International Engineering Recruitment

Struggling to Hire Engineers and Manufacturing Professionals in the UK? Maybe the Solution Isn’t Local.

The UK’s engineering skills shortage and soaring salary demands are stalling projects and putting companies like yours at a competitive disadvantage. Stop fighting for the same limited talent pool and discover the strategic advantage of global recruitment.

The Vicious Cycle of UK Engineering Recruitment

If you’re an HR/Talent Professional, department head or senior leader in the manufacturing sector, this probably sounds familiar. You have a critical engineering role to fill, but you’re facing:

• Endless Delays: Critical projects are paused or behind schedule because you can’t find specialists with the right skills in automation, digitalisation, or niche manufacturing processes.
• Spiralling Salary Costs: You’re forced into bidding wars, pushing salaries far beyond your budget just to attract local candidates, which inflates costs across the entire department.
• Losing to Competitors: While you’re struggling to build your team, your competitors who have embraced global talent are innovating faster and winning contracts.
• Team Burnout: Your existing engineering team is overworked and stretched thin, covering the gaps left by unfilled positions, which increases the risk of them leaving too.

The Tangible Cost of a Vacant Engineering Role

Beyond the immediate frustration, an unfilled engineering position has a direct and quantifiable negative impact on your business. Industry analysis shows the true cost is far more than just the salary. Consider the cascading effects:

• Lost Productivity & Project Delays: A vacant Senior Engineer role can delay a project by weeks or months, with each week of delay on a major project costing tens of thousands in lost revenue or contractual penalties.
• Failed Recruitment Spend: Companies often spend thousands on UK job board listings and recruitment fees for local searches that yield no suitable candidates, all before even considering an international strategy.
• Increased Team Strain: For every vacant role, the output of 2-3 other team members is often negatively impacted as they try to cover the workload, leading to a higher risk of burnout and staff turnover—the most expensive cost of all.

We can help you stop this cycle of loss and turn your recruitment challenge into a strategic advantage.

The Strategic Advantage: Tapping into the Global Engineering Talent Pool

Recruiting from overseas isn’t just a backup plan; it’s a strategic necessity for UK manufacturing companies. It allows you to break free from the local skills shortage and access a vast, untapped pool of highly qualified and experienced engineers. By hiring internationally, you can:

• Fill Critical Skills Gaps: Access specialists with the exact technical expertise you’re missing.
• Control Recruitment Costs: Find exceptional talent at competitive, sustainable salary levels.
• Inject New Perspectives: Bring in fresh ideas and diverse experience to drive innovation.

How We Worked With a Global Manufacturing Client to Overcome a UK-Wide Shortage of Candidates

Our client was a global leader in the recycling and manufacturing industry, employing around 10,000 people across 120 facilities globally with a revenue of over €4 Billion.

The Problem We Overcame

There was a severe lack of suitably qualified engineers in the local area, compounded by a UK-wide shortage of candidates with heavy industry experience. It became clear that a standard UK-based recruitment process was highly unlikely to find the specialist candidates required to fill multiple, long-standing vacancies.

How We Overcame the Problem

Using our deep knowledge of global engineering markets, we identified several countries with strong steel-making industries where engineering talent pools were available. We then executed a targeted global talent search, proactively identifying, approaching, and encouraging engineers who fit the specific client profile to apply for the positions in the UK.

What Results Did We Generate for the Client?

Several degree-qualified engineers with direct steel industry experience were successfully hired and relocated to the UK from South Africa, India, Nigeria, and Turkey. These hires included roles such as Mechanical Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Electrical & Mechanical Maintenance Technicians, Automation Engineers, Instrumentation Engineers, and Control Engineers. As a result, the client achieved a zero-vacancy status for critical engineering roles, some of which had been vacant for years. Hitting their headcount target allowed the client to refocus their efforts on crucial business goals, including continuous improvement, equipment upgrades, downtime reduction, and yield increases.

Our Proven Process for Seamless International Recruitment

Worried about the complexity of hiring from overseas? Don’t be. We act as an extension of your team, managing the entire process so you can focus on your business.

1. Deep Dive Consultation: We start by understanding not just the job spec, but your company culture, project goals, and budget. We work with you to define the technical “must-haves” versus “nice-to-haves” and learn about your long-term team structure to ensure we find a candidate who will thrive for years, not just months.
2. Global Talent Sourcing: We activate our established networks in talent-rich countries to find the hidden talent that other agencies can’t. This isn’t just posting on international job boards; it’s a proactive headhunting process targeting passive candidates in specific companies and industries within our chosen markets.
3. Rigorous Screening & Vetting: Our screening ensures candidates don’t just look good on paper—our competency assessments verify they have the proven skills to deliver from day one. Our process includes multi-stage interviews and competency evaluations.
4. Visa & Relocation Support: We introduce you to experts who can guide both you and the candidate through the complexities of visa applications and relocation. They will provide end-to-end support, from helping you secure your sponsorship license to providing the candidate with resources for housing and settling in the UK, ensuring a smooth transition for everyone.

Engineering & Manufacturing Roles We Fill Globally

We have a proven track record of sourcing top-tier international talent across all levels of seniority. Our expertise covers a wide range of specialist engineering and management roles, including:

• Engineering Director
• Operations Manager
• Production Manager
• Engineering Manager
• Maintenance Manager
• Project Engineer / Engineering Project Manager
• Process Engineer / Manufacturing Engineer
• Automation Engineer / Controls Engineer
• Instrumentation Engineer
• Mechanical Engineer
• Electrical Engineer
• Mechanical Maintenance Technician
• Electrical Maintenance Technician
• Quality Engineer (SQA / APQP)
• Mechanical Design Engineer / R&D Engineer
• Electronics Engineer / Electronics Design Engineer
• Materials Engineer / Chemical Engineer

Sectors We Serve Internationally:

• Automotive
• Aerospace
• Pharmaceutical & Life Science
• FMCG & Food Manufacturing
• Electronics & Semiconductor
• Heavy Industrial & Energy
• …and all areas of advanced manufacturing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How long does international recruitment take?

While it varies, we can typically present a shortlist of vetted international candidates within 2-4 weeks. The subsequent visa and relocation process can take an additional 2-3 months, which is a timeline we help you plan for.

What about visa sponsorship and legal compliance?

This is a major hurdle for many companies, but not for our clients. We have a network of expert immigration solicitors who handle the entire process, ensuring full compliance with UK law and minimising the administrative burden on your team.

How do you assess skills and qualifications from different countries?

Our recruiters are industry specialists who understand global engineering qualification standards. Our rigorous, multi-stage vetting process includes competency assessments designed to verify skills regardless of the candidate’s home country.

What about cultural fit and integration?

This is a key part of our screening process. During our interviews, we assess a candidate’s adaptability, communication skills, and understanding of Western business practices. We also provide both you and the candidate with guidance on cultural integration to ensure a smooth transition into the team.

Are the salary expectations genuinely more manageable?

While every role is different, we consistently find that accessing a global talent pool allows for more controlled and sustainable salary negotiations. You can often hire a highly-skilled engineer for a competitive salary that represents excellent value, rather than paying an inflated premium dictated by the UK’s domestic shortage.

What ongoing support do you offer after the candidate is hired?

Where needed we can maintain contact with both you and the relocated candidate for the first six months to help troubleshoot any settling-in challenges, answer questions, and ensure the placement is a long-term success.

Understanding the UK Skilled Worker Visa: A Simple Overview

The thought of visa sponsorship can be daunting, but the process is more straightforward than you might think when managed by experts. Here’s what you need to know:

• What is it? The Skilled Worker visa is the primary route for UK companies to hire foreign nationals in eligible skilled roles. Most professional engineering and manufacturing roles meet the criteria.
• The Sponsor’s Role: To hire from overseas, your company needs a “Sponsor Licence.” If you don’t have one, our legal partners can manage the entire application process for you. It’s a one-time process that opens the door to global talent permanently.
• Candidate Eligibility: Candidates must have a job offer from a licensed sponsor, speak English to a required level, and the role must meet a minimum salary threshold (a figure that is easily met for most professional engineering roles).

Our role is to support this entire process.

Ready To Build Your Team?

If you are looking for an engineering recruiter who understands your needs, talk to us directly. The easiest way is to book a free, no-obligation vacancy discussion with our founding director, Rhys Williams, using the calendar below. Alternatively, call us on 02920 100 790 or submit your vacancy online.