Have Your Say if You Sponsor Overseas Workers on Health and Care Worker Visas
If you are a sponsoring employer with a sponsor licence to sponsor health and care workers on the health and care worker visa then did you know that you can have your say on immigration-related issues? The deadline to give your views is 11 September 2023.
Our immigration solicitors outline the purpose of the survey and how you can go about giving evidence.
UK Online and London-Based Immigration Solicitors and Sponsorship Licence Lawyers
For immigration advice call OTS Solicitors on 0203 959 9123 or contact us online.
An invitation from the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration
The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration is inviting anyone with knowledge and experience of the interaction between the UK immigration system and the social care sector to submit evidence to inform an inspection by ICIBI into this area of immigration.
The ICIBI is an independent monitoring body of the Home Office. It inspects and reports on the effectiveness of the immigration system as carried out by the Home Office. The reports are placed before parliament and can influence future immigration policy and Home Office guidance.
The ICIBI regularly obtains evidence from interested parties and prepares reports. For example, in 2022 an inspection report was published on the efficiency and effectiveness of the Home Office’s Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa route.
Why sponsor licence holders should get involved
Sponsorship Licence lawyers say that it's vital that sponsoring employers have their say in the latest evidence-gathering exercise. Whether you operate 200+ care homes or one nursing home your voice is equally valid. Responses from small family-operated care home facilities are just as important as the replies from the ‘major players’ in the care home sector.
The government website welcomes evidence from ‘anyone with relevant professional knowledge or personal experience’. If you are concerned about adverse publicity then there is no need to worry. For example, you may be worried about revealing how difficulties and delays in recruiting overseas health and care worker visa applicants are affecting the level of care you can offer to care home residents. However, the ICIBI does not name sources and does not name individuals or organisations when presenting case studies.
What the ICIBI report will cover
The government website outlines the areas that the ICIBI report will address. The broad scope of the report is to assess the extent to which the Home Office’s immigration functions support the social care sector. It is therefore expected that the report will look at:
- The effectiveness and efficiency of the health and care worker visa
- The extent and the quality of communication and engagement between the Home Office and the social care sector
- The current suitability of the Home Office’s sponsor licencing system for health and care worker visa sponsorship
- The effectiveness of the Home Office’s sponsor licence compliance requirements on sponsors, including how reporting and recording duties safeguard employees from exploitation
Positive and negative comments are welcomed
If you decide to give evidence by the deadline of 11 September 2023 then it’s important to say what is working for your business as well as saying what isn’t. For example, you may have a positive view on the speed of health and care worker visa decisions but a less than positive experience of waiting for criminal checks from overseas on prospective employees who need a health and care worker visa to come to the UK.
Sending evidence for the ICIBI
Submissions can be sent by sponsoring employers or employees by email to healthcare@icibi.gov.uk. You need to include ‘social care call for evidence’ in the subject line of the email.
How OTS Solicitors can help businesses in the healthcare sector
As Sponsorship Licence lawyers we advise on all aspects of sponsor licences and have substantial experience in advising on sponsor licences in the healthcare sector.
We can help your business with:
- Initial sponsor licence enquiries and can conduct a pre-licence audit to ensure your systems are compliant and advise on the appointment of key personnel to give your application for a sponsor licence the best chance of success
- First sponsor licence applications
- Advice on sponsor licence reporting and recording duties and compliance
- Sponsor licence management service for a fixed monthly retainer
- Bespoke sponsor licence training for HR professionals and key personnel
- Renewal applications
- Compliance visits
- Downgrading, suspension and revocation concerns
Whether you own one or 200+ sites our Sponsorship Licence lawyers can assist your health care and care home business with all its sponsor licence legal needs.
UK Online and London-Based Immigration Solicitors and Sponsorship Licence Lawyers
For immigration advice call OTS Solicitors on 0203 959 9123 or contact us online.
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