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Sponsoring workers under the points-based system

This section is for prospective United Kingdom sponsors who want to apply for a licence to employ migrant workers under the points-based system, and agree to meet a number of sponsorship duties.

The licence

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

To get a licence, you must apply online and send your payment and documents to support your application to us.

See the section on How to apply for a licence for more information.

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The tiers and categories

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

Tier 2 has four categories of workers:

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

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.

See the section on Eligibility for more information.

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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. We give your systems a ranking before we give you a licence. See the section on HR systems and compliance for more information.

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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 us, 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 If you do not comply with your duties, you can have your licence downgraded to a B rating or withdrawn. See the section on Sponsorship duties for more information.

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Ratings

As a licensed sponsor, you will be given an A rating or a B rating and you will be added to our published register of sponsors. Sponsors that we 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. See the section on Sponsors and ratings for more information.

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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. See the section on How to issue a certificate of sponsorship for more information.

Migrants will need permission to come to the United Kingdom (known as 'entry clearance') and a biometric identity card before entering the United Kingdom.

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