Businesses up and down the UK are feeling the effects of the impact Brexit has had on its flow of immigrant workers. Tightening immigration policies in the last few years, post-Brexit in particular, are putting a strain on many types of UK businesses. Construction, healthcare and even education are just a few of the industries most affected. If you’re a UK business who, like many others, is not quite up to speed with the rapidly changing complexities of business immigration, read on.
Not only might the impacts of the policies surrounding business immigration be impacting your business regarding employee shortages but you may also be having difficulties hiring from abroad. We understand this. The process of hiring from abroad since Brexit especially has give businesses more laws and regulations to know and more hoops to jump through to make happen. That’s why experts in business immigration law can help in this time of change and adaptation.
In this article, we’re going to discuss how business immigration affects your business.
Change in immigration law and staff shortages.
Since the UK officially and completely left the EU in January 2021, the way UK businesses employ and manage immigrant workers has completely changed. Many UK businesses from various industries relied heavily upon skilled labour and intelligent minds from abroad to fill their vacancies. With more Europeans returning home, more positions being left open and the new complexities of immigration law set in motion, many UK businesses have had a hard time keeping up.
The government set out a new points-based immigration system. The idea is to recruit the brightest and the best. And the rules are clear-cut and almost non-negotiable. This has put many migrant workers out of luck when it comes to working in the UK—and many businesses, too.
Your business may be suffering from a staff shortage. Or at least trouble hiring. This is understandable given the sudden shift in how to hire from abroad. And as a busy business leader, manager or entrepreneur, you don’t have the time to go into the ins and outs of the new laws and regulations around business immigration. You need people who’re knowledgeable in business immigration law, like solicitors who specialise in it. They can help guide you through hiring from abroad the right way and remain compliant with the UK’s new immigration system.
A challenge for businesses recruiting lower-skilled workers.
It’s no mystery that the UK has relied on and still relies on lower-skilled workers, such as labourers. The ending of freedom of movement with the UK’s exit from the EU stopped the flow of builders and construction workers from the EU. With the UK government set a national target of building between 200,000-300,000 new homes each year to tackle the housing crisis, on top of HS2 and a new runway for Heathrow on top of London’s increasingly dense skyline, many UK businesses and the UK as a whole are suffering from labour shortages.
The points-based system leaves behind many of these key workers. Many of the ‘brightest and the best’ don’t want to work these types of jobs—even with costs rising in these areas as the work businesses become more desperate to higher these workers.
Knowledge of business immigration law can help you as a business recruit the talent you need. While the UK’s new laws and regulations make it more difficult, knowledge of the different types of visas, sponsorships and thresholds, such as earnings can help you navigate these complex waters.
Managing and monitoring migrant employees.
As a UK business, you need to manage and monitor migrant employees—more so now than ever. With the change in business immigration law, you need to know you’re complying with the rules. Before you hire anyone from overseas, whether from Europe or farther, it’s your responsibility to manage and monitor each employee employed by you.
Along with the new rules and regulations have come new potential problems for businesses who don’t follow immigration rules that can result in sanctions and financial penalties. These include:
- A fine of up to £20,000 per illegal employee.
- Publication of your organisation’s details by Immigration Enforcement to serve as an example to other businesses.
- Crown court hearings in cases where an employer knowingly employed someone with the incorrect immigration status. These can lead to an unlimited number of fines or up to two years imprisonment.
There’s also the problem that not knowing business immigration rules can harm your commercial reputation. This is why it’s advantageous to talk to those knowledgeable in business immigration law and how it’s changed in recent times. Understanding business immigration law and how it affects your business can help you steer clear of any trouble and recruit overseas talent to supplement your business safely through the correct processes.