How and why UK businesses can open their door to more immigrants

Wondering whether your business can benefit from immigration? Read on to find out more…

Many people relocate to the UK in search of better job opportunities. Individuals come from all around the world and many of them bring with them talent and experience.

There is no denying that the UK is going through challenging times, but businesses have the chance to take advantage of immigrants and what they can offer. There are also plenty of different business visa routes, and renewal options such as the sponsorship licence renewal programme, which immigrants can take.

If you are a business owner and are struggling to find local talent, you might want to consider those who come to the UK looking for work. To find out more on how immigration can help keep businesses thriving, keep reading…

What are the advantages of employing immigrants?

Below are some of the main advantages immigration can bring to your business.

Expanding your knowledge base

Limiting your worker pool to one location can shrink your company’s knowledge base. Hiring from diverse backgrounds brings unique skills, knowledge, and experiences, leading to more diverse perspectives and better problem-solving abilities.

Embracing diversity in the workforce

Having a diverse workforce is crucial for a forward-thinking and inclusive company. Diverse teams foster a supportive environment where employees can thrive and reach their full potential.

Boosting productivity

Remote workers from different time zones can improve productivity by allowing for a flexible work schedule. Allocating tasks to employees based on their availability extends your company’s working hours beyond the standard 8-hour day.

Diversifying your talent pool

Hiring foreign workers expands your company’s knowledge base and can fill skill gaps in the local workforce. By broadening your search to include international talent, you increase the chances of finding the best fit for your job openings.

Access to skills

Migrant workers bring valuable skills that help businesses expand their workforce, fulfil contracts, and take on more work. Companies often find that the necessary skills are scarce in the UK or that migrants provide access to a wider pool of talent, enabling them to choose better-qualified candidates. In addition, migrants with skills beyond their job requirements can bring added benefits.

Although lower language proficiency or higher turnover may offset some of these skills, the benefits are usually perceived as outweighing the drawbacks.

Innovation

Migrants can have a noticeable impact on innovation for businesses. In some industries, migrant workers’ ideas generated new business opportunities and jobs. Some businesses might also find diverse perspectives among employees leading to the creation of new methods and ideas.

Occasionally, migrants can help to initiate the development of new products, processes, or services, or facilitate access to new markets, leading to business growth that might have been unplanned.

How can businesses employ immigrant workers?

If your business is looking to employ immigrant workers, you have a number of different options to explore.

Sponsorship licence

To hire overseas workers for your UK-based business, you must have a valid sponsorship licence (previously known as Tier 2). This licence is valid for 4 years and can be renewed.

To be eligible to apply for a sponsor licence in the UK, your organisation must have a presence in the country and be operating legally. You can opt for a single licence to cover all related UK organisations or individual licences for each branch.

When applying, you must present evidence of your registration with the required entity and proof of planning permit/authorization from the local authority if applicable. The Home Office must also be satisfied that you are able to offer genuinely skilled employment and pay the Home Office wage rate.

By applying for the licence, you agree to take on all responsibilities as a sponsor. However, private individuals are generally not eligible unless they are lone traders sponsoring someone to work for them.

Global business mobility routes

The UK Home Office has recently established the Global Business Mobility Route, a solution for UK employers to bring in skilled and specialist overseas workers for non-permanent positions.

This route consists of five subcategories, all aimed to assist UK companies in attracting and retaining expert talent temporarily. Most of these subcategories serve as replacements for prior immigration categories that were discontinued on April 11th, 2022.

Business and immigration

UK businesses have to do everything possible to remain competitive in the modern world. The overseas workforce has a lot of potential and can help businesses to transform the way in which they operate.

There are a number of options available should businesses want to employ immigrant workers. To find out more it’s advisable to contact an immigration solicitor who can guide you through the process.

Please be advised that this article is for general informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for advice from a trained legal professional. Be sure to consult an immigration lawyer/solicitor if you’re seeking advice on immigration. We are not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.