BBC Interviews Teni Shahiean on UK Job Sponsorship Risks
OTS Solicitors CEO and Senior Partner Teni Shahiean contributed immigration law insight to a BBC report published on 15 October 2026. The report concerned accounts from people who said they had paid for healthcare training and support connected with anticipated employment, but that the opportunities they expected had not materialised. Teni participated as an immigration law contributor on an issue that can have serious financial and immigration consequences for people hoping to secure sponsored work in the UK.
The immigration issue behind the BBC report
The individuals’ accounts were reported as allegations, and the BBC record identifies a response from the business concerned. This article does not present the reported accounts as adjudicated findings. Teni’s participation as a legal contributor should not be interpreted as an endorsement of OTS Solicitors or its services by the BBC.
The central immigration distinction is that a recruitment introduction, training programme or proposed job is not the same as immigration permission. Even a confirmed job offer is only one element of the Skilled Worker process. The proposed employer must be authorised to sponsor the relevant work, a valid Certificate of Sponsorship must be assigned, the role must meet the applicable requirements and the applicant must qualify under the rules in force when the application is decided.
This distinction is particularly important when someone is approaching the expiry of their existing immigration permission. Time pressure, financial commitments and the prospect of sponsored employment can make an opportunity appear more certain than it is. Before relying on an arrangement, a worker should understand exactly what has been offered, who is responsible for each stage and which steps remain conditional.
The practical message is one of careful verification rather than alarm. Training, recruitment support, an introduction to an employer, an offer of employment, the assignment of a Certificate of Sponsorship and a successful immigration application are separate stages. Individuals should avoid making irreversible financial, employment or immigration decisions on the assumption that completing one stage guarantees all the others.
What did Teni Shahiean tell the BBC?
Teni explained that a proposed job, recruitment service or training programme does not itself guarantee visa sponsorship or permission to remain in the UK.
She told the BBC:
“The outcome can depend on the role, the sponsor, the individual meeting the relevant immigration requirements and, ultimately, any decision by the Home Office.”
This reflects an important legal distinction. A prospective employer must be authorised to sponsor workers on the relevant route, the proposed role must satisfy the applicable requirements and a valid Certificate of Sponsorship must be assigned. The applicant must then make a valid application and qualify under the Immigration Rules in force at the time of the decision.
Completing training, receiving recruitment assistance or even obtaining a job offer does not remove any of those separate requirements.
Teni Shahiean’s immigration and employment experience
Teni has more than 18 years’ experience spanning immigration and employment law. She advises organisations on sponsor licence applications, sponsorship compliance, right-to-work procedures and the immigration implications of workplace changes. She also assists individuals whose immigration position is closely connected with their employment, proposed role or sponsoring organisation.
The current Legal 500 business immigration entry for OTS Solicitors places the practice in Tier 5 and identifies Teni as a practice head who leads the team. The entry highlights her work on Skilled Worker status issues arising from redundancies and workplace disputes. That combination of immigration and employment experience is relevant where the viability of a sponsored route depends on both the proposed role and the underlying employment relationship.
For employers, early Business Immigration legal advice can help establish whether a proposed role is suitable for sponsorship, what information should be given to a prospective worker and what compliance work may be required. For workers, individual advice can clarify whether an opportunity provides a realistic immigration route before an important deadline or substantial financial commitment is reached.
Checks before relying on a sponsored-work opportunity
No checklist can remove every risk, but workers should obtain clear written information before paying for a service or relying on anticipated sponsored employment. Depending on the circumstances, sensible preliminary checks may include:
- confirming the identity of the proposed employer and checking whether it is authorised to sponsor workers on the relevant route;
- clarifying whether the service offered is training, recruitment support, an introduction to potential employers or a confirmed offer of employment;
- requesting written terms explaining the fee, the service to be delivered and any applicable cancellation or refund provisions;
- treating assurances of guaranteed employment, sponsorship or immigration permission with particular caution; and
- checking immigration expiry dates and obtaining individual advice before making a substantial payment, leaving existing employment or relying on a future application.
Employers should be equally careful not to describe sponsorship as automatic or use recruitment language that obscures conditions attached to a role. Clear documentation, accurate explanations and properly managed sponsorship processes can protect prospective workers while helping organisations meet their recruitment and immigration-compliance responsibilities.
Contact OTS Solicitors
For advice on sponsored employment, Skilled Worker applications, sponsor licence compliance or concerns about a proposed immigration route, call OTS Solicitors on 0203 959 9123 or contact OTS Solicitors to request a consultation with Teni Shahiean or another member of the business immigration team.