What onboarding support looks like for international hires
After an offer is accepted, the onboarding phase begins. For international hires, this stage has specific document requirements, right-to-work evidence rules, and coordination with the legal route. This guide explains what Hirenza handles and what the employer owns.
In one sentence
Onboarding support for international hires covers document collection, right-to-work verification, and coordination between the employer and any ongoing legal route processes — Hirenza supports the workflow, the employer owns the employment relationship.
Quick answers
- Right-to-work evidence must be collected and verified before employment starts — not after
- For candidates with a Skilled Worker visa, the right-to-work check is done via the Home Office online share code service
- Document collection for international hires typically includes passport or travel document, right-to-work evidence, proof of address, and bank account details
- Where sponsorship is involved, the employment start date must not precede the visa grant date
- Hirenza supports document collection coordination; the employer is legally responsible for carrying out and retaining the right-to-work check
What onboarding involves for an international hire
Onboarding an international hire follows the same general shape as any hire — the employer collects documents, sets up payroll, arranges system access, and confirms the start date. The difference is in the specifics: the documents required, the right-to-work process, and the additional coordination when a candidate has come through the legal route.
What Hirenza handles at stage 8
Hirenza supports confirming the offer acceptance and start date with both employer and candidate, coordinating document collection (prompting the candidate for required materials), liaising with Harveys Legal where the legal route is still in progress to align the start date with the visa grant, and providing the employer with a document checklist tailored to the candidate's right-to-work status.
Hirenza does not carry out the right-to-work check itself. The employer is legally responsible for conducting and retaining the check.
The right-to-work check for international hires
International candidates who have a visa or settled status will have an eVisa record held by the Home Office. They share a time-limited code with employers to prove their status. The check involves the candidate generating a share code via the UKVI online service, the employer entering the code and date of birth at gov.uk/check-right-to-work, and the employer reviewing and retaining the result.
This must happen before employment starts, not after. An employer who fails to carry out a compliant right-to-work check before employment begins has no statutory excuse if the employee is later found not to have the right to work.
Start date alignment for sponsored candidates
Where a candidate has gone through the legal route, the employment start date must not predate the visa grant. Hirenza coordinates this alignment with Harveys Legal so the employer is not left managing the timing independently.
Document checklist for a typical international hire
- Passport or travel document
- Right-to-work evidence (share code check, biometric residence permit, or settled status confirmation)
- Proof of current UK address (where required)
- Bank account details for payroll
- Emergency contact information
- Any role-specific credentials or qualifications
Ready to start?
Hirenza supports international hiring workflows for UK employers.
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