Where a Tier 2 visa application is being submitted from outside the UK sponsors have to request authority from the Home Office before they can issue a Tier 2 Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). In a monthly cycle the Home Office assess the requests for authority submitted against a points system, and if demand is higher than the allocations available they raise the points threshold to decide which requests will be authorised.
In every month since December 2017 the number of requests for authority has exceeded the available allocations and the points threshold has been raised significantly resulting in many requests being refused.
The vast majority of Tier 2 applications processed by SIT are for Research and Lecturer/ Professorial roles which automatically score higher points and have not been affected. While in only one case within the collegiate University authority to issue a Tier 2 CoS has been refused, SIT has been monitoring the potential effects.
With effect from 6 July 2018, the Home Office have exempted two job codes, for Doctors and Nurses, from having to request authority for overseas applications. While these job codes are not used within the University it is hoped that this new exemption for large numbers of NHS roles under these two job codes will reduce the overall demand for restricted allocations and prevent further refusals over the coming months.
If you are advertising a role which does not fall under the Researcher or Lecturer/ Professorial job code, please speak to SIT as early as possible so that they can provide more detailed advice and guidance.
