Recording of primary sponsor organisations is coming to ESR
To ensure that secondary employers can record where their internationally recruited staff have primary sponsorship, a new free text field called primary sponsorship organisation name is to be added to the employment checklist extra information type in the ESR system from March 2024.
Employers will be able to report and monitor individuals who should be working limited hours under legislation as a consequence of their primary sponsorship being elsewhere. The field has been introduced to assist employers in tracking primary sponsorship information.
To employ an overseas national on the Worker and Temporary Worker immigration routes (including the Skilled Worker or Health and Care Visa routes), employers need to apply for a licence to sponsor individuals.
International recruits who are sponsored by a primary employer are also allowed to take up employment elsewhere but are subject to a 20-hour per week cap in working in another job.
The field is due to be added, subject to successful development and testing, to ESR in release 59.3, which is due to be applied over the weekend commencing Friday 1 March.
NHS Employers will update employers once this field is live.
