Immigration

Managing the complexities of business immigration requires expertise, agility and foresight. Our leading immigration lawyers bring decades of experience in helping companies navigate UK immigration law. We deliver innovative, tailored solutions to both national and international businesses – from established brands to fast-growth companies. The reputation and trust we have earned amongst our clients and across the sectors we serve enable us to implement pragmatic, client-specific solutions.

Strategic immigration planning

Our immigration practice is renowned for its collaborative and strategic approach, providing practical, clear and prompt guidance. We take the time to understand the unique needs of each client so that our service aligns perfectly with their objectives and operational demands. Our offering extends beyond basic immigration advice, encompassing strategic planning and risk management tailored to the specific business context. Where necessary, we liaise directly with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and industry contacts to make sure that business needs are met with minimum disruption.

Working seamlessly alongside our corporate, employment, commercial, tax and dispute resolution teams, we provide comprehensive immigration support to clients across diverse sectors – including technology, education, retail, life sciences, sports, media and the creative industries. Our integrated approach ensures the smooth and efficient handling of complex immigration matters, from recruiting skilled international talent and managing extensive global mobility programmes to preparing businesses for UKVI audits or resolving visa refusals.

Our global mobility service allows us to handle high-volume intra-company transfers, facilitating smooth international assignments for businesses expanding their global footprint. We offer expert guidance throughout the entire transfer process, helping companies minimise disruption and maintain compliance with international regulations. In partnership with leading global network Multilaw, we connect clients with trusted immigration experts in over 100 countries, enabling successful cross-border operations and relocations.

This team is world-class in terms of professional skills, knowledge of the law and effectiveness.

We are also specialists in regulatory compliance, providing robust audit, training and due diligence services. Our proactive approach helps businesses effectively manage immigration requirements, reducing the risk of breaches and civil penalties. We offer end-to-end support in implementing and maintaining compliant immigration procedures, safeguarding our clients’ reputations and operational integrity.

Consistently highly regarded by both the leading legal directories, our experienced legal team expertly represents clients at every stage of the immigration process, ensuring they are effectively supported in overcoming challenges and achieving both their business and personal immigration goals.

How we help our clients

Strategic immigration advice for companies setting up or expanding into the UK

Analysing immigration options for new hires

Applying for and managing sponsor licences

Training on prevention of illegal working and due diligence services

Sponsor compliance audits

Global mobility and intra-company transfer services

Managing compliance failures including appeals, reviews and licence reinstatements

Advice on the immigration aspects of mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures

General business immigration and sponsor compliance training

Useful resources

Tech London Advocates Immigration podcast

The entire UK immigration team at Penningtons is excellent; extremely knowledgeable, responsive and they get things done. The team has extraordinary client care, thoroughly supporting clients throughout the immigration process.

Penningtons Manches Cooper is a prominent player in the market and has impressive clients. It’s an impressive group.

We had a complex issue and the team handled it with knowledge, confidence and good strategic advice.

I rate Penningtons very high in handling complex matters.

The partner and associates I worked with were incredibly knowledgeable and skilled.

Recent work highlights

Support for luxury fashion brand

Providing long-standing immigration support for a leading fashion brand, including maintaining its sponsor licence, handling a variety of visa applications, providing ad hoc immigration advice and liaising with senior contacts at the Home Office.

Strategic advice for finance company

Advising an international financial services consultancy on a range of strategic immigration matters, including work visa and indefinite leave to remain applications, renewal of its sponsor licence and permitted business activities for visitors.

Indefinite leave to remain grant for new senior hire

Achieving an exceptional ILR grant for a client’s new employee, who would have otherwise needed to apply for sponsorship, after ascertaining they would have completed the five-year employment requirement had they not resigned from their previous role.

CoS for British care provider

Assisting a British care provider in obtaining certificates of sponsorship for international hires. We are also overseeing compliance advice on an ongoing basis to ensure that the care provider continues to be able to recruit international students.

Creative worker sponsorship for theatre

Acting for a well-known theatre production company on the coordination of creative worker sponsorship for British and US casts and crews to facilitate collaboration and enable West End plays to transfer seamlessly to Broadway.

New sponsor licence after compliance failure

Successfully obtaining a new sponsor licence for an organization following a compliance failure, and ensuring sponsored workers were moved across to the new licence, despite the considerable lapse in time.

Immigration service for multinational client

Developing a global immigration services network for a client to cover 10 diverse jurisdictions in Europe, Asia and North America and establishing a fixed pricing structure and service standards.

Revised visa approach for tech company

Securing endorsement for a tech expert after recommending the Global Talent (Tech Nation) visa over Skilled Worker sponsorship. This also allowed the expert to support tech entrepreneurs outside the company.