Sponsor Licence for UK Employers
Under current UK immigration rules, a Tier 2 Sponsor licence UK allows British employers to hire non-European Economic Area (EEA) workers. However, from 1 January 2021, British businesses will need to apply for sponsor licence UK to recruit workers from EU member states, following the end of freedom of movement rights for EU citizens entering the UK.
Different Types of Tier 2 Visa
There are four types of Tier 2 visa:
- Tier 2 (General) visa
- Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer visa
- Tier 2 Minister of Religion
- Tier 2 Sportsperson
You will need to specify the type of worker you are looking to hire when making a Sponsor Licence Application UK.
Tier 5 Visa
The Tier 5 visa allows you to hire skilled international workers on a temporary basis, according to your recruitment needs. The Tier 5 visa program has five different categories:
- Tier 5 Charity Worker
- Tier 5 Religious Worker
- Tier 5 Government Authorised Exchange
- Tier 5 International Agreement
- Tier 5 Creative and Sporting
You will need a sponsor licence UK to recruit international workers under this category, and you will need to be very clear about the skills you require, so that the licence covers the duration of the visa. A Tier 5 sponsor licence is valid for four years.
How Our Tier 2 and Tier 5 Sponsor Licence Lawyers Can Help
With some of the best Sponsorship Visa UK experts in the country, we help your business or charity secure the workers and volunteers you need.
Our sponsor licence lawyers offer a start-to-finish service—assisting you with your Sponsor Licence Application UK, collecting all evidence to support your case, and ensuring you remain compliant with your sponsor duties.
We have helped charities with Tier 5 entry visa applications and the UK sponsorship management system, while successfully representing the Christian, Hindu and Thai Buddhist Councils for the UK and Ireland, to meet their immigration needs.
In most cases, we can submit your sponsor licence application UK on the same day!
Tier 2 Sponsor Licence Requirements
To apply for Sponsorship Visa UK, your organisation must demonstrate:
- Yours is a genuine business operating in the UK lawfully.
- The key personnel named on your application are dependable, reliable, and honest.
- You have the resources to meet Sponsorship Licence Requirements UK, including HR and recruitment systems.
- You are offering a genuine employment opportunity that adheres to the skill level and rate of pay requirements of a Tier 2 (General) visa.
Unless the job you’re offering is on the Shortage Occupation List, your Tier 2 sponsor licence application will require you to justify why you’re unable to hire a British worker for the role under the Resident Labour Market Test. You will need to provide proof that every effort was made to hire a UK resident without success.
As part of Sponsor Licence Application UK, you will need to name key personnel that have been assigned the role of overseeing your organisation’s sponsor licence duties, and managing the sponsor management system, on behalf of your company.
You need to assign these roles:
- Authorising Officer: This must be a senior-level, competent staff member that oversees the actions of staff and representatives using the SMS.
- Key Contact: This will be your organisation’s main point of contact with the UK Visas and Immigration department of the Home Office.
- Level 1 User: This will be the person responsible for the day-to-day management of your sponsor licence using the SMS.
Sponsor Licence Application Guidance
Your Sponsor Licence Application UK must be submitted online along with a fee. For expert help, contact our Sponsorship Visa UK team today.
You will then need to provide all your supporting evidence within five days of making your application. If you fail to submit supporting documents within the timeframe, your application will be delayed or rejected, and additional fees will apply.
The list of documents you will need to send is highly specific, very extensive and will vary depending on the type of business you are – for example a public organisation, a startup or a charity.
For help compiling the documents you will need to support your application, speak to a top London immigration lawyer, now.
The Home Office may visit your premises to verify your claims and assess whether your business meets the Eligibility for Sponsor Licence UK. If successful, you will receive an A-rated Sponsorship Licence UK and be added to the official register of licensed sponsors. This will allow you to issue Tier 2 Certificates of Sponsorship to eligible foreign talent.
Hire a Tier 2 Sponsor Licence Lawyer
Your Sponsor Licence Application UK will be assessed in accordance with the Home Office’s ‘grounds to refuse’ criteria. If your application is unsuccessful, you are unable to appeal. Your application must be 100% accurate and provide all the necessary supporting documentation, otherwise you risk refusal.
Hiring a dedicated Sponsorship Visa UK lawyer ensures your application meets all Sponsor Licence Requirements UK and improves your chances of success.
Ash Norton Solicitors has more than 20 years of experience helping all kinds of UK businesses secure a Sponsor Licence UK to hire the talent they need. For a start to finish service, talk to our UK immigration team. Call +44 (0)207 629 3633 or click here to get in touch.
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