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Following the Tier 2 visa allocation meeting, the number of Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) available for March 2017 stands at 2,169, according to UK Visas and Immigration data. The department published its February report citing that its figures were correct as of 23 February, 2017. If you gain enough points this should mean that you will receive a Tier 2 visa CoS and then be able to apply for a Tier 2 visa.
These days the difficulties that employers have obtaining Tier 2 visas probably has more to do with the expense and bureaucracy in dealing with obtaining a Tier 2 Sponsorship Licence and UK visa than the availability of visas under the quota system says Sanwar Ali, Editor of workpermit.com News.
An employer with a Tier 2 Sponsorship Licence needs to apply for restricted Certificates of Sponsorship for immigrants they wish to employ from outside the UK. Under the current UK visa system, unused Tier 2 restricted CoS to employ people who are currently based outside the UK can be reclaimed after three months. This increases the availability of restricted CoS for employers with a Tier 2 Sponsorship licence.
The February Tier 2 Certificate of Sponsorship allocation meeting took place on 13 February, 2017. All valid applications lodged by 5 February were successful, provided they scored 21 points or more.
The breakdown of Tier 2 CoS for the month of February looks like this:
Number of Tier 2 Certificates of Sponsorship from annual limit set aside for allocation meeting in February. | 1,500 |
Balance of Certificates of Sponsorship carried over from previous month (January). | 1,287 |
Number of certificates returned during previous month (January). | 14 |
Number of certificates reclaimed as not used within three months. | 237 |
Number of certificates granted by exceptional consideration outside of monthly allocation during previous month (January). | 95 |
Total number of certificates assigned to Croatians in previous month (January). | 7 |
Total number of Certificates of Sponsorship available for allocation in February. | 2,936 |
Minimum point score for successful applications in February. | 21 |
Total number of Certificates of Sponsorship granted in February. | 1,767 |
Tier 2 (General – New hires under £155,300). | 1,756 |
Tier 2 (General – Tier 4 dependant switching to Tier 2). | 11 |
Balance of certificates of sponsorship carried over to March 2017. | 1,169 |
Number of Certificates of Sponsorship available for allocation in March 2017. | 2,169 |
The next UK Visas and Immigration allocation meeting took place on 13 March, 2017 and will indicate the number of Tier 2 CoS that will be available for the month of April, 2017.
Workpermit.com can help with Tier 2 Visa Sponsorship Licences and Tier 2 Visas
If you need help with a Tier 2 Sponsorship Licence and Tier 2 Visa or would like help with complying with your Tier 2 Sponsorship Licence obligations workpermit.com can help. Call 0344 991 9222 for further details.
