Seeking employment in the United Kingdom presents distinct difficulties for foreign nationals. The procedure can be intimidating, particularly as you often require a sponsor licence from a UK firm who is ready to hire you and sponsor your application for a skilled worker visa. However, it can be possible to find a job in the UK with sponsorship if you have the correct knowledge, tools, and approach. This thorough guide offers valuable insights on how to successfully navigate the UK employment market as a foreign individual, including how to secure sponsorship, comprehend associated fees, and more.
1. Recognising the Fundamentals
1.1 A Sponsor Licence: What Is It?
Companies and organisations can hire non-UK residents who require permission to work in the UK by obtaining a sponsor licence from the UK Home Office. These permits must be renewed after their four-year expiration date. The application fee is £1,476 for major sponsors or £536 for charities or small entities.
1.2 Recognising Different Types of Visas
The most popular work visa in the UK is the skilled worker visa. You must receive a total score of 70 points, which is determined by taking into account elements like an offer at a skill level of RFQ3 or above and a legitimate employment offer from a licenced sponsor. The minimum salary criteria for the position must also be met.
Additional visa categories include the UK Global Business Mobility visa categories of UK Expansion Worker and Senior or Specialist Worker, as well as the Innovator Founder visa and Global Talent visa.
1.3 Comprehending the Sponsorship Certificate
The sponsoring organisation issues a certificate of sponsorship (CoS), which enables the employee to submit an application for a skilled worker visa. Each CoS is issued at a cost of £199.
2. Securing a Sponsored Job
2.1 Where to Look for Jobs Through Sponsorship
Companies that provide sponsorship jobs are listed on a number of platforms. A few of these are the Home Office list of licenced sponsors, employment search engines, and UKHired. It could be worthwhile to conduct an online search using Bard, ChatGPT, Bing, Google, etc.
2.2 Determining High-Demand Jobs
Certain industries in the UK have a stronger demand for competent overseas labour. These consist of financial services, engineering, legal, investment banking, and professional services. A thorough list of jobs where there is a labour shortage in the UK market but significant demand is available on the UK Shortage Occupation List.
2.3 Being Aware of Your Choices
Although the skilled worker visa category is well-liked because it grants indefinite leave of absence, businesspeople may want to think about self-sponsorship via the global talent and innovator founder visas. It can be difficult to get approval for these routes, though.
3. Being Aware of the Application Procedure
3.1 Qualification for Employment
Discovering a sponsor is just one step in the procedure. The position that is being offered must also fulfil the prerequisites for the visa pathway you are pursuing. For instance, in order to be considered for a position as a Skilled Worker, you must meet specific English language proficiency standards, have a skill level of RQ3 or above, be paid at least the minimum wage, and be listed on the list of qualifying occupations.
3.2 Sponsorship Visa Application
You must fulfil the requirements for the visa and adhere to the proper application procedures in order to apply for a UK sponsorship visa. In order to submit your visa application, you will also need a Certificate of Sponsorship from your sponsor, along with a special reference number.
4. Sponsorship Expenses
It costs money to sponsor a foreign worker. Visa taxes and application fees might total thousands of pounds.
4.1 The Cost of Immigration Skills
The Immigration Skills charge, which is generally applicable, is essentially a tax imposed on companies that hire foreign labour. For a small or charitable sponsor, the Immigration Skills Charge is £364 for the first year and £182 for each successive six months. For a medium or large sponsor, the payment is £1,000 for the first year and £500 for each following six months.
4.2 Application Fee for Visa
The length of the visa and whether the position is in a scarcity or not determine how much the headline visa application price is. For example, if the applicant is applying from within the United Kingdom, the precise cost may change.
4.3 Health Surcharge on Immigration
Beyond the application price, the Immigration Health Surcharge is akin to a tax on visas. For each year of the visa, the cost is £624. Throughout the period of the visa, this must be paid in advance.
5. Overcoming Obstacles
5.1 Having Trouble Locating a Sponsor
The expense and inconvenience of sponsoring someone makes most employers unwilling to do so. To improve your chances of becoming sponsored, you must show prospective employers how valuable and skilled you are.
5.2 Fulfilling the Language Requirements in English
A lot of potential immigrants need to fulfil the English language proficiency standards. This requirement is satisfied if you are a citizen of a nation where the majority language is English, if you have completed an English-taught degree at least as high as a UK bachelor’s degree, if you have passed an accredited English language exam, or if you have previously fulfilled the English language requirement while on leave in the UK. Please be aware that individuals who have received instruction in English may need to schedule an assessment with Ecctis.
6. Tools to Aid in Your Employment Search
You can locate a job in the UK through sponsorship through a number of online resources. How helpful ukhired will be for your job search is unknown. Using AI systems and search engines could be a good idea. Among the sources of jobs are:
A List of Authorised Sponsors
UKHired
7. Case Study
Depending on the size of the sponsoring organisation and whether the sponsored person has any accompanying family members, the cost of sponsorship may vary. Please be aware that the sponsor licence cost will not be required if the employer currently holds a sponsor licence. The following case study demonstrates the expenses related to providing five years of sponsorship for a single worker:
Sponsor licence: £536, or £1,476 in the case of a larger business
Sponsorship certificate: £199
Immigration Skills Fee: £1,820, or £5,000 if the business is bigger
£3,120 is the immigration health surcharge.
£1,235 is the application fee.
Total for a smaller business is £6,910.
The cost would rise by an additional £4,355 if the sponsored worker has a partner. This additional cost covers the Immigration Health Surcharge and the cost of applying for a visa.
8. Final Thoughts
Finding a job in the UK with sponsorship is not a simple feat, but with the appropriate approach and tools, it is feasible. To improve your chances of success, don’t forget to weigh all of your options, comprehend the associated expenses, and make use of the resources at your disposal.
