The new point based system has introduced the sponsor licence which is required under the Tier 2, Tier 4 and Tier 5 categories under the point based system. This section tells you how to apply for a licence to sponsor migrant workers or students under the points-based system.

ICS Legal Practice are listed under the Home Office website. We have demonstrated a good understanding of the sponsorship arrangements and we have given evidence about the type of checks and services that we will do when working with clients. We can provide you with a document that assesses your readiness to make a sponsorship application.

You can then choose whether to submit this document to the Home Office in support of your sponsorship application - if you do so, one of the benefits you may take advantage of is the fact that Home Office will not normally duplicate the checks that Home Office expect us to have already made. Home Office would therefore expect to make decisions on applications supported by one of these documents well within the standard six-week timescale for processing an application. However, Home Office reserve the right to carry out checks and to visit any prospective sponsor as part of the sponsorship application and management process at any time. Please click here.

Before you apply, you should check whether you are eligible to apply for a licence, and make sure that you have the right human resource (HR) systems in place to comply with your sponsorship duties.

The Home Office service standards set out how quickly they aim to decide sponsor licence applications. The standard is that they will decide 95% of applications within four weeks.

Register of sponsors

This page explains what the register of sponsors for the points-based system is and what you must do get on to the register.

What is the register of sponsors?

The register of sponsors lists all organisations that the UK Border Agency has approved to employ migrants or sponsor migrant students. On 31 March 2009, the register of sponsors replaced the register of education and training providers published by the Department for Innovation, Universities & Skills (and previously by the Department for Education and Skills).

Under the points-based system, if you are an employer or education provider who wants to act as a sponsor, you will need a licence. Once you get a licence, you are added to the register of sponsors.

The register of sponsors has the name, location and rating of the organisation and the current register can be downloaded from the right side of this page.

Who can apply to join the register of sponsors now?

You can apply for licences for tiers 2, 4 and 5 now.

How do I get on the register of sponsors?

You must meet the following criteria to join the register:

• you are a legitimate organisation working within the law in the United Kingdom;
• there are no reasons to believe that you are a threat to immigration control; and
• your organisation will meet its sponsorship duties.

This is to make sure that those working or studying in the United Kingdom do so legally. You will be awarded an A rating or a B rating on the register.

Closure of the register of education and training providers

Since 31 March 2009 any education institution in the UK that wishes to admit students from outside of the European Economic Area must apply to the UK Border Agency for a licence to sponsor international students. If you get a licence, they will add your organisation to the register of sponsors and you can begin to issue visa letters to students.

If you are a student from within the European Economic Area and wish to check that the institution you are studying at complies with the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006, then  you can download the archived register of education and training providers (PDF file 1.2Mb opens in a new window) - as last published by the Department for Innovation Universities and Skills (DIUS) on the 30 March 2009.