Senior Associate, Francesca Smith
Francesca Smith is a Senior Associate at Eversheds Sutherland LLP specialising in all aspects of immigration law. Her experience includes advising on sponsor licence and compliance issues relating to all routes under the Points Based System as well as the Visitor, Global Talent and Graduate routes and all right to work matters. Francesca has undertaken a large number of internal mock compliance audits on behalf of clients in preparation for Home Office inspections and has been in attendance at numerous Home Office inspections to provide ongoing advice and support. Such support includes reviewing online systems and key compliance policies relating to both staff and student immigration, making recommendations to become a ‘best practice’ sponsor, identifying and mitigating against risks and checking sponsor licence structure, Key Personnel, SMS reporting and record keeping in accordance with Appendix D requirements.
Francesca has significant experience in drafting representations to the Home Office against action plans and licence revocations and acted for a client on an interim relief application and judicial review proceedings in the High Court of Justice.
Francesca regularly provides an outsource service for education institutions assisting with student visa applications and supporting documentation. Francesca also advises on complex restructures involving setting up new sites and teaching partnerships, offering commercial and pragmatic advice whilst ensuring all measures adhere to UKVI guidance.
Francesca also regularly provides training on all sponsor compliance obligations under the Student, Skilled Worker and Government Authorised Exchange (Temporary work) routes, with a particular focus on how to interpret the sponsor guidance based on practical experience. Francesca has assisted with undertaking sample attendance monitoring reviews for sponsored students and providing feedback on risks and recommendations to ensure ongoing compliance with the Student sponsor guidance.
Spoke at:
Delegate feedback
"Really good training, very knowledgeable, helpful. Very good session". - Staffordshire University
"Francesca is extremely knowledgeable. Very easy to listen to. Would highly recommend and would definitely be happy to attend further training delivered by Francesca." - North West Regional College
"It was really good, great pace and very useful info."