Hiring and Sponsoring Upholsterers (SOC Code 5411)

Upholsterers, classified under SOC Code 5411, are skilled craftsmen who specialize in the art of furniture upholstery and soft furnishings. The role requires a combination of artistry and technical expertise to ensure that furniture and textile products are both aesthetically pleasing and durable. As the demand for bespoke furniture and home décor continues to rise, particularly in the UK's dynamic interior design market, the need for talented upholsterers is increasingly prominent. Below are key responsibilities and skills associated with this role:

• Measurement and Examination: Accurately measures frames to be covered or examines drawings/specifications.
• Material Handling: Cuts various materials using shears, knives, or scissors to create upholstery components.
• Securing Components: Tacks, staples, or secures webbing to furniture frames for stability and durability.
• Padding and Stitching: Pads springs and secures padding through techniques such as stitching, stapling, or tacking.
• Assembly: Pins sections of coverings together, joins them by sewing, and inserts trims, braids, and buttons as required.
• Mechanics: Operates machines to compress padded spring assemblies and inserts them into mattress covers effectively.
• Covering Techniques: Encases bed springs and padding with selected covering material through hand or machine stitching.
• Repairs and Restoration: Replaces covering, padding, webbing, or springs to restore and repair upholstered furniture.
• Soft Furnishings: Measures, cuts, pins, sews, and trims fabrics to create curtains, cushions, loose covers, and other similar soft furnishings.

With an ongoing trend towards sustainable and bespoke interiors, many companies and individuals in the UK are seeking skilled upholsterers who can bring their visions to life. This guide will assist HR professionals in navigating the recruitment and sponsorship process for upholsterers within the UK’s immigration framework.

What is SOC Code 3411 for Upholsterers?

SOC Code 5411 refers to upholsterers who specialize in covering and repairing furniture and soft furnishings. Their responsibilities can include:

• Measuring and examining frames: Taking precise measurements of the furniture or reviewing specifications to determine material requirements.
• Cutting materials: Using shears, knives, or scissors to cut fabric or other covering materials to the appropriate size and shape.
• Securing webbing: Tacking, stapling, or otherwise securing webbing to the furniture frame for added support.
• Padding and securing springs: Padding springs and securely attaching them through stitching, stapling, or tacking to ensure comfort and durability.
• Assembling upholstery units: Pinning sections of coverings together, sewing them, and inserting trims, braids, and buttons as needed.
• Machine operations: Using machinery to compress padded spring assemblies and insert them into the covers of mattresses.
• Encasing bed springs: Hand or machine stitching to encase bed springs and padding with the selected covering material, including fitting castors as necessary.
• Repairing upholstered furniture: Replacing coverings, padding, webbing, or springs to restore and repair upholstered items.
• Creating soft furnishings: Measuring, cutting, pinning, sewing, and trimming fabrics to manufacture curtains, cushions, loose covers, and similar soft furnishings.

Upholsterers play a vital role in maintaining the aesthetics and comfort of furniture, contributing to interior design, and enhancing living and working environments.

Eligibility to Hire Upholsterers (SOC Code 3411)

1. Job Requirements

Upholsterers must demonstrate their craftsmanship in upholstery and meet certain qualifications or experience criteria. These may include:

• Technical skills: Proficiency in measuring frames, cutting materials, and securing webbing to furniture.
• Methods: Ability to pad springs, stitch, staple, tack, and pin covering sections together, ensuring durability and aesthetic appeal.
• Material knowledge: Understanding of different upholstery materials, including fabrics and padding, and their appropriate applications.
• Repair expertise: Experience in replacing coverings, padding, webbing, or springs to restore and repair upholstered furniture.
• Sewing skills: Competence in sewing and fitting upholstery units to frames, as well as creating curtains, cushions, and soft furnishings.
• Equipment operation: Familiarity with operating machines for compressing padded spring assemblies and encasing bed springs, ensuring quality workmanship.

Ensure the job description aligns with SOC Code 5411 and that the upholsterer'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 Upholsterers: 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 Upholsterers under SOC Code 5411.

Step 1: Obtain a Sponsor Licence

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

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

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

How Borderless Can Help with Sponsoring Upholsterers

Sponsoring Upholsterers under SOC Code 5411 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 Upholsterers, get in touch for personalised support.

Conclusion

Hiring and sponsoring Upholsterers under SOC Code 5411 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.