Sponsoring workers under the points-based system
On this page
This quick guide is for United Kingdom employers who want to employ workers from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) under the points-based system. More detailed information is provided in our Guidance for sponsor applications.
If you want to employ skilled workers from outside the EEA in a permanent or long-term job, you must sponsor them under Tier 2 of the points-based system.
If you want to employ skilled workers from outside the EEA on a temporary basis, you must sponsor them under Tier 5 of the points-based system.
If a highly skilled migrant from outside the EEA is already coming to or in the United Kingdom under Tier 1 of the points-based system, you can employ them without needing to sponsor them.
Tier 3 of the points-based system is currently suspended. This means that you cannot employ low-skilled workers from outside the EEA.
Key elements of the points-based system
-
You must obtain a sponsor licence before you can employ skilled workers under Tiers 2 and 5.
-
You must comply with your sponsorship duties.
-
You must issue a certificate of sponsorship to each non-EEA worker who you want to sponsor, so that they can apply for a new visa or extension oftheir stay.
-
You must use the sponsorship management system to issue and pay for each certificate of sponsorship, and to fulfil your reporting duties.
Tiers and categories
There are four categories of skilled worker in Tier 2:
- General
- Intra Company Transfer
- Minister of Religion
- Sportsperson
There are five categories of temporary worker in Tier 5:
- creative and sporting
- charity worker
- religious worker
- government authorised exchange
- international agreement
(Tier 5 also covers the youth mobility scheme, which is not an employment route.)
See the section on Eligibility for more information.
Obtaining a sponsor licence
You must have a licence to sponsor skilled or temporary workers under the points-based system. To get a licence, you must apply online and send us your payment and supporting documents.
See the section on How to apply for a licence for more information.
Before you apply, you must have good human resources systems and compliance in place so that you can monitor and keep records of the migrants you employ.
See the section on HR systems and compliance for more information.
If your application is successful, we will give you an A or B rating and add you to our published register of sponsors. The B rating is for sponsors who we think could be a risk to immigration control or who do not have all the correct systems in place. They must follow a sponsorship action plan designed to help them become A-rated, or they risk losing their licence.
You can find out more about ratings in How we manage sponsors and ratings.
Sponsorship duties
As a licensed sponsor, you are responsible for ensuring that migrants comply with their immigration conditions, by keeping records on them and reporting any changes (such as a failure to turn up for work) to us. If you do not comply with your duties, you can have your licence downgraded or withdrawn.
See the section on Sponsorship duties for more information.
Certificates of sponsorship
Sponsors are responsible for assigning certificates of sponsorship to migrant workers in Tiers 2 and 5.
See the section on How to issue a certificate of sponsorship for more information.
The worker will need the certificate of sponsorship when they apply for a visa to come to or stay in the United Kingdom. They will also need to pass a points-based assessment before they can come to or stay here.