Collection

Sponsorship: guidance for employers and educators

Information for student and worker sponsors, including full policy guidance, using the sponsorship management system and how to get help.

Published 22 January 2014
Last updated 5 April 2020 — see all updates

• From: UK Visas and Immigration

This collection includes documents for businesses and educational institutions that sponsor foreign workers and students. It includes:

• sponsorship policy guidance
• guides to using the business helpdesk and educators helpdesk
• codes of practice
• user manuals for the sponsorship management system (SMS)
• technical details for bulk data transfers
• lists of licensed sponsors

The codes of practice for skilled workers for certificates of sponsorship assigned on or after 6 April 2017 can be found in Appendix J of the Immigration Rules.

Sponsorship policy guidance

1. Priority change of circumstances for sponsors
   • 5 April 2020
   • Guidance
2. Tier 2 and 5 priority service request form
   • 5 April 2020
   • Form
3. Sponsor a Tier 2 or 5 worker: guidance for employers
   • 16 July 2020
   • Guidance
4. Sponsor a Tier 4 student: guidance for educators
   • 31 October 2019
   • Guidance
5. Sponsor guidance appendix A: supporting documents for sponsor applications
   • 6 April 2020
   • Guidance
6. Sponsor guidance appendix B: immigration offences and sponsorship
   • 1 October 2013
   • Guidance
7. Sponsor guidance appendix C: civil penalties and sponsorship
   • 6 April 2016
   • Guidance
8. Sponsor guidance appendix D: keeping records for sponsorship
   • 6 April 2020
   • Guidance
9. Sponsor guidance appendix F: Tier 5 (International Agreement)
   • 31 October 2019
   • Guidance

How to get help

1. Employers and sponsors: make a query to the business helpdesk
   • 2 July 2013
   • Guidance
2. Status updates on employee applications: consent form
   • 1 July 2013
   • Form
3. Educators helpdesk: make a query
   • 9 September 2013
   • Guidance

Codes of practice

All the creative codes of practice are contained in the Immigration Rules, Appendix J, Table 8

1. Sponsorship: sporting code of practice
   • 13 December 2018
   • Guidance

User manuals: sponsorship management system (SMS)

1. Introduction to the sponsorship management system: SMS guide 1
   • 6 April 2015
   • Guidance
2. Manage your sponsorship licence: SMS guide 2
   • 6 April 2015
   • Guidance
3. Applications, renewals and services: SMS guide 3
   • 6 April 2015
   • Guidance
4. Creating and assigning CAS: SMS guide 4
   • 6 April 2015
   • Guidance
5. Creating a CAS: guide for education sponsors, SMS guide 4a
   • 17 July 2018
   • Guidance
6. Reporting student activity: SMS guide 5
   • 6 April 2015
   • Guidance
7. Miscellaneous CAS functions: SMS guide 6
   • 6 April 2015
   • Guidance
8. Bulk data transfer of CAS: SMS guide 7
   • 6 April 2015
   • Guidance
9. Creating and assigning a CoS: SMS guide 8
   • 6 April 2015
   • Guidance
10. Creating a CoS: guide for business sponsors (SMS guide 8a)
    • 6 April 2017
    • Guidance
11. Reporting worker activity: SMS guide 9
    • 6 April 2015
    • Guidance
12. Miscellaneous certificate of sponsorship functions: SMS guide 10
    • 6 April 2015
    • Guidance
13. Tier 5 creative and sport certificate of sponsorship: SMS guide 11
    • 6 April 2015
    • Guidance
14. Restricted certificate of sponsorship: SMS guide 12
    • 6 April 2015
    • Guidance

Bulk data transfer: technical details

1. Bulk data transfer for sponsors: XML schema
   • 14 April 2016
   • Guidance
2. Bulk data transfer for sponsors: country codes
   • 8 April 2016
   • Guidance
3. Bulk data transfer for sponsors: example files
   • 9 December 2015
   • Guidance
4. Bulk data transfer for sponsors: data values for CAS fields
   • 3 June 2020
   • Guidance
5. Bulk data transfer for sponsors: validation rules for CAS upload
   • 8 December 2015
   • Guidance
6. Bulk data transfer for sponsors: frequently asked questions
   • 8 December 2015
   • Guidance

Lists of licensed sponsors

1. Register of licensed sponsors: workers
   • 12 August 2020
   • Guidance
2. Register of licensed sponsors: students
   • 12 August 2020
   • Guidance

Published 22 January 2014
Last updated 5 April 2020 + show all updates

1. 5 April 2020

   Added guidance on priority change of circumstances for sponsors and Tier 2 and 5 priority service request form.

2. 3 August 2017

   Link to updated shortage occupation list added under codes of practice.

3. 6 April 2017

   Updated information.

4. 6 April 2015

   Tier 2 shortage occupation list from 6 April 2015 addition to the codes of practice section.

5. 7 April 2014

   Updated SMS documents.

6. 22 January 2014

   First published.