How we help UK schools with their sponsorship duties
Our clients are many of the UK’s most prestigious universities and colleges, independent schools, and other educational institutions – as well as their talented and ambitious students.
We provide a consulting and advisory service to schools that can be tailored to any level of requirement, from general guidance to complex projects. We can assist schools with applying for their sponsorship licences as well as acting as a level 1 and 2 user on the Sponsor Management System (SMS).
We liaise with UKVI on behalf of the school on all compliance matters, as well as overseeing all sponsored students records that are required by UKVI. We will also represent the school and students with Home Office inspections and queries.
We can help you apply for your sponsor licence.
Compliance health check service
With constantly changing immigration rules and compliance requirements, the management of overseas students is becoming an increasingly daunting task for educational institutions and their admissions staff.
We have designed immigration compliance solutions specifically for educational institutions. Our support can range from general guidance to complete management of compliance requirements and representation before authorities.
We offer a “compliance health check” where one of our specialists will make a visit to your school to assess the sufficiency of your current student compliance systems and make recommendations for improvement. We check all files and data recording to ensure that you are prepared for an unannounced UKVI inspection.
UK study visas for international students
Prestigious schools across the UK attract many international students who are looking for the best education. We take the burden of obtaining the UK Student/Child visa off the shoulders of the parents and students, allowing them to focus on the excitement of studying in a new country and experiencing a new culture.
We will ensure that all the documents needed for their visa applications are compliant before a Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) is issued, ensuring a smoother visa application for the student. This way the school can be assured that only those applications that can be legitimately submitted are put forward – preserving their refusal rate and protecting their sponsorship licence.
Talk to the UK visa and immigration experts.
Skilled Worker visa for teachers and other staff
To teach in England you will need:
- A job offer allowing you to apply for a Skilled Worker visa
- Teaching skills and experience you can demonstrate to an employer
- To pass criminal and professional safeguarding checks (these will be organised by your employer)
It will also be very helpful to have English ‘qualified teacher status’ (QTS). While it is possible to teach in the UK for up to four years without QTS in the independent school sector, it will make finding a teaching position much easier.
You’ll be able to apply for a Skilled Worker visa if:
- You have a job offer from a school that is a licensed Home Office sponsor
- You can speak, read, write, and understand English
- Your salary meets the requirements for a Skilled Worker visa
How many points do I need to get a Skilled Worker visa?
You will need to obtain 70 points to qualify for a visa to enter and work in the UK. The majority of the points (a core 50) will be given for a job offer from a licensed sponsor, at the right skill level, with English speaking skills and the other 20 are tradable (can be gained in a number of ways).
The salary threshold for teachers depends on whether you have QTS and the region you are applying to work in.
Inner London | Outer London | London fringe | Rest of England | |
---|---|---|---|---|
QTS | £34,502 | £32,407 | £29,344 | £28,000 |
Non-QTS | £24,254 | £22,924 | £20,594 | £20,480 |
Our solutions can be tailored to your school’s unique needs and budget. Contact our education immigration team to discuss your options.
Keep up to date with the latest Education Corporate Services Immigration news by subscribing to our newsletter.
Meet your UK education corporate services team
Talk to our experienced consultants, OISC-registered advisers to see how we can help with your education immigration needs