Osbourne Pinner, one of London’s best law firms, has helped over 1000 businesses recruit employees from overseas with its highly effective Sponsor Licence service.
The firm, which has offices in Piccadilly Circus and Harrow and has an unrivalled reputation in all the legal areas in which they defend their clients, offers a specialised service for UK companies who are seeking to find talented people living outside of the UK to join their team.
Osbourne Pinner’s Sponsor Licence and Skilled Worker Visa service has seen high levels of success in recent years, particularly since the government changed to the point-based immigration system at the start of 2021, and boasts a 100% success rate in Sponsor Licence applications. This success has led to the firm being recognised as a leading solicitor in this field across the London area.
The firm’s team of Immigration Solicitors offer a free 30-minute consultation to determine a business’s eligibility for a Sponsor Licence, and in the unlikely event of an unsuccessful application only 50% of the fee is charged.
Successful sponsor licence applications allow firms to employ skilled candidates from outside the UK, including the European Economic Area (EEA) under the Skilled Worker rule for Tier 2 and Tier 5 visas. The licence is valid for four years and will then be up for renewal. The sponsorship is only granted to the company if they meet all the visa conditions.
Companies seeking to recruit long-term employees need to apply for a Tier 2 Sponsor Licence. In order to stand a chance of being accepted, the company’s base of operation should be the UK, it should have an efficient HR and recruitment system, and it needs to show proof of genuine job opportunities that fit the requirements for skilled workers.
Small businesses and charities are eligible for a reduced sponsor licence fee of £536, but all other organisations must pay £1476. Along with the sponsorship charges, they will also have to pay the Immigration Skills fee of £1000 per year for each sponsored worker. Lastly, there is a sponsor licence application cost of £199 each for certificates of sponsorship (CoS) for each worker.
Osbourne Pinner’s team of experienced corporate immigration solicitors work across a wide range of businesses both in the EU and internationally, as well as specialist businesses with very specific requirements for sponsor duties.
Senior Immigration Solicitor at Osbourne Pinner, Richard Young said: “We are delighted to see the success of this crucial service and it is very satisfying to see that Osbourne Pinner is now being recognised across the region for our expertise when it comes to recruiting overseas workers.
“Successful sponsor licence applications will allow firms to employ skilled candidates for long periods who will commit to the job. With the complexities of skilled worker licences, the candidates will seldom change jobs. It will be helpful for your business as it leads to better staff retention and also leads to the individual’s career growth.
“Anyone seeking to employ overseas workers should be mindful of the record-keeping, reporting and monitoring that is required by the Home Office to ensure that your company complies with the regulations. We can assist with this, but an in-house HR team is highly beneficial.
“Since the legislation changed in April 2023 to the points-based immigration system, the legalities around recruiting overseas workers now has added complexity, which is why we strongly advise enlisting a legal expert to navigate this complicated area law.”
Osbourne Pinner has also supported companies seeking to renew their Sponsor Licence. It is crucial to renew the Sponsor Licence, as your organisation is not allowed to sponsor workers outside the EEU region without an active licence, including the existing workers you have.
This means that even if you don’t intend to hire new workers a Sponsor Licence renewal is necessary. Your sponsored workers will no longer be legally employed by you while you are unlicensed, and because they are working illegally, their visas may be revoked.
In reality, applications for sponsor licence renewals may receive more attention from the Home Office than those for new licences, so receiving the support of an expert solicitor remains crucial.
Richard added: “The sponsor licence renewal process takes around eight weeks to process if there are no issues with the application and companies can apply for renewal three months before the existing licence expires. To avoid any delays, firms should ensure that the HR and personnel systems are working efficiently. This will lead to the smooth processing of the renewal application.
“The sponsors should be aware that in any case of discrepancy, they will be thoroughly investigated by the Home Office. The firm’s compliance with sponsorship requirements would be studied before approving the renewal application.
“Our expert team has helped over 1000 businesses with Sponsor Licences, whether it be applying for the first time or renewal, so we have extensive experience of the requirements and an be your trusted partner through this complicated legal process.”
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