
I am looking to rent a spare room in my house to a guy on a skilled worker/tier visa and was checking his right to rent as required by current home office rules.
I discovered his visa extension is in process and is sponsored by his current employer. However, he has submitted his resignation and is on a 2 month notice period. His employer is trying to retain him and so hasn't cancelled his application/sponsorship.
His next employer with whom he has an offer has offered to sponsor him but he says they have been unable to initiate this as his current extension is in process with his current employer as the sponsor. He tells me that his plan is to wait until the current extension is approved, at which point his new employer would then be able to apply to sponsor him, and then he will go through with the new visa processing under the new employer's sponsorship.
My main concern as a potential landlord is whether he will be able to get (what sounds to me like) a complex switch done smoothly and be able to continue working in the UK without interruption.
I have a few questions on potential scenarios for how this might play out:
1. Is it correct that his new employer can't apply to sponsor him until his current application (sponsored by his current employer) is active, and will be able to do this once his current application is approved?
2. His original visa has already expired. What would happen if the current employer were to now withdraw their sponsorship? Would he need to leave the country immediately or does he get time for the new employer to apply to sponsor him and get the visa processed under the new sponsorship?
3. As he's on a 2-month notice period with his current employer, what would happen if his notice period expires and he's still not got his visa extension (under the current sponsor) by that time? Would his right to remain expire with the end of his notice period?
4. Assuming it's true that his new employer will be able to apply to sponsor him once his current application is approved, what would happen if his current application is approved only a week or two before the new employer is expecting him to join work? Would the new employer be able to hire him while his new visa application (with the new employer's sponsorship) is still being processed?
I wonder if I'm better off renting to someone without visa complexities but he seems like a nice guy and his income is good so expect him to be able to pay rent without a hitch, if his visa isn't a problem.