Businesses

The concept of sponsorship is at the heart of the points-based system. If you want to employ a migrant or enrol a migrant as a student, you must be their sponsor during their stay in the United Kingdom (unless they are coming here for six months or less in certain circumstances). And before you can sponsor a migrant, you must obtain a sponsor licence.

The points-based system is the biggest shake-up of the immigration system for 45 years. Its five tiers have replaced more than 80 routes to work and study in the UK. The system allows businesses to recruit the skills they need from abroad, while assuring the public that only those migrants we need can come to the UK.

Who does the system apply to?

The points-based system only covers migrants from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. If you want to employ or teach an EEA or Swiss national, you should be able to do this without needing our permission - but there are some restrictions on nationals of countries that have recently joined the EEA. The section for European citizens provides more information on the rights of all EEA and Swiss nationals.

How the system works

Under the points-based system, migrants must pass a points assessment before they can get permission to enter or remain in the UK.

Each of the system's five tiers has different points requirements - the number of points the migrant needs and the way the points are awarded will depend on the tier. Points are awarded to reflect the migrant's ability, experience and age - and, when appropriate, the level of need in the migrant's chosen industry.

The role of the sponsor

Migrants in any tier except Tier 1 must be sponsored before they can apply to us. If a UK organisation wants to sponsor a migrant under Tier 2, Tier 4 or Tier 5 (Temporary workers), they must apply to us for a sponsor licence.

Under Tier 2 and Tier 5 (Temporary workers), the sponsor must be an employer based in the UK. Under Tier 4, the sponsor must be an education provider based in the UK.

Migrants who want to come to the UK under Tier 5 (Youth mobility scheme) do not need to be sponsored by a UK employer.

You can find out more about sponsorship duties and how to become a licensed sponsor on the sponsoring workers and sponsoring students pages.

What are the tiers?

The points-based system consists of five tiers. These are:

• Tier 1 - for highly skilled workers, such as scientists and entrepreneurs
• Tier 2 - for skilled workers with a job offer, such as teachers and nurses
• Tier 3 - for low-skilled workers filling specific temporary labour shortages, such as construction workers for a particular project
• Tier 4 - for students
• Tier 5 - for temporary workers, such as musicians coming to play in a concert, and participants in the youth mobility scheme.

Tiers 1, 2, 4 and 5 are now open.

Tier 3 is currently suspended.