How do I sponsor a migrant?
Transition exercise for Tier 4 sponsors
This page describes the transition exercise that you must perform before you access the 'Student' section of the sponsorship management system for the first time, if you obtained a sponsor licence for Tier 4 before 5 October 2009.
The transition exercise must be performed by the sponsor's level 1 user.
Why do I need to perform the transition exercise?
If you became a licensed Tier 4 sponsor before 5 October 2009, you were given an allocation of certificates of sponsorship (CoS) for 'Tier 4 Student'.
Before you can use the sponsorship management system, you must convert these CoS into confirmations of acceptance for studies (CAS), and you must choose how to split these CAS between the two Tier 4 categories:
- Tier 4 General; and
- Tier 4 Child.
You can convert a Tier 4 Student CoS to a Tier 4 General CAS instantly. However, we will need to consider any request to convert part or all of your CoS allocation into Tier 4 Child CAS, so you will not be able to issue CAS in the Tier 4 Child category immediately.
We may also ask you to provide extra documentation if you choose to convert part or all of your CoS allocation into Tier 4 Child CAS.
How do I perform the transition exercise?
When your level 1 user accesses the 'Student' section of the sponsorship management system for the first time, they will see a transition screen which they must complete and submit. Level 2 users will not be able to view the transition screen, and so will not be able to use the 'Student' section until the transition exercise has been carried out.
The level 1 user should:
- log on to the sponsorship management system and go to the 'Student' section;
- confirm on the transition screen that they are acting under the authority of their authorising officer;
- select the Tier 4 category or categories the sponsor wants to be licensed under - General, Child or Both;
- select the number of CAS required for each category, providing additional information if transitioning part or all of the allocation to Tier 4 Child;
- submit the request; and
- log off the sponsorship management system.
The total number of CAS requested in both categories must equal the total number of CoS originally allocated to you. This original CoS number is shown on the transition screen.
After you have indicated the category or categories that you want to be licensed under, you will be invited to specify the number of CAS you require in each of those categories. If you want to be licensed under a particular category but you do do not intend to sponsor anyone in that category in the near future, you can allocate zero CAS to that category. However, if you want to be licensed under Tier 4 Child but you a Sponsor request zero CAS in that category, we may still ask you to send in extra documentation after you have completed the transition exercise.
After transition
Once the level 1 user has completed the transition exercise, they should log off the sponsorship management system.
If some or all of the allocation has been transitioned into the Tier 4 General category, users will be able to issue CAS in this category the next time they log in.
If you have asked for some or all of the allocation to be transitioned into the Tier 4 Child category, you will not be able to issue CAS in this category until we have considered and approved the request. We will inform your authorising officer of the outcome of this consideration.