Are you looking to recruit a global talent market? Get ready to experience a deceptively simple plan. The UK Government offers a combination of opportunities and immigration routes that welcome international talent pools. If you are embarking on a journey of global talent acquisition, you must be psyched up with Sponsor Licence.
A sponsor license is a permission granted by the Home Office to an employer to hire highly skilled workers from Non-EEA nations under the Tier 2 Visa route. Employers must make an application to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to evidence their eligibility for the licence. They must provide necessary documents to prove that the UK-based company has all the capabilities to meet compliance requirements.
How to plan for a Sponsor License?
The employer needs to make sure that the business is eligible to employ skilled Non-EEA migrants, followed by choosing the right class of certificate of sponsorship depending upon the type of worker intending to hire by sponsor. “Who will manage sponsorship” is another key consideration within the business before applying for Sponsor Licence. These points must be planned well-in-advance before applying for Sponsor License online.
Tier 2 Sponsor Documentation Requirements
An employer needs to provide the following documents to the Home Office in the form of:
- Lease or Rental agreement for office premises
- Business Bank Statement from the last three months
- Latest Annual accounts
- VAT and PAYE registration documents
- Employers liability Insurance Documents worth £5 million
Process to undertake
An employer must be psyched up to undertake the following steps to obtain a Sponsor Licence.
- The company must accept a Resident Labour Market Test. The objective of the Resident Labour Market Test is to safeguard the rights of the settled workforce. Under the current system, the employer must advertise jobs in the advertising portal to allow settled workers to apply first.
- Must appoint Home Office SMS (Sponsorship Management System) Key Personnel. It includes nominating individuals including Authorising Officer, Key Contact, and Level 1 User.
- Must submit a Tier 2 Sponsor License application online and on-time.
- Must provide appropriate documents to the Home Office to support Tier 2 Sponsor License application.
- Must engage in a pre-authorization compliance visit.
Appointing Key Personnel
A sponsor license holder needs to appoint individuals within the company to perform certain kinds of administrative functions-key-personnel.
- Authorising Officer: Authorising Office is a senior and competent person who will carry out the responsibilities for the actions of staff and representatives. He or she will be employing a Sponsorship Management System (SMS) in order to perform the responsibilities.
- Key Contact: Key Contact is also a part of the business and the main point of contact with UKVI.
- Level 1 User: Level 1 User will be responsible to administer the license and ensure compliance according to the immigration rules.
Preparation for UKVI Inspection
Please note that the employer is subjected to a site visit from UKVI. The Home Office will examine whether the company has adequate HR systems and procedures in place in order to meet the requirements of the Sponsor license compliance duties. Following the Inspection, the Home Office will assess whether or not to grant the employer sponsor license.
Duties and Responsibilities according to Sponsor Guidance (SG) Tier 2 under the Point-Based System.
- The company must establish an adequately trained team who can accept the responsibilities for maintaining the compliance duties. However, their responsibilities must be clearly mentioned in their respective employment contract.
- The team must keep a close eye on the changes taking place at the Sponsor Guidance. The employer must get in touch with an experienced immigration lawyerin order to stay abreast of the latest developments in Sponsor Guidance.
- Please note that the slightest change to a sponsor worker’s job has the likelihood to influence the compliance of the company. The accountable personnel must be informed regarding the changes.
- The company needs to have well-organized record-keeping as well as a reporting system that is relied upon for the type and size of the business.
Role of A Y & J Solicitors
Still unsure about Sponsor Licence? Look no further than A Y & J Solicitors. The best UK immigration firm with a decade of experience recommended by Legal 500 boutique UK immigration law firm based in Central London. Our exceptionally qualified and experienced lawyers have developed niche expertise in Sponsor Licence, Sponsor Licence Compliance, Certificates of Sponsorship, Sponsor Licence Revocation, and Sponsor Licence Suspension. Our regulated and multilingual immigration lawyers monitor compliance with UK Immigration rules.