Just like the official numbers from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show, a solid 42% of UK businesses are now reporting that a bigger slice of their workforce comes from outside the EU compared to earlier this year. This jump highlights a change in how companies find talent; they’re looking globally to plug those skills gaps.
However, tapping into this international talent pool isn’t always straightforward. Bringing people in from beyond the UK borders means grappling with things like visa applications, getting sponsor licenses sorted, staying on the right side of the law, and even the subtle details of getting international hires settled in.
The Basics of International Recruitment in the UK
Snagging the right talent can be a challenge, and with the rapid pace of change in sectors like tech and healthcare, an increasing number of UK firms are casting their nets overseas to bridge those gaps.
International recruitment is essentially the process of bringing in skilled workers from outside the UK to fill roles within the country.
The UK operates a system known as the Points-Based Immigration System to manage this. It’s intended to streamline international hiring while still maintaining regulations on who can come to work here. To secure a visa, overseas workers need to accrue a specific number of points based on factors like their qualifications, whether they’ve got a job offer in hand, their expected salary, and their English language proficiency.
Now, here’s where the specifics come into play: only businesses holding a special authorisation called a sponsor licence are legally permitted to hire individuals from other countries through this system. This licence grants them the authority to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), which is the crucial document that enables foreign nationals to apply for their work visas.
Common Roles Filled by International Talent
International talent often fills crucial roles for companies expanding their reach. Here are some common areas where overseas professionals make a significant impact:
- Software developers and engineers: The UK often finds its local talent pool stretched. International professionals frequently bridge crucial gaps, particularly within rapidly expanding SaaS companies, fintech start-ups, and large IT projects demanding scalable digital solutions and swift implementation.
- Healthcare professionals (e.g., nurses, care workers): Roles such as registered nurses, senior care workers, radiographers, and physiotherapists feature on the UK’s Shortage Occupation List. Many international healthcare professionals also bring multilingual capabilities and experience gained in high-pressure settings.
- Data analysts and cybersecurity specialists: Businesses across a range of sectors are keen to leverage data for strategic insights and safeguard their systems against evolving cyber threats. International professionals often possess specialist analytical skills or hold certifications which are in limited domestic supply.
Local candidates with the necessary experience were either unavailable or demanded salaries higher than the company’s budget. By looking internationally, companies can gain access to a wider pool of candidates and ultimately hire a highly skilled professional at a sustainable cost.
What You Need to Know When Recruiting People Outside the UK
You’re thinking about hiring folks from beyond the UK’s shores? Smart move, but there are a few hoops you’ll need to jump through first, legally speaking:
- Sponsor licence: If you want to legally employ someone who isn’t already a UK resident, you’ll generally need to get yourself a sponsor licence. This essentially shows the government that you’ve got the right processes in place to monitor your sponsored workers and that you can stick to all the rules and regulations.
- Navigating visa types: The Skilled Worker visa is probably the one you’ll encounter most often for skilled professionals. It covers a wide array of jobs, from IT experts to healthcare workers. To qualify, applicants need a confirmed job offer, must meet specific minimum salary thresholds, and need to be sponsored by a UK employer with a valid licence.
- Right to work checks: Every employer in the UK has a legal responsibility to carry these out. Fail to do so, and you could be looking at some rather significant fines – up to £20,000 for each individual working illegally – and potentially even criminal charges.
Hiring internationally is certainly doable from a legal standpoint, but it’s also a process that demands resources, involves a fair bit of red tape, and can take a considerable amount of time – particularly for smaller businesses that might not have a dedicated HR or legal department.
Should You Use International Recruitment Agencies?
International recruitment agencies are outfits that focus on finding folks from abroad to fill jobs with UK companies. But is going down that route the best shout for your business? Here’s a quick look at what’s what:
A growing number of small and medium-sized enterprises are opting for outsourcing companies, such as All In Outsourcing, which offer a more joined-up and less worrisome approach.
Why Partnering with an Outsourcing Company Is the Smart Move
With the UK talent pool becoming increasingly competitive and immigration rules remaining rather intricate, a good number of businesses, particularly your smaller and medium-sized players, are reconsidering how they find new staff.
This is where outsourcing comes in: a more modern and less stressful option that takes away the administrative, legal, and financial headaches often associated with hiring from overseas.
Whether you’re a new business needing developers quickly or a care company expanding rapidly, outsourcing can bridge that gap quickly, flexibly, and with considerably less risk involved.
1. Hassle-free: No need to apply for a sponsor licence
Directly hiring international talent requires a sponsor licence. This not only involves an initial outlay (£536 for smaller sponsors, £1,476 for larger ones) but also a considerable wait of roughly 8–10 weeks for processing. Businesses must also be prepared for ongoing reporting duties, audits, and compliance checks.
By teaming up with an outsourcing company, you can completely sidestep the sponsor licence requirement. As the outsourcing partner is the legal employer of the individual, they handle all the necessary visa and compliance responsibilities on their side.
Here are the advantages:
- Potentially save up to £1,476 in sponsor licence fees
- Avoid waiting months to bring on crucial hires
- No administrative burden or risk of failing compliance checks
2. Access pre-vetted, skilled talent fast
Outsourcing companies usually have a good stock of folks ready to go into sectors where everyone’s always looking.
Now, unlike the usual way of hiring, which can drag on for about 3 to 6 months, companies like All In Outsourcing can get decent staff sorted for you in just 7 to 21 days. These candidates have already been checked for their skills, what they’ve done before, and how good their English is, meaning you can pretty much just plug them in and they’re ready to crack on.
This is what it means for your business:
- You can grow quicker without being held back by not having enough people.
- Less time spent waiting to hire means you get more done.
- You’re more able to bend and flex when the market changes or a new project lands on your plate.
3. No immigration paperwork or legal pitfalls
A rather compelling benefit of outsourcing lies in the complete removal of any immigration-related risks. The outsourcing partner takes full responsibility for all visa sponsorships, onboarding documentation, and compliance matters – not your UK-based enterprise.
This means your team can sidestep the need to:
- Decipher intricate immigration law
- Manage the complexities of visa renewals
- Keep tabs on employment restrictions
The official employer of record handles all the nitty-gritty, ensuring full compliance with UK Home Office regulations.
Did you know that bringing on a foreign worker without the correct paperwork can lead to penalties of up to £20,000 per person? Yep, even if it’s an honest mistake. Outsourcing acts as a safeguard, ensuring your business is never exposed to such risks.
4. Tailored services for small/emerging businesses
Outsourcing isn’t just the domain of large corporations these days. More and more providers are tailoring their offerings to suit the needs of smaller and emerging businesses, providing adaptable and budget-friendly services that can expand as you do.
Take All In Outsourcing, for instance. They provide:
- Recruitment at zero cost, a stark contrast to agencies that often charge hefty placement fees.
- Flexible staffing arrangements without the burden of long-term commitments.
- Hiring models that can be scaled to align with your financial constraints and development plans.
This makes outsourcing a particularly attractive option for early-stage companies. It allows them to tap into international talent without needing to build out extensive in-house legal or HR departments to manage the complexities involved.
Final Takeaways
Venturing into international recruitment certainly unlocks a vast pool of potential talent. However, it also introduces a rather intricate web of sponsor licence stipulations, potential legal pitfalls, and recruitment processes that can devour valuable time.
If expanding your team beyond the UK’s borders is on your radar, now’s a good moment to consider whether outsourcing might be the right approach for your organisation. A chat with us at All In Outsourcing could be the initial stride towards a swifter and more straightforward hiring journey.
Considering international team expansion? We can facilitate a smooth and compliant process, allowing you to concentrate on your primary objective: business growth. Let’s chat today!