In this article we have covered these important points:

Who is a Sponsor for a UK Visa?

Sponsorship while applying for UK Work Visa refers to the availability of a third party to be responsible for you when you are in the UK. Not all Visa categories require a Sponsor.

Under the points-based system the UK visa categories that require a ‘sponsor’ are-

Significance of Sponsorship while applying for UK Work Visa

The UK immigration requirements for each category of visa is different for the sponsors. A sponsor can only be a person or institution who has been registered with the Home Office and holds a license of sponsorship. The Home Office maintains a register of sponsors for each category.

In most cases when you are applying for a visa as an employee of the company or any other institution established and functioning in the UK, you will need a certificate of sponsorship from the same to complete your visa application. While generating the certificate of sponsorship, you will also have to ensure that the concerned company is registered with the Home office.

You can check the Register of Sponsors licensed Under the Points-based System. This is a list of organizations licensed to sponsor migrants under Tiers 2 & 5 of the Points-Based System. It shows the organization’s name (in alphabetical order), the tier(s) they are licensed for and their rating against each sub tier.

A sponsor may be licensed under more than one tier, and may have different rating for each tier

When you are applying to work in the UK, a sponsorship certificate implies that you will be able to live and work in the UK. A sponsor has to ensure compliance in several areas including record keeping, reporting duties and ensuring the migrant complied with Home Office requirements.

What does the Home Office look for when issuing a Sponsor license?

The Home Office while issuing licenses to the companies ensures that the company is in a good position to complete its responsibilities and duties. The Home Office takes action against those businesses which employ illegal workers and do not undertake the correct checks.

Every company seeking to retain a sponsor license must therefore not only show they are a genuine organization operating lawfully in the UK but also demonstrate their ability to carry out essential sponsor duties via their existing human resources and recruitment practices.

Everything you want to know about UK Sponsor Licence

There are two types of Certificate of Sponsorship

  • Defined certificate of sponsorship
  • Undefined certificate of sponsorship

A defined certificate of sponsorship (CoS) is a type of CoS that is only available to certain sponsors who hold a sponsorship licence. All prospective employees based outside the UK will need a defined certificate of sponsorship, and Undefined Certificates of Sponsorship are used to employ people who are already in the UK and are switching to a different visa category. These certificates are also used for individuals applying for visas other than the Skilled Worker visa. The cost of an undefined certificate depends on the type of sponsor licence the employer holds.

The organization that offers you a job in the UK will also provide you with the Certificate of sponsorship (CoS). Your application must be made no more than 3 months after the CoS is issued, and you will start work no more than 3 months after your visa application is made. Once you have been assigned a CoS you have 3 months to make your Tier 2 visa application, after which time the certificate will expire. During this 3-month period you cannot be assigned any additional CoS by another employer. In case you decide to not go to the UK after getting a certificate of sponsorship, you need to inform your employer to cancel your certificate, or it expires in 3 months.

Connect with The SmartMove2UK

You can connect with our UK Immigration experts on below to book your appointment for a Consultation to know about the specific requirements of sponsorship while applying for UK Work Visa or if you have been offered a Certificate of Sponsorship, we can provide advice and assistance in applying for entry clearance to UK.

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