How do I sponsor a migrant?
Reporting
This page explains your reporting duties as a sponsor under the points-based system. They apply to all sponsors in all tiers and categories.
On this page
What information you must report to us
You must report the following information or events about sponsored migrants to us within the time limit given:
- If they do not turn up for their first day at work, or do not enrol on their course at the expected time, you must report this within 10 working days. You must include the reason the migrant gives for non-attendance or enrolment (for example, a missed flight).*
- If they are absent from work for more than 10 working days, or they miss 10 'expected contacts' on their course of study without your reasonably granted permission, you must tell us within 10 working days of the 10th day of absence or the 10th missed contact. The page on tier-specific duties for tier 4 sponsors contains more information about expected contacts.*
- If they stop their studies, or if their contract of employment or registration ends (including if they resign or are dismissed), you must tell us within 10 working days of the event in question, and give us the name and address of any new employer or institution that they have joined if you know it.*
- If you stop sponsoring them for any other reason (for example, if they move into a immigration category with a different sponsor or one that that does not need a sponsor, or their permission to stay in the United Kingdom ends because their course of study ends), you must tell us within 10 working days.*
- If there are any significant changes in their circumstances (for example, a change of job or salary (but not a change of job title or an annual pay rise), the length of a course of study or the location they are working at, you must tell us within 10 working days.*
- If you have any information which suggests that they are breaching the conditions of their leave, you must tell us within 10 working days.*
- If there are any significant changes in your circumstances (for example, if you stop trading or become insolvent, substantially change the nature of your business, are involved in a merger or are taken over), you must tell us within 28 calendar days.
- You must also send us details of any third party or intermediary, in the United Kingdom or abroad, that helped you recruit employees or students.
For sponsors under tier 4, the above events must be reported to us if they take place when a student is on a pre-sessional course with a partner institution named on their visa letter or confirmation of acceptance for studies.
Reporting duties marked * are not yet compulsory for tier 4 sponsors who have issued a visa letter to the student concerned, although we encourage these sponsors to report voluntarily by emailing MigrantReporting@UKBA.gsi.gov.uk. Note that reporting is mandatory for tier 4 sponsors who have issued the student with a confirmation of acceptance for studies; for these, and for sponsors under tiers 2 and 5, this reporting must be done through the sponsorship management system.
How to report information
You should report information using the sponsorship management system.
Terrorism or any other criminal activity
If you suspect they are engaging in terrorism or any other criminal activity you must give the police any information you have.
How we use the information you report
Information about migrants' non-attendance, non-compliance or disappearance will be used to proceed with enforcement action against them.
Terms explained
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Immigration category
A category of our immigration rules. The term usually applies to a person who has been given permission to enter or stay in the United Kingdom under one of these categories. The person's rights while in the United Kingdom will normally depend on the category concerned.
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Working days
Monday to Friday are counted as working days. Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are not counted as working days. Ten working days may be two weeks or less, depending on where the weekends fall.