[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” content_placement=”middle” css_animation=”fadeIn” css=”.vc_custom_1544181326484{background-image: url(https://immigrationexperts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Banner.jpg?id=1633) !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}” el_class=”video_overlay”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1544180342932{padding-top: 100px !important;padding-bottom: 100px !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”Tier 2 Sponsor Licence Application UK” font_container=”tag:h1|text_align:center|color:{550504ab9c0cb0f84db7c39152d65be21b6403ad977c49457b63283386586382}23ffffff” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1544427414834{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1452837797829{margin-bottom: 51px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Section 1: Sponsor Licence Visa
In the UK, any company that wants to employ someone from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland need a sponsor license to be able to bring in workers from another country to the UK.
Depending on the length of the job for which the company wants to employ a skilled worker, two types of licences are available:
- Tier 2 – Permanent skilled workers
- Tier 5 – Temporary skilled workers
A UK-based organisation can apply for a sponsor license for both Tier 2 and Tier 5 or they can apply for a sponsor visa to employ a worker either on a Tier 2 visa or Tier 5 visa, according to the sponsor management system.
A tier 2 sponsorship licence application in the UK is meant for skilled workers employed for the long-term or for a permanent job. The licence is mostly divided into a general category, Intra country transfer by multinational companies, employee transfer, elite sportsperson and coaches, and employment of a person in a religious organisation for up to 3 years.
The tier 5 sponsor visa is applicable for workers employed on a temporary basis, for job roles that are creative, related to sports or charity, religion, covered under international law and government authorised exchange schemes for short term knowledge exchange via a research project or training.
Applying for a sponsor visa can be daunting. The easiest course of action is to seek professional guidance for Tier 2 and Tier 5 sponsor licence.
Section 2: General Queries About Sponsor Licence Visa UK
1. Who Can Apply for a Sponsor Licence?
To employ a worker from overseas, an employer has to be a licenced sponsor. To be a licensed sponsor in the UK, a business needs to fulfil some basic criteria, such as:
- The organisation should be registered in the UK as a limited-liability partnership, corporation, sole proprietorship, etc.
- To register for the Tier 2 sponsor licence, your business must operate legally in the UK.
- Your business should not have a history of violating immigration rules. There shouldn’t be any evidence that the business poses any kind of threat to immigration control in the UK.
2. What Documents are Needed to Apply for a Sponsor Licence?
The documents needed for Tier 2 sponsor licence application in the UK include:
- Lease or rental agreement for office premises, with valid signatures.
- Bank statements of the business for more than 6 months.
- Registration documents related to VAT and/or NI and PAYE.
- Latest annual account (can have a link to the account on the company’s house site).
- Liability insurance certificate of the employer, worth a minimum of £5 million.
Employers are required to submit at least four of the above-mentioned documents in original or as certified copy via post within 5 days of submitting the application online.
To avoid any mistakes and unnecessary delays, it is best to hire a reputed visa service like Rapid Visas that help secure different types of UK visas in the shortest possible time. They’ll draft the online application and help you avoid any hiccups with your sponsor license application.
3. What Evidentiary Requirements Need to Be Fulfilled for Approval of a Sponsor Licence?
For UK employers to sponsor work permits and hire skilled migrant employees, a sponsor license from the Home Office is essential. However, the Home Office needs the business to fulfil certain eligibility criteria, such as:
- The organisation should be genuine and legally operational in the UK.
- The job offering should be genuine, meet the skill level of the tier 2 visa sponsor list, and pay appropriately to the candidate.
- The key people nominated on the sponsor application should be dependable, honest and reliable.
- The business should be aware of and capable in terms of human resources and recruitment systems, in carrying out the duties associated with visa sponsorship.
4. How to Apply for a Sponsor Licence?
A sponsor license should be applied online by UK companies willing to sponsor tier 2 visas. After filling the application form, you’ll need to take out a print of the submission sheet at the end of the application and send it to the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) department via post. Make sure you provide the right documents in support of the application. You should expect a visit from the UKVI to check the authenticity of the business information provided by you.
To ensure that you have filled in the application correctly and to avoid any unnecessary hurdles, seek tier 2 sponsor guidance from an experienced service provider, like Rapid Visas, which has a very good track record in this arena.
5. What are Sponsorship Certificates?
Sponsorship certificates are electronic documents assigned to overseas workers whom a UK business wishes to employ. Each sponsorship certificate carries a unique number, which can be used by the worker to apply for their visa.
6. Do I Need to Advertise the Job for Which I’m Applying for a Sponsor Licence?
If the job for which a business is applying for a Tier 2 or Tier 5 sponsor licence is not present on the shortage occupation list, they may need to advertise for the job they are offering in the UK first. Job advertisements can be considered for jobs falling under the Tier 2 (General and Ministry of Religion) or Tier 5 (Creative and sporting, religious workers). A business is allowed to place more than 2 advertisements. The reason for this is to prove that there is no worker already permanently living in the UK who is suitable for the job.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Additional FAQs” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_tta_accordion][vc_tta_section title=”1. How Long will it Take to Get the Sponsor Licence?” tab_id=”1″][vc_column_text]On an average, it can take 2-3 months to process a sponsor licence application. Sometimes, the UKVI would want to visit the business for an in-depth assessment. Expect their visit 1-2 months after the sponsor license application has been submitted. The authority usually makes its decision regarding the sponsor license in 10-15 days, depending on whether the applying business has been able to fulfil the UK sponsor visa requirements.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”2. What are the Fees for a Sponsor Licence?” tab_id=”2″][vc_column_text]When a business fills the Tier 2 or Tier 5 Sponsor Licence Application in the UK, they generally need to pay an application fee, depending upon the kind of sponsor visa they are applying for, along with the size of the sponsoring business (small, medium or large). Here’s a breakdown of the
| Type of licence | Small or charitable sponsors | Medium or large sponsors |
| Tier 2 | £536 | £1,476 |
| Tier 5 | £536 | £536 |
| Both Tier 2, Tier 5 | £536 | £1,476 |
| Tier 2 added to an existing Tier 5 | Zero fees | £940 |
| Tier 5 added to an existing Tier 2 | Zero fees | Zero fees |
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