Tier 2 Pre License Visit and COS

[Blattes]

Hello everyone,

I am switching from tier 4 to tier 2 for a company I have been working since I graduated and they applied for license 4 weeks ago, last week we had an unannounced visit from UKBA however I wasn't in so is the manager so the officer is coming in tomorrow. One of the things I wanted to ask is that if my company has to prove why I am going to be employed (RMLT), I assume they won't since I am exempt but it is a bit complicated since I am already working for them with my tier 4 visa. Another question is that I am going to be interviewed as well, I couldn't find any examples of this kind of UKBA visit where the student is working for the company already and will be existing in the interview. What are the potential questions they might ask?

The last question is about COS, after the company gets the license, will there be an unrestricted COS immediately available? If yes, I have seen the info on COS asks for start and end date, I will be employed for 3 years. Are we supposed to date this for three years or the max is one year? Thanks!

[wishiwereabird]

You won't be interviewed and also you are exampt from RMLT so they won't really check that during that visit. From my understanding checks on RMLT will take place when your sponsor request a CoS. The key objective of the visit is not about specifically your employment but more about if the company is qualified for sponsoring migrants. The only thing is making sure your company has all the paperwork in place, like accounts and migrant tracking that kind of stuffs.

In theory, according to the SMS guideline, there should be unrestricted CoS allocated when your employer has obtained a new licence if they provided an estimate of how many CoS they would need in the first year.

[Blattes]

You won't be interviewed and also you are exampt from RMLT so they won't really check that during that visit. From my understanding checks on RMLT will take place when your sponsor request a CoS. The key objective of the visit is not about your employment but more about if the company is qualified for sponsoring migrants. The only key thing is making sure your company has all the paperwork in place, like accounts and migrant tracking that kind of stffs.

In theory, according to the SMS guideline there should be unrestricted CoS allocated when your employer has obtained a new licence.

Thanks for the reply! I was told that I needed to be present during this interview, hence my question, but I think there is no logic behind interviewing me. There is no other migrant working, it is a very small (6-7 people working) company.

About the CoS, is it supposed to be renewed every year? Or are supposed to write down as 3 years?

[wishiwereabird]

I was in similar situation as you are right now and my employer failed that visit. I wasn't asked to be interviewed. HO ppl came and chat with our MD, HR and finance. My employer at the time wasn't big either, but there were students working for them on T4. You said you're on T4 at the moment so your employer would need to make sure that they track your working hours in term time to prove that you are not exceeding the max hours you're allowed to work weekly. This kind of trivial things could get overlooked. I also heard the HO ppl asked to see pay rolls of employees during the visit. Not sure what else they ased for.

For T2 G CoS is for 3 or 5 yrs.

[Blattes]

I was in similar situation as you are right now and my employer failed that visit. I wasn't asked to be interviewed. HO ppl came and chat with our MD, HR and finance. My employer at the time wasn't big either, but there were students working for them on T4. You said you're on T4 at the moment so your employer would need to make sure that they track your working hours in term time to prove that you are not exceeding the max hours you're allowed to work weekly. This kind of trivial things could get overlooked. I also heard the HO ppl asked to see pay rolls of employees during the visit. Not sure what else they ased for.

For T2 G CoS is for 3 or 5 yrs.

How did you manage to get visa? Did your company immediately reapply for sponsorship?
My term time finished on 28/02, I started working on 20/02. That week I only worked 16 hours, which is shown in my monthly working hours statement, and they also have a copy of my CAS certificate, which shows the end of my date officially etc. I am not very sure if these are satisfying.

[Blattes]

I have been assigned COS! The number is written in my online visa application, do I need anything else to provide rather than the number? They also ticked the box about maintenance funds, will they be able to see it once they have my COS number? Do I need a COS letter from my employer?

[dxbtouk]

Hi there guys , seems am at right place for your valuable suggestions . I have applied for a Tier.2 Sponsorship Licence for my Small IT Consultancy . I have filed application on 16th of May 2017 and waiting for the Pre-Licensing visit from Home Office .

Can you please give me a rough timescales on how long will Home Office might take to make a visit since launching the application and how many weeks did it take for your organisations please ? As well as , what are the possible questions / things that they would be looking at .

I have 2 people in my company including me and 1 voluntary worker as well . 1 Authorizing officer who is acting as a HR Director and I am the IT Director . I would be really grateful if you guys can please share some of your knowledge . Thanks .

[Blattes]

We had an unannounced visit after 4 weeks of the application for license, which had to repeat since me and the main director weren't in. Are you switching from Tier4 and currently working for the company? They expect you to be in for the interview if that is the case. I was told I wouldn't be interviewed but I was, the home office worker asked to see the documents related to me eg my working hours, my official certificate from uni and other stuff related to company. It takes 3 hours. And he asked about SOC code and in what position I will be working, also had ad a half an hour chat with me. The questions were, what is my immigration history? When did I start this job? What is my salary? And he asked me to explain what I do without being too technical. He said he will write a report and give it to another caseworker, which might take a few days but in case they need supportive documents this will take longer, however we got the license in two days after the visit.

[jango0007]

You won't be interviewed and also you are exampt from RMLT so they won't really check that during that visit. From my understanding checks on RMLT will take place when your sponsor request a CoS. The key objective of the visit is not about your employment but more about if the company is qualified for sponsoring migrants. The only key thing is making sure your company has all the paperwork in place, like accounts and migrant tracking that kind of stffs.

In theory, according to the SMS guideline there should be unrestricted CoS allocated when your employer has obtained a new licence.

Thanks for the reply! I was told that I needed to be present during this interview, hence my question, but I think there is no logic behind interviewing me. There is no other migrant working, it is a very small (6-7 people working) company.

About the CoS, is it supposed to be renewed every year? Or are supposed to write down as 3 years?

I was in the same situation 3 years ago. They will take your interview and ask few questions. They took my 1 hour interview.

The questions will be
What's is your position. What duties you are performing, how you are reporting to the manager.
Why company needs you for specific position. How much is the salary. How do they pay you.
What other incentives involved.
Do you have job contract with you or not. any salary slip, how much sick pay leave company provide you


give all honest answers and if your don't know they say I don't know as in my interview I was not aware of how sick leave pay works so i said to her that i don't know how it is but something is written in my job contract and i will consult with my HR manager later.

[dxbtouk]

We had an unannounced visit after 4 weeks of the application for license, which had to repeat since me and the main director weren't in. Are you switching from Tier4 and currently working for the company? They expect you to be in for the interview if that is the case. I was told I wouldn't be interviewed but I was, the home office worker asked to see the documents related to me eg my working hours, my official certificate from uni and other stuff related to company. It takes 3 hours. And he asked about SOC code and in what position I will be working, also had ad a half an hour chat with me. The questions were, what is my immigration history? When did I start this job? What is my salary? And he asked me to explain what I do without being too technical. He said he will write a report and give it to another caseworker, which might take a few days but in case they need supportive documents this will take longer, however we got the license in two days after the visit.

Thanks for getting back . Really appreciate it . However , both the Directors of the Company ( HR & IT Director ) hold ILR's . As you said above that Home Office visited your employer 4 weeks after you made an application , can you please give the dates as well if you don't mind just for my rough estimates . Though I am aware that every case is different and Home Office might visit anyone at any time .

Eg : Date Application Made :
Pre-Licensing Visit Date by Home Office :
License Grant / Rejected Date :

For our Company , Date Application Made is 16-05-2017
Pre-Licensing Visit Date by Home Office : Pending
License Grant / Rejected Date : Pending


Additionally , we are an Appointed IT Supplier for UK's Public Sector and the Appointment is through Crown Commercial Service . Basically , we can provide any IT Resource through our Company directly ( Not as an Agency but as a Supplier / Vendor ) . Will this be a win win factor for my company to get the Tier.2 sponsorship license granted ?

Any other advices from you will be gratefully received . Thanks .

[Blattes]

We applied on 28th of March and had an unannounced visit on 10th of May, rearranged for 16th of May, we have got an e-mail saying that SMS is assigned to my director or something like this on 19th of May and 22th of May we have got the documents by post allowing us to assign me CoS. None of the people working in the company is international or EU citizen, all of them are British and there are only 7-10 people working. The company is in Sheffield so I think it fastened things.

I do not think that would do anything to do with license, what the home office worker looks into that if the company is doing everything by book and if the person in charge of license application has enough information about immigrant worker and knows his/her duties.

[dxbtouk]

We applied on 28th of March and had an unannounced visit on 10th of May, rearranged for 16th of May, we have got an e-mail saying that SMS is assigned to my director or something like this on 19th of May and 22th of May we have got the documents by post allowing us to assign me CoS. None of the people working in the company is international or EU citizen, all of them are British and there are only 7-10 people working. The company is in Sheffield so I think it fastened things.

I do not think that would do anything to do with license, what the home office worker looks into that if the company is doing everything by book and if the person in charge of license application has enough information about immigrant worker and knows his/her duties.

Thanks a lot for your response . Yes , we've got the relevant HR systems in place as well as proper documentation and the current project that we are working on and the future project that we have . Let's see when they'll knock our company's door . We will start preparing .

[akkhan]

We applied on 28th of March and had an unannounced visit on 10th of May, rearranged for 16th of May, we have got an e-mail saying that SMS is assigned to my director or something like this on 19th of May and 22th of May we have got the documents by post allowing us to assign me CoS. None of the people working in the company is international or EU citizen, all of them are British and there are only 7-10 people working. The company is in Sheffield so I think it fastened things.

I do not think that would do anything to do with license, what the home office worker looks into that if the company is doing everything by book and if the person in charge of license application has enough information about immigrant worker and knows his/her duties.

Hello Blattes

Can you please update did you manage to get the visa? Also when you received the license you received the documents allowing them to issue you cos was it mentioned in the documents that they can issue the cos to you and did they ask for rlmt as you were exempt??