Regarding the government's plans to impose fines on companies that don't check the right of overseas workers to work in the UK (Recruiter, 22 August).

PDR Partners is a small recruitment company operating in the niche market of recruiting clinical research professionals for pharma companies. Most applicants we receive via the internet now are from abroad. It is becoming increasingly difficult for us to keep up with the different types of work permits/visas available, especially as there appears to be different permits for foreign nationals working in Scotland.

As a small organisation, everyone is focused on income-generating activities and we do not have the luxury of spare time to search through the Home Office website. In addition to the apparent lack of information from the Home Office to agencies such as ours, we have had one incident recently where we were suspicious of an applicant's visa permit in his passport. There was a simple spelling error contained within the text of the permit. We contacted the Home Office and sent a copy of the suspicious document to them. It transpired that it was a legitimate work permit — spelling mistake and all! They thought it was funny; I didn't.

l Claire Jackaman, managing director, PDR Partners incorporating Bob Gammon Associates