How to Navigation Sponsorship, Secondments & Visas

When launching a UK operation, many companies choose to send someone over from HQ. Someone who knows the business inside out, understands the culture, and can set things up the right way from day one. It’s a smart move for continuity and control, but it does mean navigating the UK’s immigration and employment requirements.

There are a few different ways to bring international talent into the UK depending on the nature and length of the move. If the person is coming over temporarily, perhaps to help launch the UK arm or deliver a specific project, a secondment might be suitable. In a secondment, the employee retains employment with the home country employer and is engaged with the UK employer as their host employer. They remain on the overseas payroll for social security purposes, but usually pay tax in the UK and are expected to return home once the assignment ends. It’s often used during early stage expansion, and there can be some tax and social security advantages depending on the setup.

Being seconded isn’t a necessity. If this doesn’t work for the company and the employee is likely to work in the UK for longer than 2 years, then local employment from day one is likely best. In either situation, the person will need to have the right to work in order to work in the UK. You’ll need to look at formal visa routes.

For most businesses, this means becoming a licensed sponsor, which allows you to sponsor individuals under the UK’s points-based immigration system. The skilled worker visa is a common option allowing businesses to hire overseas employees for eligible roles in the UK, provided certain salary and qualification thresholds are met. For more senior employees where employees are transferring within a global group, the senior or specialist worker visa, part of the global business mobility route, may be more suitable.

Sponsoring someone involves more than just issuing a visa. You’ll need to apply for a sponsorship license for the company, appoint key personnel to manage it, known as an authorising officer and level one user, and make sure you meet all compliance and reporting obligations. Otherwise, you risk fines or losing your license. It is worth noting you must also have a fully licensed bank account in the UK before you can apply for a sponsorship license.

Whichever route you choose, bringing someone from HQ into the UK is a strategic investment, but the process needs to be managed carefully to ensure a smooth transition and full compliance with UK immigration rules as this process can be timely and costly.

At Goodwille, we help you understand your options and support you through every step of the process. Get in touch to find out how we can help you build your UK presence with the right people in place.