On the 5th October the UK Border Agency published revised guidance for employers and education providers who sponsor migrants under the points-based system, and has enabled education providers to use the sponsorship management system for the first time. The guidance now takes the form of two separate documents for employers (Tiers 2 and 5 of the points-based system) and for education providers (Tier 4).
Both guidance documents and a list of changes can be downloaded from the UK Border Agency web site sponsor guidance. In addition for the first time the sponsorship management system is now available to Tier 4 sponsors to enable the issuing of confirmations of acceptance for studies (CAS). A voluntary trial period will run until February 2010 during which time Tier 4 sponsors will be able to choose whether to issue visa letters or CAS to migrants applying to them from inside the United Kingdom.
CAS will completely replace visa letters next February. For more information about how Tier 4 sponsors can use the sponsorship management system, see the Tier 4 phase 3 news story on the UK Border Agency website.
