For employers wishing to employ anyone from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland the old application system has been replaced with a new 5 tier Points Based System (PBS).
Under the new system employers are now being made accountable for the registration and monitoring of foreign workers.
Stricter penalties of up to £10,000 fine for each illegal worker and a prison sentence of up to 2 years can be imposed on those employers who fail to comply and are found to have employees working illegally.
In order to become a sponsor you, as an employer or educational institution, will need to be licensed by the UK Border Agency. It is therefore very important that employers and educational institutions obtain legal advice to comply with the complex criteria.
Under the PBS, migrants will need to pass a points-based assessment before they are given permission to enter or remain in the UK. All workers and students, other than those under Tier 1 (highly skilled migrants) will need to be sponsored.
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