Company Merger

[ravi_ei]

Hi All,

I know that when there is a merger of two companies or a take over, there is a requirement to inform UKVI in order to keep the licence. Now the company I work for( company A) has been taken over by another company B.

Company A is registered in UK
Company B is registered in USA

Now our HR had sent us an email saying this:

With the ownership changed to company B, you might be worried about implications for your Tier 2 visa now.

it is informed to confirm that Company A is remaining as a legal operating entity and so there are no requirements for changes in Sponsorship Licence.


Is this OK? Or does my employer need to do something still. Should I be afraid that some impact could come up in Annual review?

For Backgroud company A was owned by a group ( say company C ) earlier and company B took ownership from company C. Both company B and C are registered in USA
Thanks
-Ravi

[manci]

read section 13 of the T2 sponsor guidance and especially 13.5:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... _11-14.pdf

[ravi_ei]

Thanks Manci. I have asked my HR to read the sections you mention. She replied saying that she knows about it and they are complying. Also she is going to reconfirm with the legal department in the company. But I am not so sure if legal department is looking into this from perspective of immigration rules. They might be looking into this from company laws and rules.

I have asked my HR to confirm this her assumptions and legal department feedback with UKVI. fingers crossed.

[kumar125]

Ravi,
See link below.

http://talkinghrblog.gateleyuk.com/2014 ... explained/

I had gone through all these process during our UK company taken over by American company, 1.5 years ago...

[ravi_ei]

Thanks for your help Kumar. My HR and legal department has confirmed this with Home office again after my query ( they confirmed with home office at the time of merger also ) and it is safe for the company to continue on the old licence.

Now why it happened that home office says that my employer do not need to change their licence?

Answer is that the corporate group which own the company in UK is still the same and as far as the ownership in UK is concerned the group is still the same. The only change happened is that the larger group owning the company in USA has changed ownership to another larger group. That is why my employer did not need to change anything.

If at all the ownership of UK group has changed ( which is not the case ) company surely had to apply the new licence.