25th November, 2009

UKBA recently published revised guidance for employers and educational institutions sponsoring non EU nationals under the PBS and for the first time education providers are able to use the sponsorship management system. The sponsorship management system now available to tier 4 sponsors enables them to issue confirmations of acceptance (CAS) for studies for the first time. During a voluntary period which will run until February 2010 tier 4 sponsors will be able to choose whether to issue visa letters or CAS to migrants applying to them from inside the UK. CAS will be replacing the visa letter as of February 2010.

The sponsor guidance has now been split into 2 separate documents together with a list of changes from the previous guidance and there is one version for employers (Tier 2 and Tier 5) and another for educational institutions (Tier 4).

For more information on changes for sponsors under the PBS contact the Smooth team on 0845 644 187.