Visa Options for Hiring and Sponsoring Construction Workers

22/04/2026

Why hire overseas construction workers?

Hiring overseas construction workers comes with a number of benefits, namely the ability to access a global talent pool, including highly skilled individuals in the field. This can make it easier to find the workforce you need, with a range of talents and specialities.

The benefits of hiring overseas construction workers include:

Cost savings - Hiring from overseas allows you to search a larger pool of workers, enabling you to find the best possible workers at competitive rates.
Flexibility - Hiring overseas workers on specific contracts makes it easier to manage the scale of your business, where regularly fluctuating project demands can be hard to keep up with.
Diversity - Overseas workforces increase diversity for your business, allowing you to hire from a variety of different backgrounds and perspectives. This often leads to innovative ideas and a more inclusive workplace.
Covering skill shortages - The ability to look around different countries for work allows you to cover all skill gaps in your team, thanks to an increased pool of experienced tradespeople.

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Do you need to pay for visas when hiring foreign construction workers?

As an employer, your financial responsibilities when hiring foreign construction workers include assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) and paying a fee for each one. Generally, the fee to assign a CoS is £525 (as of 9 April 2025) for Skilled Worker visas.

On top of this, employers must pay a yearly immigration skills charge, which is a levy paid for each sponsored worker. For medium or large sponsors, this fee is £1,320 per year, whereas for smaller sponsors or charities it is £480 yearly.

Visa options for hiring and sponsoring construction workers

The primary visa option for hiring construction workers from abroad would be through a Construction Worker Visa, in the Skilled Worker route. This requires your organisation to have a sponsor licence from the UK Home Office, as well as the ability to prove a genuine vacancy which meets specific criteria regarding skill and salary requirements.

There are some other options for hiring construction workers too:

Graduate Visa - Hiring a recent international graduate of a UK university. Allowing them to extend their stay in the country for unsponsored construction roles.
Global Business Mobility Visa - Only suitable for international construction firms, to transfer existing staff to the UK to work on a certain project, or to set up a new UK based entity.

What is SOC Code 5319 for Construction and Building Trades Not Elsewhere Classified?

The term ‘SOC code 5319 for construction and building trades not elsewhere classified,’ is a mouthful, but it simply refers to a category which includes specialised trades/roles that don’t easily fit into more specific classifications. This includes things like builders, contractors, steel fixers and more.

This classification generally includes irreplaceable roles within your construction business, including:

Highly specialised tasks such as cladding or scaffolding
Maintenance and repair tasks which don’t fall under other categories
Technical knowledge and experience

Roles under this list are eligible for a skilled worker visa.

Eligibility to Hire Construction and Building Trades Not Elsewhere Classified (SOC Code 5319)

Employers need to follow UK Home Office Guidelines when hiring non-UK workers on a skilled worker visa.

Firstly, construction workers under SOC code 5319 need to be trained with specific skills relevant to the job they will be hired for. This may be experience performing niche construction tasks, or knowledge regarding specific safety standards.

Workers on the SOC Code 5319 list are also on the immigration salary list, which means the salary threshold for these positions is 80% of the usual level, taking the salary down from £26,200 to £20,960.

As a result of being on the immigration salary list and having lower minimum salary requirements, roles under SOC Code 5319 are simpler and cheaper to hire. This also means that workers applying for roles benefit from reduced visa application fees.

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How long does it take to hire foreign construction workers in the UK?

The time it takes to hire foreign construction workers in the UK depends on whether you already have a sponsor licence.

For businesses without a sponsor licence, the process involves first securing one of these, which can take up to 8 weeks for a decision alone, not to mention the time taken to navigate the complex application process.

After this, or for businesses who already have their licence, it’s as simple as providing the employee with a certificate of sponsorship, and advising the worker to begin their application for a skilled worker visa. Applicants from outside the UK usually need to wait up to three weeks to hear a decision.

Ensuring sponsor compliance when hiring foreign construction workers

One of the key things you need to consider when hiring foreign construction workers is ensuring sponsorship compliance to avoid licence revocation.

There are a few main steps to take during your hiring process to avoid breaking any compliance rules:

Demonstrate a genuine need - You need to provide evidence that the position genuinely needs filling, and can’t be done so by a local worker.
Ensure worker eligibility - Verify that your worker has all the necessary skills, documentation and rights to work in the UK under your sponsorship.
Maintain ongoing records - Each sponsored worker should have HR records including contact details, job requirements and contract details stored and updated regularly.
Retain documents - Ensure all documents and records relating to your sponsored worker are safely and securely stored for the duration of the sponsorship.
Monitoring - Actively monitor your worker, checking absences are valid and that their right-to-work is still active.