Immigration Audits

IMMIGRATION AUDITS OF SWISS COMPANIES IN THE UK

As a sponsor licence holder, you will undergo an inspection by the Home Office during your licence's validity period. This inspection ensures the accuracy of the information provided in your sponsor licence application and verifies your compliance with the responsibilities of a licensed sponsor.

Pre-Licence Application Checks

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) may also visit your business premises to perform checks before deciding on your sponsor licence application. Our immigration lawyers, with their expertise in Home Office compliance requirements, can conduct a thorough immigration audit of your business to prepare you for any Home Office inspection.

During a Home Office Compliance Visit

When UKVI compliance officers visit your business premises, they will assess the following:

Accuracy of Information: Ensuring all information provided to UKVI is accurate and complete.
Employment at Tier 2 Skill Level: Verifying that you can offer employment at the required skill level.
Legitimate Operation: Confirming that your business is genuine, trading, or operating lawfully in the UK.
Immigration Control: Checking that you do not pose a threat to immigration control.
Sponsor Duties Compliance: Ensuring you are adhering to all sponsorship duties.

The compliance officer will review your record-keeping, reporting, and immigration status monitoring processes and documentation to ensure ongoing compliance. However, they may not provide immediate feedback on your compliance status during the visit.

Additional Information on Sponsor Compliance Visits

Random Checks: The Home Office may conduct random, announced or unannounced visits.
Third-Party Cooperation: If your migrant workers are employed at a third party’s office, ensure the third party is aware of potential unplanned visits and cooperates fully.
Application Discrepancies: If issues are found before your licence decision, the application may be refused. Post-decision discrepancies could lead to licence revocation, suspension, or downgrading, affecting sponsored employees.

Sponsor ratings are publicly listed on the Home Office website, and a downgrade can cause negative publicity and reputational damage. Attempted deception in your sponsor licence application can lead to prosecution.

Mock Immigration Audit Services

Our immigration lawyers leverage their experience with Home Office compliance to conduct mock immigration audits, ensuring your business is well-prepared for an official inspection.

During our mock immigration audit, a specialist business immigration lawyers will:

Verify Application Information: Confirm the accuracy of the information provided in your sponsor licence application.
Check Document Management: Review your document management and record-keeping systems to ensure compliance with sponsor duties.
Review Personnel Files: Examine the personnel files of sponsored migrants to identify deficiencies and areas for improvement.
Prepare Staff: Interview employees involved in the recruitment of migrant workers to prepare them for potential Home Office questions.
Speak with Migrant Workers: Ensure migrant workers understand the terms and conditions of their UK visas.
Conduct Worker Checks: Verify compliance with obligations to prevent illegal working.

After the audit, you will receive a comprehensive written report highlighting risk areas and providing expert recommendations for improvement. If needed, we can also conduct a follow-up audit to assess the implementation of recommended changes.