The United Kingdom has always been a popular destination for expats from around the world due to its renowned education, job opportunities, free health care, geographical location (access to the EU), and much more.
In 2022, the Migration Advisory Committee, an independent body that provides advice to the UK government on migration, published its annual report which highlighted the ongoing labour shortages in the UK and the unprecedent level of job vacancies in the current UK labour market. As a result, it expects UK employers to be recruiting more from overseas to address these shortages. For context, in the past 12 months prior to June 2022, net migration reached 504,000, an increase of 331,000 compared to the previous year.
With an increased number of individuals migrating to the UK, there are a few things expats need to do after arriving in the UK. Note that since 4 August 2022, those granted a visa or being issued an extension are not required to register with the UK police.
- Collect your Biometric Residence Permit
Individuals that have applied for their Skilled Worker from outside the UK will need to collect their Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) after arriving in the UK. The BRP is a card that proves a visa holder's immigration status and entitlements while they are in the UK.
A visa holder will usually need to collect their BRP before the vignette sticker in their travel document expires or within 10 days of arriving in the UK, whichever is later. Note that BRPs can be collected from either a named Post Office branch or an Alternative Collection Location. The decision letter issued by the Home Office will specify where to collect the BRP from. To collect the BRP, individuals will need to bring their passport or travel document with the vignette sticker.
To collect a BRP, the individual must be over 18 years old. If the visa holder has dependent children, note that they must be nominated to collect their child's BRP even if they are the child's parent. The Home Office will tell the parents within 5 working days if they are approved to collect the child's BRP. Note that parents do not need to be nominated if they are also collecting their own BRP and the parent is named on the child's vignette sticker.
- Prove your Immigration Status
It is often a misconception that once a visa holder arrives in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa or has collected their BRP, they automatically have the right to work. Recent changes to the immigration rules on the right to work checks and right to rent checks now means that employers or landlords are not allowed to accept BRPs as proof of right to work or right to rent. Instead visa holders will need to prove their right to work online or prove their right to rent online. A visa holder will need to provide their employer or landlord with their date of birth and 'share code' to carry out the online check. Note the visa holder can generate their share code online.
- Open a UK Bank Account
Opening a UK bank account may seem like a chore if individuals already have accounts at international banks or cash in hand. However, it is crucial to open a UK bank account to allow the individual's employer to be able to pay their salary and to get a mobile phone contract and pay household bills.
Although there are some digital banks that do not require proof of UK residency to open a bank account, the majority of banks in the UK require proof of UK address. Proof of address can include the BRP, utility bill, telephone bill, tenancy agreement or council tax bill. In addition to this, to open a bank account in the UK, the visa holder must provide proof of their identity with documents such as their passport, and sometimes banks may ask for pay slips or a letter from the individual's employer.
- Apply for a National Insurance number
To ensure that the visa holder's National Insurance contributions and taxes are recorded against the visa holders name, they will need to apply for a National Insurance (NI) number. We advise checking the BRP first as it may state the NI number on the back. To apply for the NI number, applicants must have their passport and BRP on hand and also have either a smartphone, tablet or digital camera to take a photo of themselves holding their passport or their identity document. Note that it can take up to 4 weeks to get the NI number.
Visa holders can start working without a NI number if they can prove that they have the right to work in the UK. We also advise visa holders to speak to their employer's HR team who may be able to help with generating a temporary NI number when visa holders are added to the payroll.
- Register with a doctor
Most people applying for a Skilled Worker visa are required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) when applying for the visa. Paying the IHS allows expats to access free NHC healthcare whilst they are in the UK. The IHS amount varies depending on the length of the duration of stay in the UK.
Skilled Worker visa holders can start using the NHS as soon as they arrive in the UK. We advise registering with a GP surgery close to an individual's place of residence. To register with a GP surgery, click here. Note that some GP surgeries offer more services than others hence, it is best to look up various GP surgeries nearby to see what they offer and how they compare.
If you are an employer looking to obtain a sponsorship license and sponsor a Skilled Worker, or are an employer who has a confirmed job offer and need help apply for a Skilled Worker visa, please contact our immigration lawyers at contact@harveylawcorporation.com.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
