This week, it was reported that the Home Office have suspended youth charity, Youth With a Mission’s (YWAM) Sponsor Licence. Following an inspection in September last year, the Home Office reviewed the youth charity’s status as a Home Office Sponsor and which led to them suspending their licence. Those international migrants who were working for the charity are now required to return to their home countries along with their families who are in the UK on dependant visas.
Home Office: Suspension of Sponsor Licence
YWAM are an international Christian charity with offices around the world, including in England and Wales. In order to employ workers from outside the EEA countries, the charity applied for and obtained a Sponsor Licence so they could be registered on the Home Office’s Register of Sponsors’.
In September 2014, the Home Office carried out an audit and after reviewing the charity’s status as a Sponsor, they informed YWAM that their licence would be suspended unless outstanding issues were addressed. They found that YWAM had erred in two out of seven issues; the charity state that they “immediately” set about correcting these issues but in December 2014, YWAM were informed that their license had been suspended for 20 working days. There is now a concern that if these issues are not addressed by 20 January 2015, YWAM will lose their sponsor licence and 350 international workers employed by them, will have to return to their home countries, along with their families.
Sponsor Licence: Duties & Compliance
A UK business sponsor must ensure that they have the appropriate checks in place, can demonstrate that they will be able to meet their sponsor duties and have the appropriate records for their skilled workers.
The Home Office carry out spontaneous checks on organisations on a regular basis and sometimes without sufficient notice to ensure that sponsors are adhering to their duties. If sponsors are found to be in breach of their duties, their sponsor licence could be downgraded or revoked. Employers, who also employ illegal migrants, or those without the appropriate permission to work in the UK, may be heavily fined for doing so.
Immigration Compliance Solicitors
Our advice for UK businesses/employers (corporate clients) and education providers encompasses the following:
- Ongoing compliance with UK immigration laws and sponsorship duties for Tier 2, Tier 4 and Tier 5 Sponsor;
- Advice on Prevention of illegal working;
- Assistance with Home Office Audits;
- Advising on appropriate record keeping and monitoring processes;
- Training for businesses and educational institutions, including training on compliance procedures and recruiting international staff and students; and
- Keeping you updated with the changes in UK Immigration Law.
Our team of experienced and professionally qualified solicitors and barristers are ready to provide you with effective solutions to your business immigration needs. Our expert immigration solicitors based in London, provide business clients with a tailored service and are on hand to expedite the sponsor licence process. We ensure that we help you achieve and maintain an A rated sponsor licence and provide ongoing compliance checks to ensure you are aware of your duties as a Home Office registered sponsor.
To contact one of our Immigration Solicitors or Immigration Barristers please complete our legal case assessment form and we will get in touch or call us now on 0845 8622 529 for a free telephone assessment and free case assessment.