The new UK immigration system requires that all sponsors of non-EU workers must be licensed if they want to bring a worker to the UK. The Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) regulates and issues PBS sponsorship licences, and conducts regular visits and audits on the companies to ensure that the immigration regulations are being followed.
All migrants, excluding those who are seeking family based immigration need to have a UK sponsor to be able to apply to live and work in the UK. A UK sponsor can be a company, a university or college or another establishment, but in all cases gaining sponsorship is the first step in applying for a PBS UK Visa.
The BIA rates sponsors in two grades, A or B and is based on its risk assessment of the company or establishment. Most of the sponsors will be rated A, but they can be demote to a B rating if the BIA feels that regulations aren’t being followed or that there is a risk to UK immigration. Sponsors that are downgraded to a B rating will be given the opportunity to appeal and be given a limited time plan to regain the A rating.
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