Hiring engineers in the UK

Professional registration

The Engineering Council holds the UK register of professional engineers and technicians. Registration is granted through licensed professional engineering institutions.

Verify it: use the Engineering Council's RegCheck tool, which confirms whether a person's registration is currently active, and confirm membership with the candidate's institution if needed. RegCheck needs details that exactly match the register, and it will not show past or inactive registrations. The titles are protected, so a claimed title that isn't on the register is a serious concern.

Right to work checks

Employers must check that every new employee has the right to work in the UK before employment starts. A correct check gives a statutory excuse against a civil penalty. Since 13 February 2024, the maximum civil penalty has been £45,000 per illegal worker for a first breach and £60,000 per illegal worker for repeat breaches, under the Home Office code of practice on preventing illegal working.

1. Manual document check: see the original acceptable documents in the presence of the holder, check them, and keep copies.
2. Home Office online check: for people with digital immigration status, using a share code the candidate provides.
3. Identity service provider check: a certified provider can check British and Irish citizens holding a valid passport.
4. Follow-up checks for people with time-limited permission, before it expires.

Checks must be applied consistently to avoid discrimination. Don't check only candidates you assume are not British.

Sponsoring engineers from overseas

Employers who want to hire someone who needs a visa usually do so through the Skilled Worker route, which requires a sponsor licence from the Home Office. The rules changed significantly in July 2025:

• Skill level. From 22 July 2025, new Skilled Worker applications generally need a job at graduate level (RQF level 6 or above). Many chartered and degree-level engineering roles meet this; technician roles may not.
• Salary. GOV.UK sets a general threshold of £41,700 a year or the going rate for the occupation code, whichever is higher, with lower thresholds (from £33,400) in some circumstances.
• Mid-skilled roles. A Temporary Shortage List gives time-limited access for some jobs below RQF 6 that are judged important to the Industrial Strategy or critical infrastructure. The Migration Advisory Committee reviews which occupations are included, so check the current list.
• Existing workers. People who received their first certificate of sponsorship before 22 July 2025 may be able to extend or change jobs under transitional rules.

Sponsors take on duties: checking right to work, keeping records, reporting changes, and paying charges such as the Immigration Skills Charge. Check GOV.UK for current fees and the going rate for the relevant engineering occupation code before making an offer.

Defence and security roles

• Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks are the foundation for many government and defence roles.
• National security vetting, such as Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV), is sponsored for roles that need it and carries residency and other requirements.
• Export-controlled technology may limit which staff can access certain data, and giving access to someone overseas can be an export. See control list classification and AUKUS and export controls.
• Company clearances are separate from personnel vetting; see how to become an MOD supplier.

Remote hiring risks

Identity fraud in remote recruitment is a growing concern. Verify identity through your right to work process, hold live interviews, and confirm that the person who starts is the person you hired. For more on hiring engineering leaders, including interview practice when candidates use AI, see Engineering Lead's hiring guide.

Common questions

Can we require candidates to be Chartered Engineers?

Yes, where the role needs it, but say why in the job description. Many capable engineers are working towards registration, and requiring it where it is not needed narrows the field.

When must the right to work check happen?

Before employment starts. For people with time-limited permission, follow-up checks are needed before that permission expires.

Can we sponsor a technician?

Under the rules from July 2025, many roles below graduate level are no longer eligible for new Skilled Worker sponsorship unless they appear on the Temporary Shortage List or transitional rules apply. Check the eligible occupations table on GOV.UK.

Does security vetting replace the right to work check?

No. They are separate checks with separate purposes. Vetting is sponsored for roles that need it and usually comes after an offer.