Colchester solicitors FJG give free immigration advice to rural businesses

Rural businesses have benefited from free legal advice on the pitfalls of employing immigrant workers and the practices which they need to adopt, after Colchester-based law firm Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP and the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) hosted an educational forum.

Louise Boyes, head of the immigration team at FJG, who is identified as a leader in immigration law in East Anglia by the Chambers UK legal directory, gave a brief talk highlighting the issues, which was followed by a question and answers session at the Sir Alfred Munnings Art Gallery in Dedham.

Louise said: “Following new laws introduced last year, employers who fail to police foreign national employees face tough criminal and civil penalties. Large numbers of businesses have already received significant fines, which can be up to £10,000 per employee, and many have been named and shamed on the Home Office website. With rural enterprises taking on increasing numbers of foreign workers, they need to know the law.”

Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP celebrated its twenty fifth year in the town this year, and holds the prestigious Lexcel Law Society quality mark. It has also won the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Award and Business in the Community East of England Leadership Award for Pro Bono Company of the Year.

Tony Fisher, senior partner at Fisher Jones Greenwood said: “The event was aimed at those businesses which may be more likely to employ foreign national employees, such as farmers, restaurants, independent schools, and CLA members. Hopefully those attending the event now have a greater understanding of the risks and of the necessary checks which they need to undertake before taking on new employees, and they are less likely to incur these draconian fines.”