Hiring and Sponsoring Floorers and wall tilers (SOC Code 5322)

Floorers and Wall Tilers, classified under SOC Code 5322, are skilled tradespersons who specialize in the installation and maintenance of floor and wall surfaces in both residential and commercial properties. Their work is essential in enhancing the durability and aesthetic appeal of spaces. Key responsibilities include:

• Examining Drawings and Specifications: Understanding job requirements to ensure precise execution of flooring projects.
• Surface Preparation: Cleaning floor surfaces and installing wooden laying guides to create a suitable base for flooring materials.
• Mixing and Leveling: Pouring and leveling materials such as granite, terrazzo mixtures, bitumen, and synthetic resins to create a smooth, durable floor.
• Layout Planning: Assessing premises to determine optimal layouts and cutting materials to fit unique spaces.
• Installation of Floor Coverings: Laying down and securing underlay, carpet, and linoleum, ensuring proper adhesion and finish.
• Finishing Touches: Completing surfaces through rolling, smoothing, grouting, or polishing to achieve a high-quality finish.
• Tile Cutting and Positioning: Mixing cement screed or adhesive as needed, while precisely cutting and positioning floor and wall tiles, and ensuring alignment with the use of spirit levels.

In the UK’s evolving construction landscape, the demand for proficient floorers and wall tilers remains strong. As builders and homeowners prioritize quality finishes, many organizations are looking both locally and internationally for skilled professionals. This guide will assist HR departments in understanding the process of hiring and sponsoring floorers and wall tilers under the UK’s immigration system.

What is SOC Code 3411 for Floorers and wall tilers?

SOC Code 5322 refers to floorers and wall tilers who are skilled in installing various types of flooring and wall tiles. Their responsibilities can include:

• Examining specifications: Analyzing drawings and specifications to determine job requirements and layout.
• Preparing surfaces: Cleaning the floor surface, fixing wooden laying guides, and mixing, pouring, and leveling materials such as granite, terrazzo, bitumen, or synthetic resin for flooring.
• Planning layouts: Examining premises to determine the most suitable layout for flooring installation.
• Installing flooring: Cutting, laying, and securing underlay, carpet, and linoleum as needed.
• Finishing touches: Rolling, smoothing, grouting, or polishing the covering to achieve a professional finish.
• Tile installation: Mixing cement screed or other adhesives, cutting, and positioning floor and wall tiles while checking the alignment with a spirit level.

Floorers and wall tilers are essential to the construction and renovation industries, ensuring durable and aesthetically pleasing surfaces in residential and commercial spaces.

Eligibility to Hire Floorers and wall tilers (SOC Code 3411)

1. Job Requirements

Floorers and wall tilers must exhibit a variety of skills and meet specific qualifications or experience criteria. These may include:

• Technical Skills: Proficiency in examining drawings and specifications to determine job requirements and execute accurate installations.
• Floor Preparation: Ability to clean floor surfaces, fix wooden laying guides, and mix, pour, and level materials such as granite, terrazzo, bitumen, or synthetic resins to form flooring.
• Material Handling: Competence in planning suitable layouts, cutting, laying, and securing underlay, carpet, and linoleum as per industry standards.
• Finishing Techniques: Experience in finishing coverings through rolling, smoothing, grouting, or polishing to ensure a high-quality final product.
• Tiling Expertise: Skill in mixing cement screed or other adhesives, cutting, positioning floor and wall tiles, and checking alignment using a spirit level.
• Safety Compliance: Understanding of safety regulations and practices relevant to flooring and tiling work to ensure a safe work environment.

Ensure the job description aligns with SOC Code 5322 and that the candidates' experience and work meet the expectations for the role.

1. Salary Thresholds
2. Use the Minimum Salary Calculator to ensure your salary offer meets immigration requirements.

Sponsoring Floorers and wall tilers: A Step-by-Step Guide for HR Professionals

Once you’ve confirmed that the role and candidate meet the eligibility requirements, follow this step-by-step guide to sponsoring Floorers and wall tilers under SOC Code 5322.

Step 1: Obtain a Sponsor Licence

Before hiring non-UK Floorers and wall tilers, your company or institution must obtain a sponsor licence. This licence enables you to legally sponsor overseas Floorers and wall tilers under the Skilled Worker Visa program.

• Sponsor Licence Application: Submit documentation proving that your business is legitimate and has a genuine vacancy. Visit the sponsor licence application guide for more information. 
• Sponsor Licence Fees: Small businesses typically pay £574, while larger institutions pay £1,579. For more information, visit the sponsor licence fees guide. 
• Processing Time: Applications typically take up to 8 weeks, but using the Sponsor Licence Priority Service can reduce the processing time to 10 working days.

Once your sponsor licence is approved, you will receive a sponsor licence number, which allows you to assign Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS).

Step 2: Assign a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)

Once you have your sponsor licence, the next step is to assign a CoS to the Floorers and wall tilers. This document provides key details about the job and the individual being sponsored.

• Defined vs Undefined CoS: Use a Defined CoS for Floorers and wall tilers applying from outside the UK, and an Undefined CoS for those already in the UK. Learn more in the Defined & Undefined Certificates of Sponsorship guide. 
• Required Documents: Provide details such as the Floorers and wall tilers’s portfolio, passport and job offer. Refer to Documents Required for Certificate of Sponsorship for a full list of necessary documents.

Step 3: Apply for the Skilled Worker Visa

Once the CoS is issued, the Floorers and wall tilers can apply for the Skilled Worker Visa.

• Visa Fees: Fees vary depending on the role and visa length—use the visa fees calculator to estimate the costs. 
• Immigration Skills Charge: Employers are required to pay this charge as part of sponsoring non-UK workers. This is separate from visa fees.

Conducting a Right to Work Check for Floorers and wall tilers

Before the Floorers and wall tilers begins working, you must conduct a right to work check to ensure they are legally allowed to work in the UK.

• Manual Right to Work Check: Verify original documents such as the Floorers and wall tilers’s passport and visa. 
• Online Right to Work Check: If the Floorers and wall tilers holds an eVisa, you can use the UK government’s online system to verify their right-to-work status.

For more details on how to perform these checks, see the right to work check guide.

Post-Hiring Responsibilities and Compliance

1. Record-Keeping and Reporting  
2. • Record-Keeping: Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of the Floorers and wall tilers’s employment details, salary and contact information. 
   • Reporting Changes: Report any significant changes to the Floorers and wall tilers’s role—such as promotions or salary increases—via the Sponsor Management System (SMS).
3. Sponsor Licence Duties and Compliance
4. Failure to comply with your sponsor licence duties can result in penalties or sponsor licence revocation, impacting your ability to sponsor future Floorers and wall tilerss.

How Borderless Can Help with Sponsoring Floorers and wall tilers

Sponsoring Floorers and wall tilers under SOC Code 5322 can be a complex process, but Borderless can simplify it for you. We offer comprehensive support to help you manage the entire sponsorship process.

End-to-End Sponsorship Support

At Borderless, we assist with:

• Sponsor Licence Application: Guiding you through the application process and ensuring all required documents are submitted correctly. 
• Certificate of Sponsorship Assignment: Streamlining the CoS process to make hiring easier. 
• Compliance Management: Helping you stay compliant with immigration laws to avoid penalties.

If you need assistance with hiring or sponsoring Floorers and wall tilers, get in touch for personalised support.

Conclusion

Hiring and sponsoring Floorers and wall tilers under SOC Code 5322 can be a rewarding way to enrich the cultural landscape of your organisation. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can successfully navigate the sponsorship process while ensuring compliance with UK immigration laws.

For further guidance, Borderless is ready to assist you with all your sponsorship needs. Contact us for expert advice.