Hiring and Sponsoring Veterinarians (SOC Code 2240)

Veterinarians, classified under SOC Code 2240, are essential professionals in the field of animal health and welfare. They perform a variety of critical tasks to ensure the well-being of animals, including: 

• Examination and Diagnosis: 
• • Examines animals to diagnose their conditions, prescribing and administering appropriate treatments, drugs, and dressings. 
  • Arranges or undertakes necessary tests, including x-rays.
• Preventative Care: 
• • Inoculates animals against communicable diseases to prevent outbreaks.
  • Provides recommendations on feeding, breeding, and general care to animal owners.
• Surgical Procedures: 
• • Administers local or general anaesthetics and performs surgeries on animals.
  • Euthanises old, sick, terminally ill, and unwanted animals in a humane manner.
• Food Safety and Regulation:
• • Engages in tasks related to food safety policies and the regulation of veterinary drugs.
  • Conducts quality control assessments of veterinary products.
• Inspection and Investigation:
• • Performs ante-mortem inspections of animals destined for the food chain and carries out post-mortem examinations.
  • Investigates outbreaks of animal diseases providing expertise to owners and authorities.
• Educational Role: 
• • Acts as an expert witness when required and undertakes teaching responsibilities for veterinary students.
• Record Keeping:
• • Maintains thorough records, raising and forwarding necessary reports and certificates in compliance with current legislation.

With the increasing emphasis on animal health and food safety in the UK, the demand for qualified veterinarians is on the rise, prompting organizations and veterinary practices to seek skilled professionals, including those from overseas. This guide will assist HR professionals in understanding the process of hiring and sponsoring veterinarians within the UK’s immigration framework.

What is SOC Code 3411 for Veterinarians?

SOC Code 2240 refers to veterinarians who provide medical care for animals, ensuring their health and well-being. Their responsibilities can include:

• Examining animals: Assessing the health and condition of pets, livestock, and wildlife.
• Diagnosing conditions: Identifying illnesses or injuries through physical exams, tests, and observations.
• Prescribing and administering treatments: Providing appropriate medications, dressings, and treatments to alleviate animal ailments.
• Inoculating against diseases: Vaccinating animals to protect them from communicable diseases.
• Anesthesia and surgery: Administering local or general anesthesia and performing surgical procedures as required.
• Investigating disease outbreaks: Examining and addressing outbreaks of animal diseases and advising owners on best practices for care.
• Euthanasia: Compassionately ending the life of old, sick, terminally ill, or unwanted animals when necessary.
• Food safety and regulation: Overseeing tasks related to food safety policies, veterinary drug regulations, and quality control of veterinary products.
• Animal inspections: Conducting ante-mortem inspections for animals destined for the food chain and performing post-mortem examinations.
• Expert witness and education: Providing expert testimony in legal cases and teaching veterinary students.
• Recordkeeping and compliance: Maintaining accurate records and generating reports in accordance with current legislation.

Veterinarians play a vital role in public health, animal welfare, and the regulation of food safety, contributing significantly to the health of both animals and humans.

Eligibility to Hire Veterinarians (SOC Code 3411)

Job Requirements for Veterinarians (SOC Code 2240)

Veterinarians seeking employment must possess strong clinical skills and meet specific qualifications or experience criteria. These may include:

• Education: A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from an accredited veterinary college. 
• Licensure: Valid veterinary license to practice in the relevant jurisdiction, adhering to all local and national regulatory requirements.
• Clinical Skills: Proficiency in examining animals, diagnosing conditions, and prescribing appropriate treatments, including drugs, dressings, and anesthetics.
• Surgical Expertise: Experience in performing surgeries and administering local or general anaesthetics effectively.
• Preventative Care: Knowledge of inoculation protocols to protect animals against communicable diseases.
• Diagnostic Abilities: Familiarity with diagnostic tests, including x-rays and laboratory work.
• Food Safety Understanding: Competence in performing ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections for animals in the food chain, as well as knowledge of food safety policies.
• Communication Skills: Ability to educate pet owners on breeding, feeding, and general care of their animals, and to raise awareness about disease outbreaks.
• Record Management: Capability to maintain accurate records and generate reports in compliance with current legislation.
• Teaching Experience: Experience or willingness to engage in the teaching of veterinary students as part of continuous professional development.

These requirements aim to ensure that veterinarians are well-equipped to provide high-quality veterinary care and uphold the standards of the profession.

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

Sponsoring Veterinarians: 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 Veterinarians under SOC Code 2240.

Step 1: Obtain a Sponsor Licence

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

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

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

How Borderless Can Help with Sponsoring Veterinarians

Sponsoring Veterinarians under SOC Code 2240 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 Veterinarians, get in touch for personalised support.

Conclusion

Hiring and sponsoring Veterinarians under SOC Code 2240 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.