Skilled Worker to ILR: Does office attendance matter during Home Office audits?
Hi, I wanted to ask for some clarification regarding ILR applications and employer attendance records.
Currently, I am working in a hybrid role, and I will become eligible for ILR in September. Recently, my organisation introduced a policy that hybrid employees are expected to attend the office three times per week. The issue is that my office is in London, while I am currently living in Sheffield, so travelling that distance three times a week is quite difficult.
At the moment, I am travelling to the office around two times per month. From July onwards, I am planning to increase my office attendance to around three times per month where possible. Additionally, when my contract is renewed in September, I am considering formally switching to a fully remote arrangement, subject to company approval.
When I discussed this with HR, they mentioned there is a possibility that during compliance audits or ILR-related checks, the Home Office or auditors may ask about office attendance records. HR recommended that I attend the office as much as possible before my ILR application.
I wanted to understand whether, during an ILR application, the Home Office actually verifies detailed office attendance records over the full 5-year period, such as:
- How many times an employee physically attended the office
- Office punch-in/punch-out timings
- Internal attendance logs
I understand they do check immigration records, absences from the UK, salary, sponsorship compliance, and employment details, but I am unsure whether they also deeply audit hybrid working attendance patterns.
Has anyone experienced this or knows how detailed these checks usually are?