This webinar is open to employers working within the North East of England only who are interested in learning more about recruiting international students and graduates from the region’s universities.

The five universities in North East England have teamed up to help you explore how you can enhance your workforce with international talent. This online event will provide valuable insights into the recruitment of international students from the region’s universities through the Graduate and Skilled Worker immigration routes.

The event will feature:

expert visa guidance from Paragon Law, ensuring you have the most up-to-date information on navigating visa requirements for international student hires
a panel of forward-thinking employers from the region, including representatives from Wubbleyou and Smart Carbon, who will share their experiences and success stories of integrating international students into their teams

insight into the range of ways you can work with universities in the North East to recruit international student talent

Whether you're actively recruiting, looking to know more about hiring options for international talent, or keen to hear from regional employers about their experiences, this webinar offers a unique opportunity to learn, network, and discover how international students can bring fresh perspectives and drive innovation within your organisation.

This event is being jointly organised by Durham University, Newcastle University, Northumbria University, Teesside University and the University of Sunderland.

Speakers

Kirin Abbas, Director, Paragon Law: Kirin Abbas is a Director at Paragon Law and a leading immigration solicitor in its Business Immigration department. Kirin has a particular expertise in the technology, sports, engineering, higher education, and energy sectors. Kirin also works closely with universities and colleges to provide assistance with student visas, sponsor licence applications, and in-house immigration training and seminars.

Lee Jackson, Managing Director, SmartCarbon Ltd: SmartCarbon is a platform that supports supply chain greenhouse emissions accounting and carbon reporting requirements. As Managing Director, Lee Jackson works with businesses and community groups to create meaningful impact in response to the climate emergency and the subsequent decarbonisation challenge. Lee’s background is in senior business development positions in the travel and payments sectors. SmartCarbon has offered visa sponsorship to an international graduate via the Skilled Worker immigration route, who was initially working for the company on a Graduate route visa.

Mark Renney, Managing Director, Wubbleyou Ltd: Wubbleyou brings technology products to market for businesses and public sector organisations, helping them to unlock scale through automation and efficiency. Their clients have included the Department for Education, UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) and North Tyneside Council. Mark graduated with a degree in Computer Science from Northumbria University in 2011, co-founding Wubbleyou alongside his studies in 2009. Wubbleyou has recruited international graduates from North East universities via the Skilled Worker immigration route, obtaining a sponsor licence from the UK Government. Find out more about the experiences of one of their international graduates via the Wubbleyou website.

Thal Vashista, Founder and Managing Director, Paragon Law: Thal is the founder and Managing Director of Paragon Law. He has been specialising in business immigration since 1996 and works with some of the UK’s largest companies and niche businesses, advising them on their legal requirements with regard to employing skilled foreign nationals. An internationally recognised speaker on the subject of UK Immigration Law, Thal has been invited to speak on the subject in China, India and Nigeria and regularly delivers training on the subject for other lawyers, HR departments, universities and the UK Government.

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