Tier 4 Highly Trusted Sponsor Key Dates

The UK Border Agency has set out key dates relating to the launch of the new Highly Trusted Sponsor Scheme for Tier 4 (Student) Licensed Organisations. Information on the launch of the Highly Trusted Sponsor Scheme for Tier 2 (Work Permit) and Tier 5 employers will be released later in 2010.

The UK Border Agency is launching the Highly Trusted Sponsor Scheme in an effort to streamline the application process for Sponsors and to allow the UK Border Agency to concentrate its limited on site immigration audit bandwidth on high risk and poorly performing sponsors. By identifying up front ‘those sponsors who are achieving the highest levels of compliance with their sponsor obligations and whose students are showing the greatest compliance with the terms of their visa or leave’ the UK Border Agency can dedicate hard pressed resources to more important areas of the Immigration system while ensuring satisfactory compliance targets are met.

Key Dates for the launch of the Highly Trusted Sponsor Scheme for Tier 4 Organisations

• 22nd March 2010: The Highly Trusted Sponsor Scheme is officially launched by the UK Border Agency (UKBA). From this date on the UKBA will accept Highly Trusted Sponsor License Applications from licensed organisations.
• 6th April 2010: New Immigration Rules come into force which see:
  • Some Publicly Funded Tier 4 Licensed Sponsors placed on the Highly Trusted Sponsor Register automatically
  • Certain courses restricted to only Highly Trusted Sponsors such as courses at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 3 and Equivalent and courses below degree level that include a work placement (Note: Privately funded Tier 4 sponsors who hold an A-Rating will be able to continue to assign Confirmations of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) for restricted courses until the end of April, pending an application for a Highly Trusted Sponsor License
• 30th April 2010: The deadline for Privately funded Tier 4 sponsors who wish to continue to assign CASs for restricted courses after this date
• 30th May 2010: The date by which the UKBA would like all publicly funded Tier 4 organisations who were given Highly Trusted Sponsor status on the 6th April 2010 to apply for a Highly Trusted Sponsor License if they wish to retain the license past the 30th June 2010
• 30th June 2010: The date that signals the end of the transitional period for becoming a Highly Trusted Sponsor. Confirmations of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) certificates issued further to restricted courses can only be assigned by sponsors who have gained a Highly Trusted Sponsor License

Commonwealth Contractors

Commonwealth Contractors is a collection of highly skilled professionals from the Commonwealth and beyond. We partner with OISC Registered Immigration Partners capable of professionally representing Tier 1 Visa Applications / Extensions and Tier 2 Licensed Consultancy & Associated Trust Partners who may be prepared, where required, to sponsor a Medical, Information Technology or Engineering Professional on a Tier 2 Visa (formerly UK Work Permit).

To find out more call Commonwealth Contractors now on 0330 390 9021 or Submit your details now and we will get right back to you. Please be prepared to send a copy of a recent CV so that we can pass to interested partners.