UK Home Office Updates Tier 2 and Tier 5 Sponsors: New SMS Priority Service

The Home Office has announced the launching of a new premium service option for Sponsors making requests via the Sponsor Management System (SMS) with the legislation coming into force in October 2016. The new optional premium service will enable Sponsors to have their SMS requests dealt with on a priority basis however the date when the service will be introduced is yet to be announced by the Home Office.

Sponsor Management System for Tier 2 and 5 Sponsors

You can only use the Sponsor Management System (SMS) if you already have a sponsor licence as a UK employer of a non-EEA national under the tier 2 or tier 5 category.

The SMS can be used to :

  • manage or renew an organisation’s Sponsor licence;
  • create and assign certificates of sponsorship to a prospective employee; and
  • report a change of circumstance such as a withdrawal of sponsorship of a sponsored employee.

Improvements to UK Visa Immigration Services for Businesses, Employers and Sponsors

UK Visas and Immigration have plans to improve their immigration services for businesses and Sponsors using the Sponsor Management System. The introduction of an optional premium service for Sponsors will allow Sponsors to pay a fee of £200 for expedited processing of certain types of requests including Certificate of Sponsorship allocation and Level 1 user appointment.

The introduction of the premium service option comes as a result of repeated complaints about delays in the processing of requests made using the SMS, particularly when Sponsors need to request additional Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) from the Home Office. In some instances, the Home Office have estimate as long as 18 weeks for the processing of such requests such long wait times can be quite inconvenient for employers and Sponsors who need to hire skilled workers from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) to meet immediate business needs.

Successful Sponsor Licence Applications for UK Businesses and Employers

Our team of experienced and professionally qualified solicitors and barristers will be able to guide you through the process of making successful visa application step by step and limit the possibility of failure by complying with the strict letter of the law. Please contact us so that we can review your case and provide you with an assessment of your case. If you are a UK business or an employer and wish to obtain a Sponsor Licence, contact us to discuss this further. Business owners sponsoring migrants from outside the EEA must ensure that they are legally registered to sponsor migrants and must have a valid Tier 2 Sponsorship Licence.

Our expert immigration solicitors provide business clients with a tailored service and are on hand to expedite the sponsor licence process. We ensure that we help you achieve and maintain an A rated sponsor licence and provide ongoing compliance checks to ensure you are aware of your duties as a Home Office registered sponsor.

If you have instructed legal representatives and you are unhappy with their conduct you can contact us to discuss your case so that we can provide you with a case assessment. To contact one of our Immigration Solicitors or Immigration Barristers please complete our legal case assessment form and we will get in touch or call us now on 02030110276 for a telephone assessment.

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