Hiring and Sponsoring Printers (SOC Code 5422)

Printers, classified under SOC Code 5422, are skilled professionals who play a crucial role in the printing industry, ensuring high-quality print production across various formats. Their expertise encompasses a range of responsibilities, including:

• Forming or placing plates onto printing machines and checking alignments to ensure proper setup.
• Mixing and loading inks and solvents, as well as loading paper and making adjustments during the print run for optimal results.
• Printing and examining proof copies while making necessary adjustments to the press to meet quality standards.
• Initiating printing runs, directing the start and monitoring the machine to maintain smooth operation throughout the process.
• Pours color into machines or directly onto screens, carefully positioning screens over items to achieve the desired effects.
• Operating squeegees (by hand or machine) to press color through screens, further contributing to intricate patterns.
• Dipping wooden pattern blocks into color trays, layering different colors to create unique designs and patterns.
• Producing, transferring, and outputting digital print images, utilizing the latest technologies for precision and quality.
• Maintaining, adjusting, repairing, and cleaning machines to ensure they remain in optimal working condition.
• Keeping production records to track output, efficiency, and quality metrics.

With an increasingly digital and diverse printing landscape in the UK, the demand for skilled printers is rising. This guide will assist HR professionals in navigating the process of hiring and sponsoring printers under the UK’s immigration system.

What is SOC Code 3411 for Printers?

SOC Code 5422 refers to printers who operate printing machinery to produce printed materials across various formats. Their responsibilities can include:

• Forming or placing materials: Positioning forms or plates on printing machines and checking alignments.
• Preparing inks and solvents: Mixing and loading inks and solvents into machines for the print run.
• Loading paper: Regulating and loading paper to ensure a smooth printing process.
• Printing proof copies: Producing and examining proof copies, adjusting the press as necessary for optimal results.
• Monitoring printing operations: Starting printing runs and overseeing the machine to ensure printing proceeds smoothly.
• Operating screens and squeegees: Pours colour into machines or directly onto screens, positioning screens over items, and operating squeegees to press colour through screens.
• Creating patterns: Dipping wooden pattern blocks into colour trays and applying various colours to create desired designs.
• Producing digital prints: Generating, transferring, and outputting digital print images as required by clients.
• Maintaining equipment: Keeping machines maintained, adjusted, repaired, and cleaned to ensure operational efficiency.
• Documenting production: Keeping detailed production records for tracking and quality assurance.

Printers are essential in the printing industry, contributing to the production of a wide array of printed materials that inform, educate, and entertain.

Eligibility to Hire Printers (SOC Code 3411)

1. Job Requirements

Printers seeking employment must demonstrate technical proficiency in printing processes and meet specific qualifications or experience criteria. These may include:

• Technical Skills: Expertise in operating various printing machines, including offset, digital, and screen printing.
• Experience: Prior experience in printing environments, preferably with a background in form or plate setup, and press operation.
• Attention to Detail: Ability to examine proof copies critically and make necessary adjustments to ensure high-quality outputs.
• Knowledge of Inks and Solvents: Familiarity with mixing and loading inks and solvents, understanding their properties and effects on different media.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Capability to troubleshoot machine issues, conduct routine maintenance, and perform repairs as needed.
• Safety Awareness: Understanding of safety protocols when handling printing materials and operating machinery.
• Record Keeping: Ability to maintain and organize production records accurately.

Ensure the job description aligns with SOC Code 5422 and that the printer’s experience and skills meet the expectations for the role.

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

Sponsoring Printers: 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 Printers under SOC Code 5422.

Step 1: Obtain a Sponsor Licence

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

• Defined vs Undefined CoS: Use a Defined CoS for Printers 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 Printers’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 Printers 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 Printers

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

How Borderless Can Help with Sponsoring Printers

Sponsoring Printers under SOC Code 5422 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 Printers, get in touch for personalised support.

Conclusion

Hiring and sponsoring Printers under SOC Code 5422 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.