Back to Points Based System

Sponsorship

Employers and educational institutions wishing to act as sponsors will need to apply to  the Home Office, be assessed and rated as either A or B within the tier they wish to sponsor. Employers not on the register will not be permitted to bring non EU workers into the UK. 

Ratings criteria include:

• The employers legal trading status in the UK;
• Whether the employer is registered with relevant UK authorities;
• Their track record in sponsoring migrants and bringing them to the UK;
• The thoroughness of the legal working checks they carry out for their current and new employees
• The accuracy and compliance of the documentation they retain within personnel files when checked by the inspectors;
• The contracts of employment they offer workers;
• Their recruitment and diversity policies and practices.

In sponsoring an individual employers are also accepting certain responsibilities:

• Full co-operation with Home office’s monitoring;
• Notify the Home Office it the individual fails to arrive for work on the first day;
• Notify the Hone Office of any period of prolonged absence by the individual;
• When the individual’s employment ( and therefore contract of employment)  is terminated;
• When the employer undergoes a merger or takeover.

There are proposals that Category A approved sponsors will be issued with a specific number of valid work permits for workers against forecasts provided to and agreed with the Home Office.

Regional offices of immigration “Account Managers” will be set up to support employers.  They will also be tasked with helping and supporting category B sponsors attain Category A status.

Migrants will only have valid leave to remain in the UK with they continue in employment (or study) with their originating sponsor.  If they wish to change employer they must make a new application.