Hiring and Sponsoring Horticultural trades (SOC Code 5112)

Horticultural Trades, classified under SOC Code 5112, are skilled professionals who play a vital role in cultivating and maintaining plant life in various settings, including gardens, nurseries, and farms. Their expertise encompasses a wide range of activities, including:

• Soil Preparation: 
• • Prepares soil in fields, beds, or pots using hand tools or machinery.
  • Mixes soil with composts, fertilisers, and organic matter to enhance nutrient availability.
• Planting and Propagation: 
• • Sows seeds and bulbs, and transplants seedlings to promote growth.
  • Propagates plants through taking cuttings, grafting, and budding techniques.
• Pest and Disease Management:
• • Applies weed-killer, fungicides, and insecticides to effectively control pests and diseases.
• Tree and Shrub Care:
• • Prunes and thins trees and shrubs to maintain health and enhance growth.
  • Supports trees by staking and wiring to ensure stability and growth.

With increasing interest in sustainability and gardening, the demand for skilled horticultural trades professionals is on the rise, leading many employers, including landscaping companies and agricultural institutions, to seek talent both locally and internationally. This guide will assist HR professionals in navigating the hiring and sponsoring process for horticultural trade roles under the UK's immigration system.

What is SOC Code 3411 for Horticultural trades?

SOC Code 5112 refers to horticultural trades professionals who specialize in the cultivation and care of plants. Their responsibilities can include:

• Preparing soil: Preparing soil in fields, beds, or pots using hand tools or machinery to ensure optimal growing conditions.
• Mixing and spreading: Combining soil, compost, fertilizers, and organic matter, and spreading fertilizers and manure to enhance soil fertility.
• Sowing and transplanting: Sowing seeds and bulbs, as well as transplanting seedlings to facilitate plant growth.
• Propagating plants: Propagating plants through methods such as taking cuttings, grafting, and budding to create new plants.
• Applying treatments: Applying weed-killers, fungicides, and insecticides to control pests and diseases affecting plant health.
• Pruning and thinning: Pruning and thinning trees and shrubs to promote healthy growth and improve plant structure.
• Supporting growth: Supporting trees by staking and wiring to ensure proper growth and development.

Horticultural trades professionals play a vital role in agriculture and landscape management, contributing to the sustainability and enhancement of both natural and cultivated green spaces.

Eligibility to Hire Horticultural trades (SOC Code 3411)

1. Job Requirements

Horticultural trades professionals must possess a range of skills and knowledge related to plant care and soil management. Candidates must meet certain qualifications or experience criteria which may include:

• Soil Preparation: Ability to effectively prepare soil in fields, beds, or pots using both hand tools and machinery.
• Composting Skills: Knowledge of mixing various soil amendments, including composts and organic matter, to optimize soil health.
• Seed Sowing: Proficiency in sowing seeds and bulbs, as well as transplanting seedlings with care and precision.
• Plant Propagation: Experience in propagating plants through methods such as cuttings, grafting, and budding.
• Pest and Disease Control: Familiarity with applying weed-killer, fungicides, and insecticides to manage pests and diseases on plants.
• Pruning Techniques: Skill in pruning and thinning trees and shrubs to encourage healthy growth and structure.
• Support Systems: Knowledge of supporting trees through staking and wiring to ensure stability and growth.

Educational Background: While formal qualifications may not be strictly necessary, a background in horticulture, botany, or related fields can be beneficial. 

Ensure the job description aligns with SOC Code 5112 and that the candidate’s experience meets the expectations for this role.

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

Sponsoring Horticultural trades: 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 Horticultural trades under SOC Code 5112.

Step 1: Obtain a Sponsor Licence

Before hiring non-UK Horticultural trades, your company or institution must obtain a sponsor licence. This licence enables you to legally sponsor overseas Horticultural trades 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 Horticultural trades. This document provides key details about the job and the individual being sponsored.

• Defined vs Undefined CoS: Use a Defined CoS for Horticultural trades 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 Horticultural trades’s portfolio, passport and job offer. Refer to Documents Required for Certificate of Sponsorshipfor a full list of necessary documents.

Step 3: Apply for the Skilled Worker Visa

Once the CoS is issued, the Horticultural trades 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 Horticultural trades

Before the Horticultural trades 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 Horticultural trades’s passport and visa. 
• Online Right to Work Check: If the Horticultural trades 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 Horticultural trades’s employment details, salary and contact information. 
   • Reporting Changes: Report any significant changes to the Horticultural trades’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 Horticultural tradess.

How Borderless Can Help with Sponsoring Horticultural trades

Sponsoring Horticultural trades under SOC Code 5112 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 Horticultural trades, get in touch for personalised support.

Conclusion

Hiring and sponsoring Horticultural trades under SOC Code 5112 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.