intra-Company Transfers. We can advise on the process to employ candidates, or to transfer a key skilled colleague from another group subsidiary overseas to the UK.

We can guide you through your Sponsor Licence application and review your draft application form and supporting documentary evidence to ensure it has the best prospects of success.

We also advise on the process of assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship, and individual visa applications.

Immigration applications

We can support you with immigration applications for:

• Sponsor Licence applications – Skilled Worker & Intra-Company Transfers
• Frontier Worker permit
• Tier 1 (Investor)
• Tier 1 (Innovator)
• EU Settlement Scheme – Settled status & pre-settled status applications/issues
• Visitor visas (from business travel to permitted paid engagements)
• Partner of a British Citizen
• Sole Representative of an Overseas Business
• Sportsperson visa (T2)
• Temporary Worker – Seasonal Worker visa (T5)
• Start Up visa
• Global Talent visa
• Indefinite Leave to Remain applications
• Naturalisation and British Citizenship applications

Right to Work in the UK audits

We provide Right to Work in the UK compliance support, with workforce audits and advice dealing with issues that arise if an employee loses their right to work in the UK.

Regardless of the size of your workforce it is vital that you complete Right to Work in the UK checks that are compliant with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. The penalty for employing an illegal worker is a £20,000 penalty notice per each individual illegal worker. There are unlimited fines and criminal sanctions (including imprisonment) for employing a worker illegally if you have reasonable cause to believe that they do not have permission to work in the UK.

We can help you prepare for inspections and audits by UK Visas & Immigrations, ensuring that your documents are kept up to date and recorded in an acceptable format.

Contact an employment solicitor

If you would like to learn more about how we can support your business, please contact a member of our Employment & HR team below or call 0800 652 8025.

Clarke Willmott has offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, London, Manchester, Southampton and Taunton. We provide employment law and HR advice to businesses in the UK and internationally.