Sponsorship under the points-based system
This section is for prospective United Kingdom employers and sponsors who want to apply for a licence to employ migrant workers under the points-based system, and agree to meet a number of sponsorship duties.
You must apply to join the register of sponsors. If you are given a licence, you are then added to the register of sponsors, and able to issue certificates of sponsorship when we start taking applications for the relevant tiers later in the year.
Your licence is valid for four years, starting from the day it is issued or the day that applications start for the relevant tier, whichever is the later.
Most applicants coming to the United Kingdom, or wanting to remain in the United Kingdom to work or study, must have a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed sponsor to qualify for permission to enter or stay, as well as meeting the points-based assessment.
Only sponsors applying for a licence for Tier 2 (General) - skilled worker and/or Tier 2 - intra-company transfers can apply to go on the register of sponsors now.
You should apply if you want to employ migrants that are not nationals of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Swiss nationals, who want to enter or stay in the United Kingdom to work, train or study.
Underpinning the new migration system is a five tier framework. The five tiers and the dates from which we will start accepting applications under them are:
| Tier | Applications open |
|---|---|
| Tier 1 (General): highly skilled workers, such as scientists and entrepreneurs | From 29 February 2008 |
| Tier 2: skilled workers with a job offer to fill gaps in United Kingdom labour force | In the autumn of 2008 |
| Tier 3: limited numbers of low skilled workers needed to fill temporary labour shortages | This tier is currently suspended |
| Tier 4: students | In the spring of 2009 |
| Tier 5: temporary workers and youth mobility scheme: people allowed to work in the United Kingdom for a limited period of time to satisfy primarily non-economic objectives | In the autumn of 2008 |
We are introducing the tiers in stages so that we can ensure our new processes are working well and to enable our staff to build up experience of them at a controlled rate.
You should read all the information and guidance before applying. You must pay the correct fee with your application. You should read the section on costs for details.
We begin accepting applications from migrants in Tier 2 (General) - skilled worker and/or Tier 2 - intra-company transfers in the autumn of 2008. If you want to bring in migrants to work before this date, you should use the existing work permit routes. See the section on work permit arrangements for more details.
You will have to register again if you want to sponsor migrants in the other two Tier 2 categories - sports people and ministers of religion, and Tier 4 and Tier 5. More details on costs will be available when we start accepting applications for those tiers and categories. From mid-2008, you will be able to apply for a licence for tiers 4 and 5, and for Tier 2 licences in the categories for sports people and ministers of religion workers.
You will not have to pay the full application fee again if you register for more tiers at a later date. When you apply for more than one tier, you will only need to pay the cost of the most expensive tier. If you have already registered for a tier and then apply for a licence for another tier, you will only have to pay the difference between the cost of the new tier and any fee you have already paid. If the costs are the same, you will not have to pay any extra fee.
You will have to register again if you want to employ workers in the other two Tier 2 categories, and Tier 4 and Tier 5. More details on costs will be available when we start accepting applications for those tiers and categories. If the costs of applications differ, you will only have to pay the difference in the cost.
Sponsors must comply with a number of duties, such as keeping proper records of your migrants and informing us if they do not turn up for work. See the section on sponsorship duties for more details.
All sponsors are given an A rating or a B rating when given a licence. If you are a B-rated sponsor, you must comply with a sponsorship action plan, which will set out the steps you need to take to gain or regain an A-rating. If you do not comply with this plan, it is likely that you will lose your licence altogether and be unable to bring non-EEA or non-Swiss nationals into the United Kingdom.
See the section on sponsor ratings management for more details on A and B ratings.
You must notify us of any changes in your circumstances using the sponsor change of circumstances form.
See also
News & updates
Terms explained
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A rating
This term is applied to a sponsor under the points-based system for coming to the United Kingdom to work, train or study. It is the rating awarded by us when a sponsor joins the register of sponsors.
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B rating
This term is applied to a sponsor under the points-based system for coming to the United Kingdom to work, train or study. It is the rating awarded by us when a sponsor joins the register of sponsors. A B rating is a transitional rating for a sponsor who is under a sponsorship action plan.
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Certificate of sponsorship
This is a virtual document (a unique reference number) that an organisation gives to migrants they want to employ, and that the migrant uses when applying.under the points-based system for coming to the United Kingdom to work, train or study. Also known as confirmation of acceptance of studies.
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European Economic Area
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Irish Republic, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom. Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are not members of the European Union (EU) but citizens of these countries have the same rights to enter, live in and work in the United Kingdom as EU citizens.
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Points-based assessment
The method for deciding whether you qualify to come to work, train or study in the United Kingdom under our points-based system. To qualify, you must earn a certain number of points in various categories.
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Points-based system
Our immigration system for managing applications by people who wish to come to the United Kingdom to work, train or study.
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Register of sponsors
A list of all organisations licensed to sponsor migrants under the points-based system.
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Sponsorship duties
The responsibilities organisations have when they sponsor migrants under the points-based system. The duties are record keeping, reporting, compliance, co-operating with us and tier specific duties.
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Tier 2 (General) - skilled worker
A category of the points-based system for coming to the United Kingdom to work, train or study. It applies to skilled people with a job offer who are looking for employment in the United Kingdom, or are self-employed or setting up a business.
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Tier 2 - intra-company transfers
A category of the points-based system for coming to the United Kingdom to work, train or study. It applies to sponsors who are transferring employees within an organisation to a skilled job under Tier 2.