Quantity Surveyors, classified under SOC Code 2453, are skilled professionals who play a crucial role in the construction and engineering sectors. Their expertise ensures that projects are completed within budget and to the highest standards. Below are the key responsibilities and functions of Quantity Surveyors:
- Liaising with Clients: Communicates effectively with clients regarding project costs, helping them understand financial implications and managing expectations.
- Cost Planning: Formulates detailed cost plans and regularly advises contractors and engineers to ensure adherence to budget limits.
- Materials and Labour Analysis: Examines plans and specifications to prepare precise details of the materials and labor required for successful project execution.
- Preparation of Bills of Quantities: Compiles comprehensive bills of quantities to guide contractors during the tendering process.
- Tender Evaluation: Analyses tenders received, providing clients with informed recommendations on the most suitable bids and supporting the preparation of contract documents.
- Project Oversight: Measures and values ongoing work, monitoring deviations from the original contract to ensure alignment with project objectives.
- Final Valuation: Measures and values completed contracts to authorize payments, ensuring compliance with financial agreements.
Given the dynamic nature of the construction industry in the UK, the demand for qualified Quantity Surveyors is steadily on the rise. This often leads organizations to seek international talent to bridge the skills gap. This guide will assist HR professionals in understanding the hiring and sponsorship process for Quantity Surveyors under the UK’s immigration system.
What is SOC Code 3411 for Quantity surveyors?
SOC Code 2453 refers to quantity surveyors who specialize in managing project costs and financial aspects of construction and engineering projects. Their responsibilities can include:
- Liaising with clients: Engaging with clients to discuss project costs and financial implications.
- Formulating detailed cost plans: Developing comprehensive budgets that outline all project expenses to ensure adherence to financial limits.
- Advising contractors and engineers: Providing guidance to construction teams to facilitate cost-effective project execution.
- Examining plans and specifications: Analyzing project documentation to determine material and labor requirements.
- Preparing bills of quantities: Creating detailed lists of materials and labor needed for use by contractors in their tendering process.
- Evaluating tenders: Assessing submitted bids to recommend the most suitable contractor to the client.
- Assisting with contract documents: Aiding in drafting contracts to formalize the agreement between clients and contractors.
- Measuring and valuing work in progress: Regularly assessing the status of ongoing work and identifying any deviations from the original contract.
- Authorizing payments: Evaluating completed work for final payment approval.
Quantity surveyors play a vital role in the construction industry, ensuring projects are completed within budget and facilitating effective financial management throughout the project lifecycle.
Eligibility to Hire Quantity surveyors (SOC Code 3411)
1. Job Requirements
Quantity surveyors must possess a blend of technical and analytical skills, alongside relevant qualifications and experience. These may include:
- Educational Background: A degree in quantity surveying, construction management, or a related field is essential. Professional certifications or memberships (e.g., MRICS) can be advantageous.
- Experience: Proven experience in a similar role, demonstrating knowledge of cost management, contract administration, and financial reporting within the construction industry.
- Technical Skills: Proficiency in cost estimation, budgeting, and financial analysis, alongside familiarity with relevant software tools (e.g., CostX, SAP).
- Interpersonal Skills: Ability to effectively liaise with clients, contractors, and engineers, showcasing strong communication and negotiation skills.
- Analytical Skills: Competency in examining plans, specifications, and tenders to evaluate project costs and deviations from original contracts.
Ensure that the job description aligns with SOC Code 2453 and that the quantity surveyor’s experience and work meet the expectations for the role.
- Salary Thresholds
- Use the Minimum Salary Calculator to ensure your salary offer meets immigration requirements.
Sponsoring Quantity surveyors: 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 Quantity surveyors under SOC Code 2453.
Step 1: Obtain a Sponsor Licence
Before hiring non-UK Quantity surveyors, your company or institution must obtain a sponsor licence. This licence enables you to legally sponsor overseas Quantity surveyors 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 Quantity surveyors. This document provides key details about the job and the individual being sponsored.
- Defined vs Undefined CoS: Use a Defined CoS for Quantity surveyors 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 Quantity surveyors’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 Quantity surveyors 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 Quantity surveyors
Before the Quantity surveyors 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 Quantity surveyors’s passport and visa.
- Online Right to Work Check: If the Quantity surveyors 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
- Record-Keeping and Reporting
- Record-Keeping: Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of the Quantity surveyors’s employment details, salary and contact information.
- Reporting Changes: Report any significant changes to the Quantity surveyors’s role—such as promotions or salary increases—via the Sponsor Management System (SMS).
- Sponsor Licence Duties and Compliance
- Failure to comply with your sponsor licence duties can result in penalties or sponsor licence revocation, impacting your ability to sponsor future Quantity surveyorss.
How Borderless Can Help with Sponsoring Quantity surveyors
Sponsoring Quantity surveyors under SOC Code 2453 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 Quantity surveyors, get in touch for personalised support.
Conclusion
Hiring and sponsoring Quantity surveyors under SOC Code 2453 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.
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