A Sponsor License allows an organisation to hire talented and promising individuals in the UK from all over the globe. The eligibility criteria are quite simple. The (gonna-be) sponsor has to provide evidence to show that it is a real employer with a legal trading presence in the UK. A company has to give evidence –
- That the sponsor has covered employer’s liability insurance, which is up to £5 million
- That the organisation has Certificate of VAT registration
- That the organisation is registered as an employer with HM Revenue and Custom
- That the organisation have a recent bank statement or a letter from the bank setting out dealings
- Ownership or lease of the organization premises
Till now, documents for a sponsor licence application had to be either original or certified copies. But because of Covid-19, the large people like us are now working from home, that is why the Home Office has relaxed this rule.
What are the sponsorship certificates?
Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is given to every foreign worker, you are going to hire. It will be an electronic information certificate rather than a physical document. Each certificate comes with a unique number which a skilled worker can use to apply for a visa. You should remember that these certificates must be used within 3 months from the date they have been assigned by your employer.
You will have to pay for each certificate of sponsorship. You will get the certificates for free, if you are giving the certificates to citizens of Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey./The cost of per certificate of Tier 2 visa is £199 and Tier 5 is £21. It does not include immigration health surcharge fees, it will be paid exclusively.
What are the types of certificates of sponsorship?
There are two types of Sponsorship certificates given by Home Office –
- Unrestricted Certificates
- Restricted Certificates
What is an Unrestricted Certificate?
When an organisation applies for a sponsor license, they will be asked to presume how many Tier 2 and Tier 5 certificates, you will be required for recruiting foreign skilled workers. You know you can ask for as many unrestricted certificates, your business needs. But, definitely, you have to give evidence that you require the number of certificates, you are asking for.
What is a restricted certificate?
The restricted certificates are for those Tier 2 (General) workers who are currently not in the UK, but are employed and will be paid less than £159,000 per year and also not employed as in inward investment posts.
They will also be given to those family members or dependents of Tier 4 visa holders who want to switch to Tier 2 (General) visa.
You have to apply for these certificates for your recruited workers through the sponsorship management system (SMS). Access will be given when you will get your licence.
There’s a limited number of restricted certificates accessible each month. Each application is examined using a points system (you can see the functioning of the system in the Immigration Rules appendix A).
Why do you need an Expert’s help?
You can also consult and get in touch with the best immigration lawyers in the UK, who can help you in every possible way. They will provide advice, assistance and representation in all immigration matters. An immigration solicitor in London will be able to tell your chances of receiving a sponsor license and will train you with the process of Home Office Compliance Visit. If you wish to hire immigrants to the UK, contact the immigration specialists at AY&J Solicitors for assistance.
