Hiring and Sponsoring IT user support technicians (SOC Code 3132)

IT User Support Technicians, classified under SOC Code 3132, are vital professionals in the technology sector who specialize in providing essential technical support to IT users. Their role encompasses a wide range of tasks, which include:

• Advising Users: Providing guidance on resolving both hardware and software issues.
• Installation and Upgrades: Handling the installation and upgrading of hardware, cables, operating systems, and relevant software.
• Facilitating Access: Ensuring that users have appropriate access to necessary systems.
• Referral of Complex Issues: Escalating more complicated or unsolvable problems to senior IT professionals.
• Solution Research: Investigating potential solutions through user guides, technical manuals, and other documentation.
• Logging Work: Keeping detailed logs of ongoing work, calls received, actions taken, and problems identified.
• Reporting Issues: Analyzing frequently occurring queries to identify and address underlying issues.

With the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the demand for skilled IT user support technicians continues to increase. This trend creates opportunities for organizations to attract talent from a global pool of applicants. This guide is designed to assist HR professionals in navigating the process of hiring and sponsoring IT user support technicians under the UK’s immigration system.

What is SOC Code 3411 for IT user support technicians?

SOC Code 3132 refers to IT user support technicians who provide essential technical assistance to users experiencing issues with hardware and software. Their responsibilities can include:

• Technical support: Advising users on how to resolve hardware and software problems.
• Installation and upgrades: Installing and upgrading hardware, cables, operating systems, and appropriate software.
• User access facilitation: Assisting users in accessing various IT systems and tools effectively.
• Problem escalation: Referring more complex or intractable problems to appropriate IT professionals for resolution.
• Researching solutions: Investigating possible solutions using user guides, technical manuals, and other relevant documents.
• Work logging: Maintaining a log of work in progress, calls received, actions taken, and problems detected.
• Reporting issues: Summarizing commonly occurring queries to identify underlying problems and improve overall service.

IT user support technicians play a vital role in maintaining the efficiency and productivity of organizations by ensuring that users have the necessary support and resources to utilize technology effectively.

Eligibility to Hire IT user support technicians (SOC Code 3411)

1. Job Requirements

IT User Support Technicians must exhibit strong technical skills and meet specific qualifications. These may include:

• Technical Skills: Proficiency in troubleshooting hardware and software issues, with a solid understanding of operating systems and IT infrastructure.
• User Support Experience: Previous experience in a technical support role, demonstrating the ability to assist users with various IT-related problems effectively.
• Problem-Solving Abilities: Strong analytical skills to research and evaluate solutions using user guides, technical manuals, and documentation.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively advise users and provide clear instructions.
• Documentation: Experience in maintaining detailed logs of work in progress, calls received, actions taken, and problems detected.
• Team Collaboration: Ability to work with IT professionals on escalated issues, facilitating a collaborative approach to problem resolution.

Make sure the job description aligns with SOC Code 3132 and that the technician’s 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 IT user support technicians: 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 IT user support technicians under SOC Code 3132.

Step 1: Obtain a Sponsor Licence

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

• Defined vs Undefined CoS: Use a Defined CoS for IT user support technicians 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 IT user support technicians’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 IT user support technicians 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 IT user support technicians

Before the IT user support technicians 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 IT user support technicians’s passport and visa. 
• Online Right to Work Check: If the IT user support technicians 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 IT user support technicians’s employment details, salary and contact information. 
   • Reporting Changes: Report any significant changes to the IT user support technicians’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 IT user support technicianss.

How Borderless Can Help with Sponsoring IT user support technicians

Sponsoring IT user support technicians under SOC Code 3132 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 IT user support technicians, get in touch for personalised support.

Conclusion

Hiring and sponsoring IT user support technicians under SOC Code 3132 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.