This year’s Tier 2 Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) allocations will expire on 5 April 2014.
If you are a business or an education provider registered under Tier 2, you may need to take action before then to renew your unrestricted CoS allocation.
You will need to do this if, during the period from 6 April 2014 to 5 April 2015:
- you are likely to need to sponsor migrant workers from outside the UK who will earn more than £152,100.00 per annum;
- you are likely to need to sponsor migrant workers who are already in the UK working for another sponsor under Tier 2;
- any of your existing migrant workers will need to extend their leave under Tier 2;
- you are likely to sponsor sponsor migrant workers under Tier 2 (ICT).
If you wish to sponsor any other migrant workers, you will need to apply for restricted CoS in line with the usual requirements.
In relation to renewing your allocation of unrestricted CoS, the first thing you will need to do is assess how many CoS you are likely to need in each of the categories referred to above.
You may not know at this stage exactly how many new hires you may need to take on, so a reasonable estimate based on your plans for business growth should be fine. You can however calculate exactly how many of your existing employees who are sponsored under Tier 2 will need to apply to extend their leave to remain.
A Level 1 User from your organisation will need to submit your new CoS allocation request through the Sponsorship Management System. An explanation for the number of CoS you are requesting will need to be included, although this does not need to be particularly detailed. The request should of course be made in plenty of time before the 5 April 2014 deadline. On that day, your current unused CoS will expire and you will have a zero allocation on 6 April 2014 if your request has not been actioned by then.
If you would like any assistance with any areas of sponsorship, do get in touch.
