Immigration to the UK is something that can be highly beneficial for business. It affords access to a broader pool of talent. In some cases, migrant labour might be the only viable way of bringing in the skills you need.
But recruiting internationally can be a difficult thing, because of the legal complexity involved with hiring international talent. Let’s take a look at some key considerations.
Understanding Immigration Law in the UK
Recent years have seen extensive changes to the way that immigration law works, thanks largely to Brexit. In 2020, the Home Office created a new skilled worker route. This allowed workers to come into the UK, provided that they already had a job offer from a UK employer. This route was then replaced the following year by the ‘tier 2’ general visa category, with a reduced salary threshold.
On the other hand, there are the ‘global talent’ visa, the ‘innovator’ visa, the ‘start-up’ visa, and the ‘seasonal worker’ visa (which is used predominantly by farm workers, picking fruit).
Benefits of Hiring International Talent
Hiring internationally confers a number of benefits. In many cases, foreign workers are willing to do the same work for less money – which drives down the cost of payroll. It also allows businesses to expand more quickly.
Being able to draw from a broader pool of talent might also allow you to benefit from a more diverse array of perspectives, which might, in turn, allow you to spot creative solutions to the problems faced by your business.
Hiring international employees might also help you to access new markets. If you’re trying to sell products in France, for example, it can be beneficial to hire French workers – these workers might be able to offer insights into the wider French market that can’t be replicated through training and education.
Common Challenges in Immigration Compliance
In many cases, it can be difficult to get the workers your business needs into the country. Some of the difficulty might stem from the legal process; much of it might stem from practicalities like language and finances.
Workers might need support in adapting to the culture of their new homeland. Businesses might also need to be able to react swiftly to changes in immigration policy. The current Labour government has pledged to bring overall migration numbers down, and in order to do this, they might introduce any number of changes to the rules.
Leveraging Legal Expertise for Compliance
Dealing with the legal process often means forming a close relationship with competent, experienced immigration lawyers. This will help to minimise the cost of recruiting internationally, and ease the transition for new foreign hires. It might also allow you to remain aware of new changes in legislation, and to plan for those changes before they have a chance to disrupt your business.
