Tips for employers:

• Finding it difficult to attract offshore talent? Consider offering relocation packages to help with the costs of moving (household; flights; temporary accommodation on arrival etc). You can include pay back clauses in IEAs. Take advice.

• If your migrant workers are doing jobs that are not on the skills shortage lists, then plan ahead. You will in most cases need to advertise the job again and the new work visa application may take 8 to 12 weeks to be processed (or longer in some cases).

• Looking for construction or trade workers? Call Lukas Sousa on 0800 800 612 today.

• Keep an eye on when workers visas will expire. Payroll and HR systems usually have a way to store this information; set calendar reminders or outsource. Employing someone on an expired visa carries severe financial penalties and will hamper future offshore recruitment.