Staff Immigration Team Tier 5 Sponsorship A comprehensive guide for departments and colleges March 2015 Staff Immigration Team

Staff Immigration Team

Tier 5 SponsorshipA comprehensive guide for departments and colleges

March 2015

Staff ImmigrationTeam


Staff Immigration Team James Baker – Staff Immigration Team Leader

Tel: (2)89908 / email [email protected]

Natalie Goldsmith – Staff Immigration OfficerTel: (2)89912 / email [email protected]

Tim Currie – Staff Immigration OfficerTel: (2)89903 / email [email protected]

Angela Dolby – Staff Immigration AssistantTel: (2)89904 / email Humanities / MPLS / Colleges A – P

Lisa Crook – Staff Immigration AssistantTel: (2)89919 / email [email protected] Medical Sciences / Social Sciences / Colleges Q – W

David Richardson – Staff Immigration Admin assistantTel: (2)89926 / email [email protected]

Website: http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/personnel/permits/

mailto:[email protected]





http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/personnel/permits/


What we do• Advise departments, colleges and migrants on Tier 2 and

Tier 5 process and requirements.• Process Tier 2 and Tier 5 Certificate of Sponsorship

applications. • Process Tier 2 and Tier 5 leave to remain applications on

behalf of migrants. • Hold all data for Tier 2 and Tier 5 migrants centrally. • Advise departments and colleges on visitor routes. • Advise departments and colleges on right to work in the UK. • Manage complex cases and matters of non-compliance with

external legal input where necessary. • Provide a legal referral service for departments and colleges

in relation to non-Tier 2 and Tier 5 matters• Provide regular training on Tier 2, Tier 5, right to work and

visitors. • Report to the Audit and Scrutiny Committee on immigration

and right to work compliance. • Represent the collegiate University’s comments and

concerns with immigration policy to the Home Office.


Current news


Contents• Compliance

• The Points-Based System and Tier 5 overview

• Identifying an opportunity

• Certificate of Sponsorship application

• Visa application

• Migrant’s arrival in the UK

• Changes during employment/visit

• Visa extensions

• Changing departments

• Croatian nationals

• Visa restrictions and conditions

• Application fees


Compliance• Home Office rules are complex, onerous and inflexible…

but compliance is mandatory.

• Oxford have a good relationship with the Home Office and have lobbied successfully in the past for key changes.

• Consequences of non-compliance with Home Office rules include:• Down-grading of the University’s sponsor licence which means we

would not be able to sponsor new migrants from overseas• Withdrawal of the sponsor licence, with the consequence that all

sponsored migrants would have to leave the University and the UK.• On-the-spot fines of up to £20,000 for each illegal migrant• A maximum 2 year prison sentence and/or an unlimited fine if illegal

migrant workers are employed knowingly

A breach of Home Office requirements from a single college or department (including those who do not have any Tier 2 or Tier 5

sponsored migrants) may result in serious consequences for entire Collegiate University.


Points-Based SystemTier 1

•Exceptional Talent (people with exceptional talent/emerging exceptional talent)•Graduate Entrepreneur (graduate with credible business idea)•Entrepreneur (those who wish to set up business in the UK)

Tier 2

•General (sponsored skilled workers with a job offer)

Tier 3

•Route closed

Tier 4

•Students (managed by Student Information and Advisory Service)

Tier 5

•Government Authorised Exchange (supernumerary researchers, research interns, lecturers, external examiners)•Government Authorised Exchange (non-research interns – through GTI Recruitment)•Youth Mobility Scheme (for people under 31 from qualifying countries)


Tier 5 sponsored migrants• Nationals of non-EEA countries who require a

visa to work in the UK• Usually employed by an overseas HEI/

research institute• Take part in supernumerary research/

teaching/ external examining • Not part of normal staffing requirements• Do not fill vacancy• Usually paid by overseas institution/ external

grant – may be paid by Oxford


Permissible activities• A Tier 5 sponsored migrant may:

• Collaborate on University-hosted research where they are not filling an advertised position and the work is additional to the department/college's normal staffing requirements;

• Undertake research as an intern where the work is additional to the department/college's normal requirements;

• Give a lecture/lectures where they are not filling an advertised position and the work is additional to the department/college's normal staffing requirements;

• Act as an external examiner.


Tier 5 process

Stage 1: Engagement

Stage 2: Arrival in UK

Identify opportunity

Confirm opportunity

COS application

Visa application

Arrival in the UK

During and end of

sponsorship

Stage 3: During & end

Data to be sent at each stage to be held centrally by SIT

Stage 1: engagement – using COS formStage 2: arrival in UK – using Arrival formStage 3: during/end of employment – using Changes/leaver form


STAGE 1: ENGAGEMENT OF MIGRANT


Identify and confirm supernumerary opportunity

• Supernumerary research/ teaching opportunity identified by academic

• Migrant identified (usually due to expertise/interest in a specific area)

• Opportunity confirmed as supernumerary – not part of normal staffing requirements – not filling vacancy

• Funding agreed (externally funded, paid by employer overseas, department pay allowance etc.).

• Project/teaching plan mutually agreed

• Opportunity/visit confirmed in writing between department and migrant (subject to obtaining satisfactory right to work)


Tier 5 points criteriaRequirement Points

Valid Certificate of Sponsorship issued by the University’s SIT 30

Maintenance - either (a) the equivalent of £945 of personal savings held for at least 90 days prior to the date of the visa application, plus additional savings (£630) for each accompanying dependant, or, (b) confirmation from the employing department/college that it will if necessary maintain and accommodate the migrant to a minimum value of £945 during the first month of the visit. Departments/colleges cannot certify the maintenance requirement for dependants of Tier 5 migrants.

10


COS application• A Certificate of Sponsorship is a Home Office database record

which shows details of the role the migrant will be filling

• Tier 5 COS issued for maximum 2 years

• Tier 4 migrants may switch into Tier 5 to act as a research intern under certain conditions – contact SIT

• The University holds an allocation of COS which can be issued by SIT (subject to meeting Home Office requirements)


COS application• Apply around three months before start date

• Late submission/ issues with information provided may result in delayed start date

• All applications and supporting documents to be sent electronically

• Put supporting documents in one folder – password protect the folder using 7Zip

• Email applications to Staff Immigration Assistant – mark as confidential


COS applicationSections of the application form:• Eligibility – note that work must be supernumerary• Points criteria – 40 points required• Maintenance – can be certified by department or college • Passport info - must be passport that will be used for visa

application• Contact details – in country in which the migrant will apply for

their visa• Employment/visit details – start date, end date, funding, hours,

role description etc.• Details of funding body – e.g. overseas employer, Oxford,

external body• Record-keeping and reporting declaration• List of supporting documents – note naming conventions• Payment – account code to cross charge application fee to.

Colleges to pay by cheque• Declaration – to be completed by key contact/ responsible

person delegated by key contact


Activity

COS application – spot the mistakes

Time – 5 minutes



Visa/leave to remain application • SIT issue COS to migrant (both overseas and in-country) by email

along with details on how to apply for their visa. The email will be copied to the department/college HR contact

• Advise migrants to apply as soon as possible to ensure visa granted in plenty of time before start date

• Must apply no later than three months after COS is issued (COS expires after three months)

Overseas applicants (visa):• Application process varies slightly from country to country• Online applications in most countries – supporting documents sent

to follow• Supporting documents – evidence of maintenance, passport,

photographs etc. • Must give biometric details (fingerprints and photographs) at

Biometric Enrolment Centre as part of the application process• Nationals of some countries will require a TB test (if coming for

more than six months)• Priority service available in some countries – premium fee• Must notify department/college if start date cannot be met for any

reason (department/college must notify SIT immediately)• May be subject to a “genuineness test”


Visa/leave to remain application In-country applicants (leave to remain):• Applications made through SIT (including dependents)• May extend visa to maximum two years• Tier 4 visa holders may switch into Tier 5 as a research intern

under certain conditions – speak to SIT• Applications currently made on paper form• Supporting documents (depending on circumstances) –

evidence of maintenance, passport, photographs etc. • Migrant required to enroll biometric details at Post Office/

Biometric Enrolment Centre before HO will make a decision on the application

• HO in person appointment services available for urgent applications – contact SIT

• Decision and documents returned to SIT• May be subject to a “genuineness test”


STAGE 2: ARRIVAL


Arrival1. Conduct RTW check before migrant commences work2. Departments fill out Right to Work screen in CORE 3. Add to list of List B document holders and expiry dates4. Fill out Arrival Form and send to SIT within five working

days of start date with:• Contact details (even if temporary)• Contract copy (if applicable)• RTW copy• NI number (if applicable) – HMRC letter, payslip/P45 from

previous employer etc (can follow if not available on arrival)

5. Communicate with migrant about reporting contact details, absence and non UK travel

6. Form at http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/personnel/permits/forms/#d.en.50259

http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/personnel/permits/forms/#d.en.50259



STAGE 3: CHANGES DURING SPONSORSHIP


Changes during sponsorship1. Use the Changes/Leaver Form to inform SIT within 5 working days of:

• Change in start date on CoS/ did not arrive on start date• Change in job details (e.g. job title/ duties/ salary/ hours/ work

location) • Change in residential address/contact details (these must always

be up to date)• Unauthorised absence (of more than ten consecutive working

days) • Authorised unpaid leave of up to one month in twelve months

(Jan-Dec)• Change in salary due to leave (maternity, paternity, adoption,

sick) • Left early (e.g. finished early/ resigned/ funding withdrawn/

dismissed)• Change in immigration status (e.g. granted ILR/ other visa/ other

nationality)• Left as expected in line with visa

2. SIT is required to record/report above changes to the Home Office3. Update CORE with above changes (departments only)4. Record annual leave and sick absence according to policy for staff

group – keep in department/ college5. Repeat RTW check before visa is due to expire (unless migrant will

leave in line with visa) 6. Send repeat RTW check with new visa for T5 sponsored migrants to

SIT

Form at http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/personnel/permits/forms/#d.en.50259



Absence recording and reportingNormal work related travel – does not need to be recorded or reportedUnauthorised absence – when a T2/5 migrant does not arrive for an expected work contact (e.g. to give a lecture)

• If a migrant does not show for work when expected – contact them immediately!

• If absence is explained (e.g. sick, family emergency) – not classed as unauthorised

• Record unauthorised absence and report unauthorised absences of more than ten consecutive working days to SIT (Changes/Leaver Form)

Contact details vital – must be able to contact migrant in reasonable time• If migrant is travelling to out of contact area they must notify admin

Annual leave and sick absence – record according to staff group – and keep in department/college. Records for T5 migrants who are not employees must still be keptCommunicate with migrants – about this policy


Tier 5 visa extensions• New COS required (use Tier 5 COS Extension form)

• Apply for COS approx. 3 months before visa expiry date

• Max. 2 years total stay on Tier 5 visa

• Job details must remain same as on original COS (duties, location, job title etc.).

• Salary/funding increases as a result of annual increments permissible

• Visa application to be made no later than six weeks before visa expires

• Visa application checked and submitted by SIT

• In person appointments available for urgent applications


Switching jobs/sponsorsMigrants already in the UK on a Tier 5 visa with a different employer/sponsor cannot start a new role with the University until:• SIT have issued them a COS has been issued and • Their new leave to remain (visa) application has been

approved by the Home Office and• Their new Biometric Residence Permit has been

received

Migrants already sponsored by the University on a Tier 5 visa may be able to change roles without having to obtain a new visa, if:• The new role is in the same SOC code (i.e. same

profession – research or teaching) and• Continues to be paid above NMW.


Visa restrictions and conditions• Tier 5 visas are role specific – supplementary employment

permitted under specific circumstances

• Must be paid into own bank account – cash payments prohibited

• Voluntary work permitted

• No recourse to public funds (i.e. must not claim benefits) – exclusions apply for nationals of some countries


Supplementary employment• Supplementary employment permitted where the

supplementary work is:• in the same profession as the job specified on the

COS e.g. a lecturer may take up supplementary teaching for another department or organisation, or in a job which is on the 'shortage occupation list’

• at the same professional level as the job specified on the COS, e.g. paid at the same level

• for no more than 20 hours per week• outside the working hours covered by the COS.

NB the Home Office do not view University teaching and research as the same profession – if a researcher is expected to teach – put it in the project plan and on COS


Croatian nationals• Require a COS

• Apply for a Registration Certificate instead of a visa

• Same rules apply for COS application except:

• No maintenance requirement

• level of post (NQF Level 4)


Data holding• Hard copies to be kept by department/college

• SIT will hold an electronic data record for Tier 5 migrants centrally except:• Absence and sick records – to be recorded according to staff group

and retained by department/college• Identification and confirmation of opportunity paperwork – do not

destroy until six months after migrant leaves/ the University stops sponsoring them

• Send data to SIT at three stages:• Engagement – using COS form• On arrival – using arrival form• During/end of employment – using Changes/leaver form

• See www.admin.ox.ac.uk/personnel/recruit/recruitproc/feedback/retention/ for info on how long documents need to be retained

http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/personnel/recruit/recruitproc/feedback/retention/


Application fees• COS – paid for by SIT and cross-charged (colleges send

cheque)

• In country leave to remain – paid for by SIT and cross-charged (colleges include own payment details on form)

• Overseas visa – paid for by migrant

• Latest fees https://www.gov.uk/tier-5-government-authorised-exchange

https://www.gov.uk/tier-5-government-authorised-exchange

https://www.gov.uk/tier-5-government-authorised-exchange


Summary• Ensure Tier 5 opportunities are supernumerary (not

filling a vacancy and additional to normal staffing requirements)

• Keep up to date absence records (sick and annual leave)

• Apply in good time

• Report changes within five working days

• Keep CORE up to date (departments only)

• Keep up to date list of List B document holders and expiry dates

• Send all data on Tier 2 and Tier 5 migrants to SIT

• Self-audit to ensure that all required past changes have been notified


Questions


Documents

Staff Immigration Team Tier 5 Sponsorship A comprehensive guide for departments and colleges March 2015 Staff Immigration Team