Challenges you may face when you choose to sponsor IT workers

It’s a well-documented fact that the UK is facing a dearth of high-quality homegrown talent to meet the rising employment requirements in the country. In no industry is this more evident than the technology industry. A recent study revealed that 71% of technology companies are facing moderate labour shortages.

Given that the industry is going through somewhat of a renaissance in recent years, the need for highly skilled IT workers has seen an exponential rise. From software developers and testers to UX\UI designers and data scientists there are a lot of job opportunities for IT specialists of all kinds.

With local infrastructure unable to produce technology professionals at the rate they are required, the international labour market has emerged as an opportunity for companies looking to hire the best talent from around the globe.

While the promise of the international labour market is incredibly attractive, it should be stressed that as a sponsor, you’re likely to face several challenges when sponsoring IT professionals in the UK.

Getting your sponsor licence

One of the first things you should do to sponsor IT professionals is to obtain your sponsor licence.

Although the Home Office has made the process much easier to encourage companies to sponsor workers, you may still need some professional support to get through the process successfully. Especially because hundreds of sponsor licence applications are rejected each year due to errors in the application, issues with supporting documents, and a litany of other reasons.

But, the good news is that you can overcome these challenges by working with immigration experts who can help you through the entire application process. From helping you build a strong case, to reviewing your application, they can support you and increase your chances of getting your sponsor licence successfully.

Choosing the right candidate

As mentioned earlier, the IT industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the country, and with 71% of companies facing labour shortages, you’re likely to face a lot of competition when you’re looking to hire the best talent.

To compound this, you may face challenges when it comes to finding employees that fit your needs and organisational culture as well.

The Home Office also requires you to conduct a thorough right to work check to ensure that your applicants are legally permitted to render their services in the UK. Failure to conduct this check can result in a suspension, revocation, or a downgrade of your sponsor licence.

If you haven’t completed the right to work check and you’re found to employ illegal workers, you may also face legal charges, including:

A civil penalty of up to £20,000 per illegal worker

Seizure of earnings made as a result of illegal working

A prison sentence of up to five years and an unlimited fine

Closure of the business and a compliance order issued by the court

Fulfilling your sponsorship duties

As a sponsor, you need to fulfil a range of sponsorship duties, including maintaining comprehensive records about your sponsorship activities, reporting any changes to your sponsored employees’ job roles and to your business, and complying with general immigration laws in the UK.

While these may sound straightforward, adhering to these guidelines can be challenging when you’re unfamiliar with the laws or don’t have the right tools and workflows to support your teams. Failing to comply with sponsor duties can carry a criminal conviction as well as a suspension, revocation, or downgrade of your sponsor licence.

Work with professionals to overcome sponsorship challenges

While employee sponsorship is an attractive option for IT businesses looking to hire the best talent from around the world, the process of doing so successfully can be fraught with complexities and challenges.

The good news is that you can get support to overcome every obstacle in your way by working with an end-to-end immigration service provider like Nation.better.

Our team of experts help you obtain your sponsor licence, increase your chances of gaining a sponsor licence, choose the right talent, and even comply with Home Office guidelines through our portfolio of services that includes sponsor licence support, Skilled Worker visa support, complimentary candidate assessments, and a compliance platform.

Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can help you.

Challenges you may face when you choose to sponsor IT workers