How do I sponsor a migrant worker?
Area 1: Monitoring immigration status and preventing illegal employment
This page explains how we rate the way you use your human resource (HR) systems to monitor migrants' immigration status and prevent illegal employment. We do this when you apply for a licence to sponsor migrant workers under the points-based system. We may also conduct checks after you have been granted a licence.
What you must do
You must:
- have a system in place for monitoring the immigration status of the migrants you sponsor;
- keep copies of the documents listed in Appendix D of the sponsor guidance, including their passport copies, immigration status documents, pages showing leave stamps, and biometric residence permits (where applicable). You must read Appendix D of the sponsor guidance and keep up-to-date with any changes to guidance; and
- be able to demonstrate that you have systems in place that will minimise the risk of sponsoring or employing a migrant who does not have the right to work or study in the UK.
We strongly suggest that you follow the procedures outlined in Comprehensive guidance for employers on preventing illegal working, February 2008 (PDF 1.6M, opens in new window) when recruiting new members of staff to fully protect yourself from a fine for employing illegal workers by establishing a full statutory excuse from payment of a civil penalty.