This week, UK Visas and Immigration has published new guidance to employers about the upcoming points-based immigration system, which is currently planned to be in place on 1 January 2021.
The guidance reminds employers that, from 1 January 2021, if they want to recruit skilled workers from outside the UK’s resident labour market, then they will need to be a Home Office licensed sponsor.
This will include employers who wish to recruit skilled workers from the EU. As a result of Brexit, freedom of movement of EU citizens in the UK will end on 31 December 2020. This means that EU citizens will be subject to the same immigration rules as the rest of the world – although many EU citizens will have secured their right to live and work in the UK (for example through the EU Settlement Scheme).
Applying for a sponsor licence and sponsoring your first skilled worker can be tricky. To obtain a licence you will need to make sure that your organisation meets the Home Office’s compliance standards and that you have appointed people within your organisation to fulfil key sponsorship roles.
Organisations who already have a sponsorship licence under the current Tier 2 will automatically be granted a new skilled worker licence, set to expire on the same day as their existing licence.
If you have any questions about applying for a sponsor licence or sponsoring skilled workers, please contact Greg Clark on greg.clark@bpcollins.co.uk or 01753 279033.
