Latest news and updates
Tiers 2 and 5 launch - what's new for sponsors
27 November 2008
Find out what's new for sponsors from 27 November 2008.
On this page:
- Update to the codes of practice
- Sponsorship management system launched
- Updates to the sponsor application online
- New list of sports governing bodies and code of practice for sports governing bodies published
- Update to the employer and sponsor guidance
Update to the codes of practice
We have made the following changes to the codes of practice for sponsored workers in tiers 2 and 5:
- updated codes of practice published;
- new codes for the creative sector published;
- new SOC code summary tables to help with finding the information for the sector or occupation;
- clarification that sponsors need to use at least one of the methods listed in the code of practice to carry out the resident labour market test.
See Codes of practice for the sponsored skilled workers tier for more information.
Sponsorship management system launched
We have launched the sponsorship management system for licensed sponsors which allows sponsors to bring and manage migrants under tiers 2 and 5 of the points-based system.
See Sponsorship management system to find out how to access the system and for more information on what is in the system, the users and their roles.
We have published a manual for users which contains a number of step-by-step guides which explain the key functions of the system and where you can access them.
See User manual and process diagrams for more information.
Updates to the sponsor application online
We are now accepting e-payments using a third party online payment service. We accept the following cards: Visa, Delta, Master Card, Maestro and Solo.
There is a new section called Finish incomplete applications. In this section, you can view submission sheets or finish paying for incomplete applications (these are applications for which we have all information except your payment, submission sheet and supporting documents).
New list of sports governing bodies and code of practice for sports governing bodies published
We have published a list of recognised sports governing bodies. The list of governing bodies will be updated regularly as the requirements in each sport are approved.
See Sports governing bodies for a list of all the recognised governing bodies. On that page, you can also find the sporting code of practice. This is the code that sports governing bodies must agree to follow to become a recognised governing body.
Update to the employer and sponsor guidance
We have updated our website at the same time. See How do I sponsor a migrant? for more information.
The table below shows all the changes we have made from 27 November 2008 and in which paragraphs of the policy guidance.
| Change | Paragraph |
|---|---|
| Clarification on what duties a migrant can do when entering the United Kingdom under the religious worker category of tier 5. Duties can now include preaching, pastoral and non-pastoral work. | 235a |
| Clarification on what happens when a sponsor organisation is involved in a takeover or merger. There are further examples included. | 89 |
| New guidance on the employer and employee relationship within tier 2 & 5, including who the sponsor should be in more complex situations. The previous policy was that the migrant must always be directly employed by the sponsor. |
120 211 |
| New requirement that any migrant employed in a shortage occupation must be employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week. | 124 |
| New information on allowances paid to migrants as part of their salary package. The previous guidance did not go into any detail on allowances. | 122 |
| New policy on additional circumstances in which a resident labour market test does not have to be met under tier 2. | 133 |
| New information on salary packages where the migrant will be employed for less than 12 months, for example, pro-rata. |
149 157 |
| New additions to the list of documents we will accept as a proof of common ownership or control. | 152 |
| New information on documentation a sponsor may have to provide for a migrant when the migrant submits their application to come or stay in the United Kingdom under tiers 2 & 5. | 156 |
| New information on assigning certificates of sponsorship to a sports person under tier 2 where the governing body endorsement is for a shorter period than the contract awarded to the migrant by the sponsor. | 184 |
| New information on what we will accept in terms of accreditation for educational institutions that have been trading for less than 18 months. | 195 |
| New policy to allow creative artists to come to the United Kingdom under tier 5 for a maximum of 24 months. The previous policy was a maximum of 12 months. | 213 |
| New information on the arrangements for entry to the United Kingdom for non-visa nationals sponsored under the creative and sporting category of tier 5 for a period of less than 3 months. | 215 |
| New exception to the skill level requirements under the government authorised exchange category of tier 5. We will now waive the skill-level requirement for any migrant under this category who is coming to the United Kingdom through a scheme set up as part of the EU Lifelong Learning Programme. | 245 |
|
New policy changing the maximum amount of time a migrant can be granted leave under tier 5 - International Agreement. They can now come to the United Kingdom for an initial period of up to 24 months, with the option to make in-country extensions for 12 months at a time, up to a maximum of 72 months. The previous policy did not allow for any extensions beyond 24 months. |
252 |
| New policy on when, and how, A-Rated sponsors can certify maintenance for migrants and their dependants for the first month of their employment in the United Kingdom under tiers 2 & 5. | 260-264 |
| Clarification on sponsorship for employment agencies and employment businesses and who can and cannot be a sponsor. | 280-281 |
| New policy to clarify who should be the sponsor where the migrant is working on a contract basis. | 282-285 |
| New rules on migrants taking secondary employment whilst in the United Kingdom. Secondary employment was not covered in the previous version of the guidance. | 292 |
| Clarification of how group certificates of sponsorship work under the creative and sporting category of tier 5. | 298 |
| New policy on when it may be appropriate to assign a multiple entry certificate of sponsorship for multiple periods of employment in the United Kingdom. | 308-310 |
| New additional circumstances in which we will, or may, downgrade an A-rated sponsor to a B-rating. |
413 416 |
| New additional circumstances in which we will, or will normally withdraw a sponsor's licence. |
418 419 |
| Removal of the mandatory requirement for start-up organisations to provide a letter from their Bank. This has been moved from List A (mandatory documents) in Appendix A, to list C. | Appendix A |
|
Changes in policy on the documents that sponsors must keep. These include:
|
Appendix D |