Moving to another country for work has become a standard today. Just think about how many people leave their homes to pursue a place where they can have a higher income. The number of people that do this today is a couple of million yearly. Of course, the number of countries that require additional workforce is getting higher constantly. The United Kingdom is among the countries that require the most foreign workforce.
If you check some stats on how many people come to the United Kingdom annually, the average number is around 150k. So, you can imagine how busy these government agencies are. Migrating to the United Kingdom in search of work is a complicated process, and it requires going through several steps before you are successful. One of the ways foreigners can come to the United Kingdom to find work is through a sponsor license.
Sponsor licenses are obtained by companies that need an additional workforce. Of course, government institutions will go through a complex process to see this fulfilled. Companies need to fulfill certain requirements before they can do so. Today, we want to discuss the concept of a sponsor license, and we will provide you with detailed insight into the most important details. Without further ado, let us begin.
Sponsor License: The Basics
We want to discuss the concept before we can dive into the details. For those who don’t know, a sponsor license is a document issued by the Home Office. The point of issuing this document is to allow an organization to employ someone not a resident or a citizen of the United Kingdom. However, the commonest case where these are issued is hiring non-settled workers. We are talking about individuals without the right to work inside the country.
The individual who gets this license can obtain a United Kingdom visa. As a result of that, they have the right to find employment and reside in the country for a certain time. Before the company can get this one, it must specify the immigration route. The commonest route companies come across is Skilled Worker and Global Business Mobility. It certainly invites the most workers into the country.
One of the major requirements is for the company to prove the need for a foreign workforce. The government institution will first search the local market to find suitable candidates. The company can choose foreign employees if this does not provide satisfying options. Furthermore, the company should have established credibility and legitimacy in the market before it made this claim. It will make the procedure significantly easier.
The Hiring Procedure
Local firms need to hire foreign workers because of the lack of the same expertise in the local market. They will first evaluate the situation in the company and see whether they need to do so. Surely, firms have teams of people that focus solely on evaluating these needs. Of course, hiring someone without a need does not make any sense. Even the government institution will not allow it to happen if the need is not urgent.
In this day and age, where practically every field is digitalized, seeking a foreign workforce is easier than ever before. Furthermore, the candidates want to present themselves in the best possible light. Therefore, the teams responsible for finding the workforce will evaluate all the candidates and compile a list of those that fit the needed profile. Once again, we are talking about a lengthy procedure.
Not to mention, many firms in the United Kingdom have the same needs as you. With that in mind, you must know that the competition will be quite steep. The situation in the United Kingdom changed massively after Brexit. It influenced the legislation, and we have the situation we have now. While the process is slightly more complicated, the goal remains the same.
Hiring Foreign Students
A sponsor license doesn’t only work when companies need experts in the subject immediately. Instead, you will see many firms want to find young international talents. There’s no better way for them to do that than to peek into the most prominent universities in the world outside the United Kingdom. So, you can imagine that many firms already found talents from all over the globe. Obtaining a sponsor license is a must for them to reach the country.
Finding young talents is not limited just to the IT industry, as many people often think. The situation is much more diverse. You will find local talents coming from various industries. Yet again, candidates must prove their credentials by providing the necessary documentation. Only by doing so will they be accepted through the program and can move to the United Kingdom without any problems.
Why is This License Important?
Lastly, we want to explore the importance of a sponsor license today. Why is it so relevant, like it has never been before in the United Kingdom? We already had a portion of the answer to this question earlier. Brexit changed the local market significantly. As you know, EU citizens didn’t need any particular document when they wanted to go to the UK for work. Now, they have the same standard as non-EU citizens.
With the constant growth of the local economy, local companies must employ skilled or highly skilled workers in a particular field. Sometimes, you will even find government institutions with the same need. With that in mind, it becomes obvious why so many companies have this need. Sponsor license came as an answer to this need, and it will certainly play a large role in the future. Needless to say, the UK is not the only country with this program. You can find similar examples in many countries all over the globe.
The Bottom Line
A sponsor license plays a vital role in the UK’s economy. You will find numerous firms that use it frequently. However, as we’ve said, some requirements must be fulfilled before this is possible. Here, you can find the answer to why companies require this document and why it is important.
