How do I sponsor a migrant?
Using the sponsor management system
Changes to sponsor guidance for Tiers 2, 4 and 5
Changes to sponsor guidance for Tiers 2, 4 and 5
This page explains what the sponsor management system is, including the role of level 1 user and level 2 users, and the actions they are able to carry out on the system.
The sponsor management system will be available later in the year and further information will be available closer to the time.
The sponsor management system will allow sponsors to:
- allocate certificates of sponsorship to migrants;
- carry out the administrative functions necessary to comply with their sponsor duties, for example changing the organisation's details or requesting more certificates of sponsorship; and
- communicate information to us.
If you have made a successful application for a sponsor license, you will have an agreed annual allocation of certificates of sponsorship and a registered level 1 user who you entered details for when applying online.
Role of the authorising officer
The authorising officer is responsible for the activities of anyone acting on your behalf to issue certificates of sponsorship. This includes both employees of your organisation and any representatives.
The role does not have automatic default access to the sponsor management system. If the authorising officer needs access, they must be set up as a level 1 user. So they will have two roles, as authorising officer and level 1 user.
Role of the representative
A representative cannot act as an authorising officer but can have access to the sponsor management system as a user.
Role of level 1 user
The registered level 1 user will have access to the sponsor management system.
Once logged on, the level 1 user can set up a structure of users within their organisation to manage the allocation of certificates of sponsorships and their administrative role.
Level 1 users carry out the following roles:
- add other users to the sponsor management system or remove them;
- assign certificates of sponsorship to migrants;
- ask for an increase in the number of certificates of sponsorship that you can issue (your limit);
- tell us of minor changes to your details;
- fill in the change of circumstances form on the sponsor management system (when it becomes available), to ask us to record bigger changes in your circumstances;
- report migrant activity to us, for example, inform us if a migrant goes missing or does not attend their job or course;
- withdraw certificates of sponsorship;
- surrender a licence;
- manage work and study addresses;
- export management information; and
- amend user details.
Role of level 2 users
Level 2 users carry out the following roles:
- apply and assign certificates of sponsorships to migrants; and
- report migrant activity, for example no shows or leaving employment.
See the section on what staff you need to allocate to roles for more details on the roles of the authorising officer, key contact, level 1 and 2 users and representatives.
The sponsor management system will be available in November. Before it is launched we will test the system on recent versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 and 7, Mozilla Firefox 2 and Safari version 3. These are four of the most common internet browsers in use at the moment. To check what version of a browser you have click on 'Help' and 'About'.
We try to make our website and web services as accessible as possible. If you use different browser software for accessing the internet to that listed above, this does not necessarily mean the sponsor management system will not work on your computer.
See also
Terms explained
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Browser
A browser, short for web browser, is a program used to view websites and surf the internet. Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari are examples of browsers.
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Sponsor 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.