How do I sponsor a migrant worker?
Premium customer service
This page explains premium customer service for sponsors under the points-based system (PBS).
What is premium customer service?
Premium customer service is aimed at users of the sponsorship management system (SMS) who want to pay for a higher level of customer service and a package of benefits.
It is designed to:
- offer your organisation support for all migrant workers whether they are sponsored under the points-based system or any other immigration route; and
- develop a relationship with your organisation and a long-term understanding of your requirements.
The services include:
- guaranteed access to appointments at public enquiry offices (PEO) and priority visa services overseas for your migrant workers;
- direct access to a licence manager within UK Visas and Immigration who will deal with all queries. Our lines are open from 08:00 to 18:00, every day of the year;
- priority treatment on all changes to your sponsor licence.
There are 2 levels of premium customer service for sponsors:
- Premium sponsor
- SME+ sponsor
| Who can apply? | Fee | Benefits | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium sponsor |
A-rated Tier 2 or Tier 5 sponsors providing they meet the eligibility requirements below (including small sponsors who wish to receive the full range of benefits). |
£25,000 a year | Full package |
| SME+ sponsor |
A-rated sponsors in Tier 2 or Tier 5 sponsors who paid the lower licence fee for their most recent sponsor licence application and meet the eligibility requirements below. |
£8,000 a year | Reduced package |
Eligibility
To apply for premium customer service, you must meet all of the following eligibility requirements. You must:
- not have been issued with a fine in the past 3 years, and must have paid in full any fines issued before that;
- be A-rated in all tiers of your licence; and
- be able to fully satisfy a compliance check, either before or during the application process, to ensure you are continuing to meet A-rated standards.
If you meet the eligiblity requirements and have been visited by our compliance officers within the last 6 months, we will approve your application within 10 working days of your application being made.
If you meet the eligibility requirements but have not been visited by our compliance officers within the last 6 months, we will work with you but not award full premium customer service privileges until our compliance officers have visited and confirm your compliance. We will conduct a visit within 3 weeks of your application being made.
If you do not meet the eligibility requirements, we will refuse your application.
How to apply
Before you apply for premium customer sponsor service, you should check if you are eligible to apply.
You can apply through your (SMS) account. It is a simple online process and you do not need to send any supporting documents. We will check your application by visiting your organisation.
If you also need to renew your sponsor licence, we can process both applications at the same time. You will still need to pay a fee for each application.
If you have any questions, email premiumcustomerserviceenquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk or call 030 0123 4699.
Licence managers and senior account managers
Licence managers act as a single point of contact within UK Visas and Immigration for premium customers sponsors. They have an in-depth knowledge of sponsorship, PBS and visa application processes within the UK and overseas.
Our current licence managers include staff from:
- sponsorship casework;
- Tier 2 and Tier 5 casework;
- sponsorship operational policy; and
- general and family casework.
Your licence manager will support your organisation on all aspects of your sponsor licence. They will:
- ensure changes to your licence are dealt with within the agreed service standard of 5 working days for all requests (except for mergers, acquisitions and takeovers);
- be your first point of contact if you have a problem with a migrant worker's application;
- book guaranteed appointments for your migrant workers at a PEO to save you and your migrant worker time;
- process your migrant worker's application through the new priority postal route;
- offer a priority service for migrant workers from any Accession state in place of an appointment at a PEO;
- keep you informed with changes to policy and processes;
- give you information and advice about sponsor compliance;
- ensure you renew your sponsor licence in time.
As a premium customer service sponsor, you will also have access to a senior account manager. The senior account manager will meet you within three months of becoming a premium sponsor and will be available for high-level discussions and be a point of escalation.
Your senior account manager will provide quarterly feedback on the performance of the premium customer service team.
Senior account managers and licence managers cannot:
- fast track migrant applications, considered them outside the immigration rules; or
- allocate allocated restricted certificates of sponsorship outside of our published policy criteria.
Benefits of premium customer service
The table below shows the benefits of premium customer services compared with our standard service.
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