Originally set up for international students, Unizest’s e-account will now be broadened to include new workers to the UK.

The firm has enlisted Mastercard and Railsbank for the product and has also received the backing of the Association of Labour Providers, and several international recruiters.

It re-enters the arena as the pandemic and Brexit leave many sectors - including healthcare, hospitality and agriculture - facing staff shortages.

Unizest says that its simple and secure five-step onboarding process, allows workers and students coming to the UK to open an e-current account before they leave their home country. Upon arrival in the UK, customers receive their debit Mastercard and can send and receive money overseas as well as manage their money through an app.

The company is also claiming to be "more than a fintech", offering an integrated ‘community’ feature with useful information, advice and tips in conjunction with Just Good Work.

Matt Oldham, co-founder of Neofin Ventures - the company behind Unizest’s launch - says: “Our aim with Unizest is to ensure that all newcomers to the UK, whether that be for work or for study, are given the best start when embarking on their new life here. We want to help smooth the transition by removing one of the biggest hurdles they face - setting up basic banking services.

“By kick-starting the process of getting an account, before new hires even arrive in the UK, Unizest enables businesses to focus on the many other processes and aspects of recruitment.”