FEATURE
in the UK. This removes another barrier and speeds up the whole recruitment process allowing care organisations to quickly appoint much-needed staff.
Alongside these temporary changes, non-UK care professionals can benefit from reduced visa fees and exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge. Minimum salary requirements for roles have also been reduced from the normal ‘going rate’ of £26,500 per annum to £20,480 or £10.10 per hour. These factors broaden the potential talent pool of overseas qualified health and care workers.
There is, of course, a stringent and well-managed set of criteria that care providers must comply with to be able to recruit overseas workers, and to benefit from the temporary changes to the UK Health and Care Worker Visa. To recruit overseas workers into the UK who do not already have permission to work here, an organisation must become a licensed sponsor by way of an application to the Home Office.
Obtaining a sponsor licence requires an organisation to show that: they are operating lawfully in the UK, they are honest, dependable, and reliable, and can offer genuine employment opportunities that meet appropriate skill levels and rates of pay. Additionally, an organisation will need to show it has the capabilities to fulfil their sponsor duties. Upon approval of a sponsor licence, employers have obligations placed on them to ensure that they will protect the integrity of the UK’s immigration system and continue the duty of preventing illegal working.
The first step to successfully completing the sponsor licence application process should start with gaining a full understanding of a licensed sponsor’s duties. The Home Office expects sponsors to demonstrate knowledge of the immigration rules and the actions they must take to uphold these. For example, by being a sponsor, organisations will have a duty to report incidents of overseas employees failing to show
for work and to also notify the Home Office if a worker leaves their employment.
Many care providers have, with the right guidance, been successfully navigating the sponsor licence application process. They’ve able to begin reaping the rewards of fast-tracking skilled and qualified care professionals to the UK, but still need more time to address ongoing labour shortages. Extending the temporary UK Health and Care Worker visa arrangements would provide extra time and opportunity for organisations to look at the vacancies they’ve not had the capacity to tackle in the past 12 months.
“The speedier recruitment of overseas professionals can
provide a workable stopgap, whilst steps are taken to
implement a long-term plan.”
Similarly, an extension to the temporary arrangements would create more time for overseas workers to properly consider their options. Relocating to another country and employer is not an overnight decision. Extending the changes beyond 15 February 2023 could help squeezed care providers to reach more skilled and qualified workers overseas, who weren’t an option a few months ago. It could provide a short-term measure that helps address immediate labour needs, whilst longer-term solutions are sought to enhance the availability of domestic care professionals.
www.forbessolicitors.co.uk
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