If you are either currently employing or have recently employed an intern through the Tier 5 (Government Authorised Exchange) visa route, this article will be relevant to you.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, there may have been more changes in your interns’ circumstances than ever before.
Barar & Associates has summarised the answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding employers’ reporting duties for you during the period of sponsorship below.
Your intern will not be able to start on the start date as stated on the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). What should you do?
Since the details on the CoS need to be kept up to date, once the originally proposed start date has passed, it is your responsibility to report the new date to the Home Office directly or via the Tier 5 sponsor if you are not a Tier 5 sponsor as soon as possible.
Otherwise, you/the Tier 5 sponsor will be in breach of your/their reporting duties and this could put your/their sponsorship licence at risk. Additionally, an out-of-date CoS could lead to delays in visa processing.
When considering start dates for your interns, please also take into consideration all quarantine requirements upon arrival to the UK.
Can Tier 5 interns work remotely?
Yes, they can.
But please kindly be reminded that any changes to either work or home address must be reported to the Home Office as soon as possible.
What documents do you need to collect from the intern?
Here is a list of information or documents you can keep for your record:
- Up-to-date UK contact information for the intern including current address, telephone number and work email
- A copy of the intern’s stamped visa vignette in his/her passport and Biometric Residence Permit if s/he is given one as the visa vignette would be his/her visa if the internship is for less than 6 months
- Monthly payslips if you are not a licensed sponsor
- Confirmation of the intern’s last day of employment and outbound travel details such as flight tickets
- Records of the intern’s absence
- Confirmation of Exceptional Assurance from the Home Office
You wish to sponsor your intern under the Skilled Worker route. Can this be done in the UK?
Yes, an in-country switch is possible.
Kindly note that if the intern is still being sponsored by a Tier 5 sponsor, you would need to inform them and provide the necessary documents following a successful application in order for them to withdraw sponsorship/close their files.
Should you have any questions relating to the Tier 5 (GAE) visa, please contact our expert team of London immigration lawyers at Barar and Associates at barar.london@bararassociates.co.uk or call us on 020 7487 8370. You can access more information about us via https://bararassociates.com/.
