Business Immigration Solicitors

Whether yours is a start-up or large enterprise, you may be thinking about the opportunities that come from an international workforce. At Truth Legal, our skilled business immigration lawyers are here to help you get the best from global talent.

In a post-Brexit Britain, UK immigration has become more difficult. Employers can no longer hire EU nationals without intervention from the EU Settlement Scheme or an appropriate work visa. Likewise, there have been changes to the Tier system for hiring skilled workers.

Whether you’re hiring multinational staff or applying for a visa to work in the UK, we’re here to help. Our specialist immigration team can guide you on sponsorship, visa applications and compliance. Get in touch today to see how you or your business could thrive.

Contact us today to speak to an expert legal team for all your immigration needs.

What is business immigration law?

Business immigration law covers the processes for recruiting international staff or obtaining a visa to work overseas. It can impact business owners or individuals. For example, you may want to hire skilled foreign nationals, or you may want to come to the UK to work.

The UK immigration system is extremely complex. If you’re hiring, you’ll need to understand immigration issues such as compliance or sponsorship licences. If you’re coming to the UK, there will be certain eligibility requirements, such as if you’re visiting or working here long-term.

You may need legal advice on business immigration matters if you are:

• A UK business owner who employs migrants
• An overseas business owner setting up a UK branch
• Starting a business or investing in a UK business
• Coming to the UK to work.

Common corporate immigration law issues

If you want to hire workers in the UK from overseas, or set up a UK branch of your international business, you’ll need to understand certain immigration rules. For example, employers need to obtain a sponsor licence to legally employ foreign workers in the UK. These workers must have specific visas to work here.

If you’re coming to the UK to work, you’ll have personal immigration applications to consider. There are many work visas you can apply for, such as a Skilled Worker Visa or Health and Care Worker Visa. These will depend on your circumstances and in some cases, you may not need a job offer.

Sponsor licence applications

For the prevention of illegal working, employers may need a sponsor licence. This applies to organisations and not individuals, and follows a strict set of requirements from the Home Office. Once you’ve been granted this licence, you can give employees a Certificate of Sponsorship.

This is a complex application process and requires ongoing reviews of documentation. Our dedicated legal teams specialise in immigration advice, making sure you fill out forms accurately and hire qualified staff. Find out more about sponsorship here.

Work visa applications

We also offer immigration services for individuals. For example, if you wish to work in the UK, you’ll need to choose the right visa route. There are many different types of UK work visas, including:

• Skilled Worker Visa
• Global Talent Visa
• Healthcare Worker Visas
• Global Business Mobility Visa
• Youth Mobility Visa
• Temporary visas, such as creative workers, charity workers, trainees and scale-up workers.

Our multilingual business immigration solicitors can help you choose the right visa route depending on your circumstances. Contact our teams to find out more about your individual immigration process.

Compliance with UK immigration laws

There are many factors to consider when hiring overseas staff. After you’ve successfully been granted a Sponsor Licence, you’ll need to maintain good business practices to avoid penalties. This includes keeping on top of documentation such as visas and adhering to international recruitment laws.

Our business immigration team can conduct HR audits to ensure you comply with Home Office regulations. We’ll review your processes and make recommendations, as well as challenge licence revocations or suspensions. Get in touch to find out more.

Understanding the Points-Based System

Overseas employees must either have a UK visa or a special exemption (such as the EU Settlement Scheme) to work here legally. Others may have the right to work here if they’re a dependant, family member or spouse of somebody with legal UK working rights. Employers must make stringent checks to sponsor overseas teams, or risk the penalties of taking on illegal workers.

Previously, the UK operated on a Tier system for hiring overseas workers. Those in Tier 1 included Exceptional Talent, Investors and Entrepreneurs. These have now been tweaked to the likes of Global Talent and Innovator.

Those in Tier 2 generally were skilled workers, and now come under Skilled Worker Visas.

To employ these people legally, you must take either the more common sponsored route, or the non-sponsored route.

Sponsored routes

The sponsored route requires your organisation to apply for a sponsorship licence, complying with Home Office checks and reporting any changes. Individuals who can be sponsored under these routes include:

• Skilled Workers – these are most common and require certain qualifications and minimum salaries
• Global Business Mobility Workers – these include graduates, seniors or specialists, those in expanding businesses, service suppliers or secondment workers
• Scale-Up Workers – these are skilled workers with a job offer from fast-growing businesses.

Skilled and Global Business Mobility Worker visas generally last for five years, whereas Scale-Up Worker visas usually last for three.

Non-sponsored routes

Some SMEs might not need a sponsor licence. Instead, they could hire staff temporarily for two to three years, provided the individual already holds a suitable visa, such as:

• Graduates – those with student visas looking for any kind of work in the UK
• Global Talent – for potential leaders in academia, research, arts or digital
• High Potential Individual – for those who have notable qualifications from top universities
• Innovator Founder – for those who have special permission from the Home Office to set up an innovative business in the UK
• Youth Mobility Scheme – for those aged 18 to 30/35 from applicable countries.

These routes are not exhaustive and there may be other eligible visas. Our business immigration solicitors can help you with questions whatever your circumstances, whether you’re restructuring, expanding or simply curious.

Standard visitor route – permitted activities

If you’re not looking for long-term workers but need overseas talent, you might consider a Business Visitor Visa. Individuals with this type of visa can carry out business activities, such as attend interviews and conferences, or deliver training. These visas last for up to six months.

Why choose Truth Legal as your business immigration solicitors?

At Truth Legal, you’ll have access to a wide range of multilingual immigration lawyers who can help you with your recruitment challenges. We keep our finger on the pulse for issues such as Brexit or changing employment laws, making sure you’re informed every step of the way.
We’ll tailor our advice to suit your business needs – making sure you’re aware of any risks both as an individual and a business. Every case is dealt with ethically, helping you retain sponsored employees and navigate compliance challenges. Contact our specialist business immigration law firm for help with:

• Sponsoring migrant workers
• Understanding business visa eligibility
• Navigating international recruitment laws
• Employment law advice for sponsored and non-sponsored employees
• Overcoming compliance issues and business penalties.

Whatever your question, we’re here to give you impartial, affordable advice to help your business thrive. For more information, get in touch today.

Our success stories

Find out more about how we have helped organisations and individuals with complex business immigration laws.

Achieving British citizenship for a client with excess COVID-19 absences

Securing immigration status for client losing hope

Retaining an irreplaceable employee for a small business

FAQs

What happens when a sponsor licence is revoked?

If your organisation has lost its right to sponsor workers, by having your sponsor licence revoked, you may be prohibited from applying for a set amount of time. This is usually 12 months but can be up to five years if there is an extreme case. If you work for an employer whose licence has been revoked, you may have to leave the UK.

At Truth Legal, we can help you challenge enforcement action, as well as prevent it from happening in the first place. Get in touch for more information on auditing your HR functionality and protecting your workers.

How can I get a company to sponsor me in the UK?

You can search for Worker and Temporary Worker licensed sponsors on the Gov.uk website. It’s important that you have eligibility to work in the UK, such as a UK work visa. Our business immigration solicitors can guide you through your visa application.

How much does CoS certification cost?

In 2025, the fee for small or charitable sponsors is £536, affecting both workers and temporary workers. This is £1,476 for medium or large sponsors, though the charge is only £536 if the worker is temporary. You will need to pay a fee when you assign a certificate to a worker, which costs between £25 and £239, depending on the circumstances.

Immigration Associations

We are also proud to be an official supplier for the National Care Association.

Furthermore, as we do not solely specialise in immigration for businesses, our breadth of knowledge allows us to find routes for employees under a non-business route.