Work permits vs work visa (tier 2 in particular)

Hi all, I'm new here. (I apologise if I posted this in the wrong forum). I've downloaded the list of registered sponsors for tier 2 and 5 visas.

I've found it extremely frustrating and annoying how many, many, MANY of the companies that are on the list of REGISTERED sponsors have caveats on their job postings that say something along the lines of "must already be eligible to work in the UK/ we do not offer visa sponsorship/must show proof of authorisation to work in the UK" etc.

How on earth are these companies on the list of REGISTERED sponsors if they are NOT willing to, and they do NOT offer sponsorships?

Anyone else realised this? How is your job hunt going? So, so frustrating

Maybe due to the fact they have a limited CoS allocation and don't wish to increase it or have a full staff compliment of sponsored workers already.

It's business, they'll only sponsor who/when it suits them, either for cheap labour and less likely, higher skilled.

They're out to make money, not give immigrations a helpful step up the ladder....

Thanks for the responses. @CR001, what does "CoS" mean?

CoS = Certificate of Sponsorship. This is what an applicant needs before they can apply for a sponsored work visa.

Thanks. I got an invite to interview some time ago and was asked to show eligibility to work. SIGH. I don't have proof of eligibility. I need sponsorship.

I seriously think the criterion for getting companies on the visa sponsor list needs to be reconsidered.

It's a completely WASTE of my time to search for and apply to vacancies at company X, when company X has NO intention of offering sponsorship.

Don't get me wrong. I know that this is the "real world" and companies aren't here to "make life better for us" or to fulfill any kind of moral obligation or whatever.

But, but, but, if the company KNOWS that it will NOT sponsor applicants, get the hell off the list. My goodness!!!

Over 29,000 supposed companies and it's like really and truly, almost all of them DON'T offer sponsorship, or they want proof of eligibility.

What came first? The chicken or the egg? The proof of eligibility or the job? The proof of eligibility or the offer?

WHERE am I gonna get proof of eligibility from? The moon?

End rant

new2here wrote:
But, but, but, if the company KNOWS that it will NOT sponsor applicants, get the hell off the list. My goodness!!!

You are misunderstanding what the list of registered sponsors is.

It's not a job search platform and not all jobs posted by registered sponsors automatically fulfil the requirements for sponsorship.

Companies cannot just 'get off the list' unless they want to lose their ability to keep their existing sponsored employees.

One of my former employers is on that list. They got the sponsor license to fill one very specific post and kept the license to be able to sponsor again should the need arise.

Maybe make it clear in your application that you need sponsorship?

I am VERY much aware that it is NOT a job search platform! Oh my gosh! Lol. Come on, I KNOW it's NOT a job search platform.

Thanks for the other insights.

I've been doing some research and I've come across links that make reference to work permits AND to work visas.

However, based on the info. on https://www.gov.uk/government/organisat ... mmigration, "work permits" are NOT a thing/they don't exist...or do they?

1. Is it that work permits existed once upon a time and were REPLACED by work visas (tier 2, etc.) or

2. is it that work permits STILL exist but they're kind of clandestine?

Someone, anyone?

I checked to see if there was a date on the articles (to see if they were perhaps outdated) but there was no date.

I also searched for ""WORK PERMIT" .GOV.UK" (exactly as I have it here, minus the brackets) and the FIRST Google search result is: Work visas - GOV.UK
https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas

Help! Thank you.

The old style 'work permit' was replaced by the Points Based visa system back in 2008/09 I believe. HO brought in the Tier 1 General (now obsolete) and Tier 2 (ICT and General categories) employer sponsored visa, the Tier 2 being the only one available through sponsorship.

Ahhh! Thank you!