A digital immigration compliance audit, also known as a Home Office desktop audit, is an audit undertaken by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) — the division of the Home Office responsible for the issuance of sponsor licences and visas — to ensure that any employer approved to sponsor migrant workers is discharging their sponsorship duties. A compliance audit is therefore aimed at those who already hold a sponsor licence, rather than those applying for the first time or looking to add another route to an existing licence, although these organisations will typically be subject to pre-licence assessment checks.
There are two fundamental principles behind both pre- and post-licence audits or checks:
- that those who benefit most directly from migration, including employers hiring migrant workers, play their part in making sure that the UK’s immigration system is not abused
- the Home Office needs to be sure that those applying to come to the UK to work are eligible to do so and that a reputable employer genuinely wishes to employ them.
When it comes to digital immigration compliance audits, instead of an UKVI officer undertaking an on-site visit, internal checks will be conducted by UKVI using its own database and records, together with public resource and government data-sharing. This will involve, but is not limited to, HMRC and Companies House. Additionally, a digital audit may involve video conferencing and screen-sharing facilities, where those responsible for managing sponsorship within your organisation will be remotely interviewed about your recruitment practices and HR procedures. Once fully in use by UKVI, individual sponsored workers may also be interviewed as part of any digital immigration compliance audit.
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