How do I sponsor a migrant worker?
Compliance
This page explains the rules you must follow to comply with the law as a sponsor under the points-based system.
You must comply with the immigration laws and meet the following obligations:
- you must ensure that the migrant who is coming to work for you is legally allowed to do the job, and has the right registration or professional accreditation where needed by law, and keep a copy of the registration document or certificate which you can give us if we ask. For example, if the migrant is coming to work as a doctor, you must make sure they have the right registration to allow them to practice as a doctor in the UK;
- you must not employ someone whose immigration status (or lack of status) does not allow them to do the job they are applying for, and you must stop employing someone who stops being allowed to work for any reason;
- you must only assign certificates of sponsorship to those who, to the best of your knowledge, meet the requirements of the tier or category they are applying under specified in the immigration rules, and who are likely to meet the conditions of their permission to enter or stay in the UK;
- you must hold the appropriate planning permission or local planning authority consent to operate your type/class of business at your trading address, where this is a local authority requirement; and
- where you are a food business, you must be registered with or approved by the appropriate food authority.
See also
Terms explained
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Certificate of sponsorship
A 'virtual document' assigned by a licensed sponsor to a migrant who wishes to work for them in the UK. The migrant must quote the certificate of sponsorship reference number when applying for permission to enter or remain in the UK under Tier 2 or Tier 5 of the points-based system or, where the migrant is a Croatian national, when applying for worker authorisation.
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Registration document or certificate
A document that confirms a person's qualifications to practice a certain profession.
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Registration or professional accreditation
Recognition by or registration with the appropriate authority in the United Kingdom that permit a person who gained their qualifications in another country to practice a certain profession in the United Kingdom.