The following information applies to Sponsors who want to apply for a licence to employ migrant workers under the points-based system

The licence

You must have a licence to sponsor skilled workers, temporary workers or students under the new points-based system.

The tiers and categories

You can currently apply for licences to sponsor tier 2, tier 4 students and tier 5 workers.

Tier 2 has four categories of workers:

• skilled workers (general);
• intra-company transfers;
• sports people; and
• ministers of religion

Tier 4 has two categories of students

• General (Adult) Students
• Child Students

Tier 5 has two categories of workers:

• temporary workers; and
• the youth mobility scheme

Temporary workers include the following sub-categories:

• creative and sporting workers;
• charity workers;
• religious workers;
• government authorised exchange; and
• international agreement

HR systems and compliance

Before you apply, you must have good human resource systems and compliance in place to allow you to monitor and keep records of the migrants you employ or teach.

Sponsorship duties

Sponsors are expected to take responsibility for making sure that migrants comply with their immigration conditions, by keeping records on each migrant and reporting any changes to the UK Border Agency (UKBA), such as if they do not turn up for work. If you do not comply with your duties, you can have your licence downgraded to a B rating or withdrawn.

Ratings

As a licensed sponsor, you will be given an A rating or a B rating and you will be added to the published register of sponsors. Sponsors that the UKBA think could be a risk to immigration control or those who do not have the correct systems in place will be given a B rating. B-rated sponsors must follow a sponsorship action plan designed to help them become A-rated or they risk losing their licence.

Certificates of sponsorship

Sponsors are responsible for assigning certificates of sponsorship to migrants. As well as having a certificate of sponsorship, migrants must also pass a points-based assessment to come to or stay in the United Kingdom.

The specialist immigration team at Healys LLP will be pleased to assist you with an application for a Sponsor’s Licence.