UK Immigration: British Speedway’s Sponsorship Licence Revoked

This week it has been reported that British Speedway Promoters’ Association (BSPA) have had their Tier 5 sponsorship licence revoked. This means that a number of non-EU riders could be missing the 2015 British speedway season due to start on 26 March 2015. The BSPA need to apply for a new Tier 5 Sponsorship Licence, allowing their non-EU riders to apply for visas and enter the UK. 

Non-EU Riders Refused Entry into the UK due to Visa Issues

According to a number of reports, numerous teams due to take part in the new season will now be affected by the UK Visas and Immigration’s (UKVI) decision to revoke the BSPA sponsorship licence. It is believed that the BSPA’s Tier 5 Sponsorship Licence was revoked because they have been accused of ‘doubling-up and guesting rules’ which are not compliant the UK Immigration Rules.

In a statement published on 22 January 2015, BSPA played down the controversy which is said to be affecting a number of non-EU riders:

“A number of speedway clubs who employ migrant riders (non-EU) were asked to attend a meeting with UKVI this week. This meeting was a result of a number of regular compliance visits to individual clubs as the employers. There are administrative issues which all parties are keen to resolve before the start of the 2015 British speedway season. The UKVI have offered to hold an operational workshop for club officials to assist them in this complex process. In the meantime, the BSPA and UKVI remain committed to work towards a satisfactory outcome.”

The BSPA is hoping to resolve their sponsorship licence issues before the new riding season starts in March 2015. One of Swindon Robins’s top rider Troy Batchelor, an Australian national could be one of the riders who misses out this year, however fellow countryman,  Nick Morris and Matthew Wethers will not be affected as Nick holds a British passport and Matthew has leave to remain in the UK.

Applying & Obtaining a Tier 5 Sponsorship Licence

Our UK Immigration Solicitors are in the process of obtaining a Tier 5 Sponsorship Licence for a very well known basketball organisation and are confident in their ability of preparing a successful UK Sponsorship Licence application.

In order to apply and obtain a Tier 5 Sponsorship Licence to sponsor a sportsperson you must be a  sporting body, sports club, events organiser or other organiser operating, or intending to work in the sporting sector. Before applying for a Sponsorship Licence must make sure you have an endorsement from the governing body for your sport which is recognised by the UK Home Office as a genuine organisation. The list of governing bodies currently recognised by the Home Office is in Appendix M of the UK Immigration Rules.

To assist you in obtaining a Sponsor Licence, we would arrange for you to meet with our expert immigration solicitors at our London offices to explore your matter in detail in order to measure the eligibility of your company. Once instructed in your immigration matter, there are a number of stages to the UK Sponsor Licence application process that we would assist you through in order to ensure you comply with the UK Home Office’s requirements and provide you with a bespoke supporting documents list tailored to the type of licence you are applying for depending on the type of worker you want to employ.

Successful UK Tier 5 Sponsorship Licence Application

Obtaining a UK Sponsorship licence is far from a straightforward process involving referencing not only the immigration rules but also supplementary guidance notes. Together with this issue is ensuring that the bundle of supporting documents meets the Home Office’s stringent requirements and properly evidences the application. For this reason it is usual for a professional employer to instruct expert immigration sponsorship solicitors to manage this process.

Contact us to discuss your eligibility in obtaining a UK Sponsorship Licence and to find out more about your duties once you are a Sponsor.

Call Now Button search previous next tag category expand menu location phone mail time cart zoom edit close