Immigration Advisor

Location/s: Glasgow or Manchester; UK
Recruiter contact: Steven Johnston

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices. 

We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual. 

Whether you want to grow as a subject matter expert or broaden your experience with roles across our international community, you’re surrounded by global specialists who want to combine their expertise and champion you to be your best. As a proudly employee-owned business, we benefit our clients, our communities, and each other, investing in creating the right space for everyone to feel empowered, included, and valued. Whatever your ambition, Mott MacDonald is where people come to be brilliant.

About the business unit  
Mott MacDonald’s support services are the driving force behind our organisation enabling us to run efficiently and effectively. The team works collaboratively to offer specialist advice, best practice and technology to all areas of our business specifically designed for our global reach. 

Overview of the role

We have an exciting opportunity for an HR professional to join our UK & ROI Immigration Team. This role offers the chance to gain hands-on experience in immigration operations while developing expertise in compliance, governance and risk management.

Working alongside two experienced Immigration Advisors, you will drive day-to-day immigration activities and help ensure compliance with UK & ROI legislation and internal policies. You’ll collaborate closely with HR, Talent Acquisition, Payroll, Finance, and external legal providers (EY), making this a highly visible and collaborative role.

As an Immigration Advisor, you will play a key role in delivering immigration processes and ensuring compliance for sponsored employees. You will help the organisation meet its statutory duties as a Home Office sponsor, mitigate risk, and provide trusted guidance to stakeholders across the business.

Full training will be provided, with knowledge and experiences being built up over a number of weeks.

Key responsibilities and duties include:

• Visa & Sponsorship Management
  • Support the end-to-end lifecycle of UK Skilled Worker visa applications, including new hires, extensions, sponsor changes, SOC code updates, salary amendments, and ILR pathways
  • Assess visa eligibility for candidates and employees
  • Lead visa initiation calls, clearly outlining processes, documentation, timelines, and compliance requirements
  • Liaise with external immigration advisors (e.g. EY) to manage applications and resolve complex cases
  • Review and validate Certificates of Sponsorship prior to submission
  • Provide administrative support to ensure ongoing compliance
• Sponsor Licence & Home Office Compliance
  • Ensure full compliance with Home Office sponsor duties, including monitoring, reporting, and record keeping requirements
  • Maintain compliant sponsored worker files, including visas, right to work evidence, contracts, job descriptions, salary details, and correspondence
  • Manage the process for reporting changes in sponsored worker employment circumstances
• Right to Work & Record Keeping
  • Conduct and quality check compliant Right to Work checks, including right to work checks for visa holders. · Arrange online Right to Work checks (including calls) with employees/candidates and ensure timely system updates
  • Maintain accurate records in internal systems (e.g. Connect People / SharePoint / trackers)
  • Provide escalation support for complex RTW or compliance queries. Advisory & Case Management
  • Provide immigration advice to HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, Line Managers, Payroll, and Finance
  • Act as the central point of contact for immigration related queries from employees and stakeholders
  • Manage a high volume immigration case portfolio, prioritising risk critical cases and deadline driven activity
  • Communicate clearly and sensitively with employees on visa outcomes, limitations, and responsibilities
  • Issue and manage Skilled Worker sponsorship and clawback agreements
  • Coordinate with Payroll and Finance to ensure correct deductions and repayments are applied
• Process Improvement & Governance
  • Maintain and update immigration guidance, templates, trackers, and internal processes
  • Drive continuous improvement initiatives, including system changes and process standardisation
  • Contribute to internal training and awareness sessions for HR and hiring managers on immigration compliance
  • Monitor immigration rule changes and assess business impact, escalating risks or required actions

Candidate specification

Essential:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to manage a variety of stakeholders
• Strong administrative skills and take pride in delivering tasks to a high standard, including ability to follow processes consistently
• Interest in learning about UK Immigration legislation, compliance requirements and risk management
• Strong data management skills
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to complete tasks accurately when delivering to tight deadlines
• Proficient knowledge and experience of using Word, Excel, PowerPoint and SharePoint

Desirable:

• Experience and understanding of Connect People (recruitment, onboarding, Employee Central)
• Knowledge of Immigration processes and procedures (e.g. right to work checks, Skilled Worker applications)
• Basic understanding of employment law
• Flexibility and willingness to manage unexpected or complex circumstances
• Knowledge of the General Data Protection Regulations
• Good presentation skills and ability to deliver training to key stakeholders

UK Immigration

Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is as a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April 2024. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.

Agile working  

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well-being, flexibility, and trust.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion 

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

AI Usage

At Mott MacDonald, we see the value AI can bring, but we take a people-first approach to hiring. While AI tools can help candidates prepare and build confidence, every application and hiring decision is reviewed by our recruitment and hiring teams. We encourage the responsible use of AI while ensuring we get to know the real person behind the application.

Accessibility

We want you to feel supported and able to perform at your best throughout our recruitment process. If there is anything we can do to make applying or interviewing with us more accessible, please contact us at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we'll be happy to discuss how we can help.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

Financial wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
• Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury.
• Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.

Employee Ownership

• Our employee ownership model means no external investors, just us, creating a culture of shared success.
• Our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, giving them a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses.
• As your career grows, so does your stake, recognising your long-term impact and contribution.
• Your voice matters, with the opportunity to connect directly with senior leadership through formal channels to help shape our future.
• For our senior roles you will have a direct pathway towards ownership from day one.

Health and wellbeing

• Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
• Health cash plan to support you with every day health costs and treatments.
• Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
• A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family.
• Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.

Lifestyle

• A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• 10 days additional paid leave for Armed Forces Reservists and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.
• Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years’ service.
• Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high-street retailers.

 Enhanced family and carers leave

• Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
• Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.
• We offer policies and dedicated support to help military families balance service life with career and wellbeing.

Learning and development

• Primary annual professional institution subscription.
• A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development options.

Networks, communities, and social outcomes

• Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
• We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and Gold Award holders in the MOD Employer Recognition Scheme, supported by our dedicated internal Armed Forces Network.
• Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.

Apply now, or for more information about our application process, click here.