Look at the migrant statistics, especially in the UK. You will see that there has been a subsequent rise in the number of businesses and organizations in this country that are exploring the benefits rendered by a sponsor license.
If you look at the figures, you will be surprised to know that by the end of 2022, over 57,000 sponsorship licenses have already been registered. Let’s learn more about it and whether, as an employer, you can choose this pathway or not.
Understanding The Sponsorship License
The UK sponsorship license is issued to the employer by the Home Office. The license works as a grant to the company or organization.
It permits employing people not settled in the country to discharge their professional duties as a part of the company functional in the UK. The sponsorship license helped interested and hired employees to move to the country from around the world.
Non-settled workers are the ones who do not have any right to work in the country. However, the Irish and British individuals and rationales have specific immigration statuses and are allowed to work.
The sponsorship license helps the hired employee to get a visa for entry into the country. Also, it allows them to stay in the country for periodic employment terms. However, when the company or organization applies for such a license, they must specify the immigration routes through which they aim to sponsor skilled professionals outside the country.
The common ways employers take include the Skilled Worker and Global Business Mobility: Senior or Specialist Worker Licenses.
Importance Of Sponsorship License
Businesses and organizations in the UK have to get this license if they want to hire cross-boundary talent and bring them to the country so that they can contribute to the professional requirements.
Apart from the professional requirements, there are many chances where companies and organizations face a severe talent crunch. If they stick to hiring people already in the country, the repercussions can be many. It is essential to fill the vacancies quickly, and that’s when this license proves to be the most helpful.
Here are some statistics that can help you know this license’s importance and begin applying for it if you haven’t done that already.
- Staff shortage is a severe problem and has maintained records at different levels. 56% of the surveyed businesses fulfill the requirements by functioning below total capacity.
- 76% of the businesses that wish to hire the required professionals need help.
- The most affected sectors include the manufacturing and hospitality industries. The difficulty rate for the manufacturing sector is reportedly high, and the recruitment issues stand at 82%.
Since Brexit, the importance of such licenses has increased considerably. Since July 1, 2021, European Union nationals and their family members have been required to hold their immigration status, providing them the right to work.
If you look at the current rate, the sponsorship is necessary for EU nationals, too. However, the requirement will no longer be valid if the nationals possess an alternative option in terms of immigration status.
For instance, the sponsorship license is unnecessary if they have a pre-settled or settled status.
Here is a valuable discussion about strategies to address challenges related to immigration and anxiety.
Post-Application Process
You will get the license rating if you have applied for this license and the application is successful. Also, the rating will elevate your position as you will not become credible for issuing sponsorship certificates. But that will only be possible if you have jobs around sponsorship suitability.
The validity for such a granted license is for four years. However, the permit is subject to cancellation unless you fulfill your responsibilities as a sponsor.
It would help if you catered to some things while applying for or holding the sponsorship license.
- The organization is registered and is rendering its functions inside the country.
- Your company is a reliable source for migrating any foreign worker.
- Your immigration and criminal records are clean, and no cases or allegations are related to fraud, gaslighting, or money laundering.
- You have not violated any rules, and hence, you have not been able to lose your license based on the same.
3 Advantages Offered by The Sponsorship License
When you hold the sponsor license to employ foreign workers and call them to the UK to dispose of their professional duties, you expose yourself and your company to some specific benefits attached to this license that are mentioned as follows:
1. Better Loyalty
Sponsoring a worker, and they migrate to the country on that behalf, indirectly helps foster loyalty. The right to an employee’s work is tied with the sponsorship; hence, they will diligently perform the duties.
When your talent is intact, you can focus on better things, like adding stability to your business by focusing on business planning and ensuring a reliable workforce.
2. Greater Competition
It is not easy for companies to obtain this license, but it is relatively easy, too. There has been a boost in the number of companies who enjoy possession of this license, which puts your company in a position to pose as an effective competitor in the global market.
The trend is growing, and so is the market competition. Competition has better working and reasonable offers for the employees in the market.
3. Higher Access to Specialized Skill and Worker Pool
The possession of this license is a boon for people who are on the lookout for better opportunities that can help them display their skills and experience at the international level.
Such professionals can be given a genuine chance, and the bid for this is higher when the global market faces an acute shortage of skilled professionals.
When the organization gets this license, they are better positioned to hold interviews and hire the best people for jobs in different parts of the globe.
Conclusion
The sponsorship license offered by the UK Home Office is an excellent way for businesses and organizations functional in the country to expand their hiring power and get people from different parts possessing skills on board.
The license helps them provide excellent employment opportunities to those looking for it and also provides strategic, growth, and development advantages to the businesses.
