During a visit the Home Office Sponsorship compliance officer is checking whether an employer is meeting their obligations, has the necessary systems and procedures in place to do so, is sending accurate information to the Home Office, and is complying with their obligations to prevent illegal working. They will review files, interview sponsored staff and Key Personnel (your Authorising Officer, Key Contact and Level One User), and inspect policies.

Audit Check Facts:

• Based on statistics for Q4 of 2018, there were 1,566 new sponsor applications were made.
• 158 applicants for a licence received a pre-licence visit, over 89% were Tier 2 sponsors.
• For those who received a post-licence visit during this period, 42% resulted in a suspension or revocation of their licence.
• The Home Office has the right to conduct on-site visits to any physical address where sponsored Tier 2 migrants are working – such visits can be announced or unannounced.

Compliance visits to holders of Tier 2 sponsor licences are on the rise and employers must have their house in order – otherwise they could face having their licence revoked or downgraded. Either outcome will have serious implications for the company.

As will be clear from the above, an audit visit can be time consuming and stressful and the potential outcome of not preparing fully can be a real issue for international companies.

UK Visa Partners understands the complexity of UK Immigration processes, the legal requirements and the issues that cause problem. Our bespoke Immigration Audit Service is tailored to meet your business needs whilst helping you to avoid the potential of incurring penalties.

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us on +44 (0) 207 2536888 or email us at info@ukvisapartners.com