Please complete this form when applying for a Certificate of Sponsorship and return it to the Staff Immigration Team along with the necessary supporting documents listed at the end of the form.

Signed applications should be sent via email to the Staff Immigration Team at: /

It is important that the information provided on the Certificate of Sponsorship application is accurate since this information must match the information provided by the applicant on their visa/leave to remain application.

It is not possible for the Staff Immigration Teamto consider incomplete applications. Therefore, please ensure that you provide all of the required information.

Will the applicant apply for their visa overseas, or for leave to remain from within the UK?*

* Note that applicants can only apply from within the UK if they hold a valid visa in a category that is eligible to switch into Tier 2. Seefor further information.

For applications from overseas only:
Has the applicant held any Tier 2 visas (with any employer) within the past twelve months?**

** Note that under the Tier 2 ‘Cooling Off Period’rules those from overseas who have held a Tier 2 visa within the past twelve months will not be eligible to return to the UK on another Tier 2 visa for at least twelve months aftereither their previous visa expired, or the earliest date from which they can provide evidence that they had left the UK and have not since returned.

Similarly, those applying from within the UK who have held a Tier 2 visa within the past twelve months but switched out of Tier 2 into a different immigration category (e.g. Tier 1 or Tier 4) will not be eligible to switch back on to a Tier 2 visa for at least twelve months after they switched out of Tier 2.

For applications from within the UK only:
Has the applicant held any Tier 2 visas (with any employer) within the past six years?***

***Note that the maximum permitted time on a Tier 2 visa is six years. Tier 2 visa holders wishing to stay in the UK longer than six years should apply for settlement, if they are eligible to do so.

Delays can be encountered when an applicant needs to take a Secure English Language Test (SELT) to meet the English Language requirement. Please confirm how the applicant will meet this requirement by listing the relevant number (1 – 4):

  1. National of English speaking country, OR
  2. Has an academic qualification awarded by a UK University, OR
  3. Has an academic qualification recognised by UK NARIC as having been taught in English at CEFR level B1and equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or above.The applicant must obtain a certificate from UK NARICin order to verify that the qualification is recognised. UK NARIC will charge a fee for this The applicant will have to apply for the certificate through the NARIC website: nationality/, OR
  4. Has passed an approved English language test at an approved centre with at least CEFR level B1 in reading, writing, speaking & listening(see the Home Office’s website for the list of approved English language test providers and centres), OR
  5. Has met the English language requirement when applying for previous leave (visa)(such as a Tier 1(General), Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur), Tier 2 (General) after 6 April 2011, or Tier 4 where the Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) was assigned after 21 April 2011).

Further information on the English Language requirement and the list of English speaking countries whose nationals automatically meet the requirement can be foundon the Home Office website at:

NB: either ‘Academic’ or ‘General’ English tests are acceptable but they must be sat at an approved centre

Departments/ colleges should normally certify the maintenance requirement on behalf of the applicant and their dependantsin order that theydo not have to submit bank statements with their visa application.

By doing so, the employing department/ college is certifying that they will, if necessary, maintain and accommodate the applicant(to a minimum value of £945) and their dependants (to a minimum value of £630 each) for the first month of employment. Please confirm how the applicant will meet the maintenance requirementby listing the relevant number (1 – 3):

  1. Department/ college intends to certify maintenance on behalf of the main applicant (£945) AND dependants (£630 each);
  2. Department/ college intends to certify maintenance on behalf of the main applicant (£945) but NOT for their dependants;
Bank statements will be submitted by the applicant to evidence that £630 for each dependant has been held for a consecutive 90 day period ending no more than 31 days before the visa application is submitted.
  1. Department/ college does NOT intend to certify maintenance on behalf of neither the main applicant NORtheir dependants.
Bank statements will be submitted by the applicant to evidence that £945 plus £630 for each dependant has been held for a consecutive 90 day period ending no more than 31 days before the visa application is submitted.

Please complete the following personal information in full. Please complete personal details as they appear in the applicant’s passport, where applicable.

Title (e.g. Dr, Mr, Mrs)
Last name
First name(s) – [incl. middle name(s)]
Other name(s) – [i.e. previous name(s)]
Nationality
City of birth
Country of birth
Date of birth
Gender
Passport number
Passport issue date(DD/MM/YYYY)
Passport expiry date(DD/MM/YYYY)
Passport place of issue (city / country)
Country of residence
This must be the country in which the application for the visa/leave to remain will be submitted.
If this is not the applicant’s home country please provide a copy of their visa.
Full residential address including post code / zip code/ area code
This must be in the country in which the application for the visa/leave to remain will be submitted.
Email address

There are a growing number of countries considered to have a high incidence of tuberculosis and if the applicant is resident in one of these countries and coming to the UK for longer than six months they must provide a valid medical certificate issued by a Home Office approved medical practitioner confirming that they have undergone screening for and have been diagnosed as being free from active pulmonary tuberculosis(TB).The list of countries affected, country-specific guidance in relation to the testing process, and the lists of approved testing clinics in each country are found on the Home Office website at:

It is important that applicants from countries where TB pre-screening is required are tested as soon as possible in advance of their application it can be difficult to obtain an appointment. If additional tests and/or treatment is required this will significantly delay their application to come to the UK.

NB: where TB pre-screening is required only tests from approved clinics can be relied upon.

Will the applicant be required to provide a medical certificateconfirming they have been screened for and are free from active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) (please confirm Yes/No)
UK National Insurance number (if applicable)
National ID card number (if applicable)
Start date (DD/MM/YYYY)
The start date of the CoS must be the start date of the job (except where the applicant is switching from Tier 4 and has already commenced the employment).
Please give a date in the future. It is not possible to backdate a CoS.
The start date detailed should be realistic.If an overseas applicant’s start date is delayed by more than 28 days sponsorship would have to be withdrawn. / Please note: higher minimum salary thresholds affect applicants who are ‘Experienced Workers’ with effect from 24 November 2016 and April 2017, see next page.
Required CoS end date (DD/MM/YYYY) *
Note that for a standard 3 year application a CoS can only be issued for three years, or the length of the contract,whichever is the shorter period.
For anover 3 year applicationa CoS can be issued for five years, or the length of the contract, whichever is the shorter period.
Please indicate the end date accordingly.
* NB the maximum permitted time on a Tier 2 visa is six years for those who entered Tier 2 on or after 6 April 2011. Tier 2 visa holders wishing to stay in the UK longer than six years should apply for settlement, if eligible to do so.
I confirm that this applicant has been made aware that they and their dependants will have to pay the ‘NHS Surcharge’. As this is a significant addition to the visa fee, based on the duration of the visa, it may affect the decision of the length of visa applied for.
For further details, see:

Does the applicant require multiple entry to the UK for work purposes?
Applicants who will be required to travel overseas for work purposes (such as to attend conferences or conduct fieldwork) will require a multiple entry visa. Those who will only travel overseas for domestic and leisure purposes do not require a multiple entry visa.
Total weekly hours of work
Note that if working part-time hours the pro-rata salary must meet the Tier 2 minimum salary threshold,and as for ‘Experienced Workers’†this is£30,000p.a. part-time work is no longer be possible in most cases
Full work address in the UK including postcode
Other regular UK work address(es)
Job title (must match the advertised job title and contract)
Main duties e.g. conducting experiments, analysing and publishing results, teaching (maximum 700 characters)
The Home Office does not view University research and University teaching as the same profession. Therefore, if a research post requires the holder to teach, or a teaching post requires the holder to conduct research, this must be noted in the job description on the CoS.
Overseas Criminal Records Certificates
A requirement to provide overseas criminal record certificates when applying outside of the UK has been introduced for a few jobs codes. The only job code identified as relevant to the collegiate University is SOC code 2317, used for senior administrative posts such as ‘Course Director’ or ‘Director of studies’.
SIT will confirm if the requirement applies in this case and assist applicants who are affected.Full details can be found:
Give registration details if there is a legal requirement for the applicant to be registered with a professional or other official organisation in the UK (e.g. GMC membership).
Is the applicant a ‘New Entrant’ or ‘Experienced Worker’? †(This determines the relevant minimum salary and job-specific salary thresholds as specified in the Codes of Practice)
Gross annual pay / £
Gross annual allowances / £
Description of allowances (e.g. £1000 per annum travel, £5000 per annum accommodation)

†‘New Entrants’ are:

  • graduates switching from Tier 1 (Post-study Work), Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) or Tier 4 into Tier 2 under the post-study provisions; and
  • anyone aged 25 or under on the date of their Tier 2 visa application.

‘Experienced Workers’ are:

  • anyone not switching into Tier 2 under the post-study provisions and aged 26 or over on the date of their Tier 2 visa application;
  • where a Tier 2 CoS is to be issued for longer than 3 years 1 month the ‘Experienced Worker’ threshold must be used even if the applicant would otherwise be considered as a ‘New Entrant’

PLEASE NOTE: Experienced Worker Tier 2 minimum salary threshold is £30,000 per annum.

Is the applicant a Tier 4 student visa holder who has successfully
  1. completed a UK recognised bachelor or postgraduate degree OR
  2. completed a minimum of 12 months study in the UK towards a UK PhD,
and who will apply from within the UK? (please confirm Yes/No. If Yes list 1 or 2)
If Yes, please remember to:
  • Provide a copy of a qualification certificate, academic transcript or academic reference, on the official headed paper of the awarding institution that confirms that the applicant has fully completed their studies (or for PhD students, that they have completed at least one academic year of their studies), and that their course was at least one academic year in length.
  • Remind them that they must inform their Tier 4 sponsor that they will be changing immigration status, i.e. switching to a Tier 2 visa.

Was the applicant sponsored by the UK Government, the applicant’s home government or an international scholarship agency within the past 12 months?(please confirm Yes/No)
If Yes, they must provide the organisation’s unconditional consent in writing, giving permission for them to remain in the UK without any limit on the length of their stay.
Is the applicant’s Tier 4 visa sponsored by the University of Oxford?(please confirm Yes/No)

If the applicant is switching from Tier 4 into Tier 2 they are exempt from the Home Office’s Tier 2 advertising requirements so please do not complete the Recruitment section of the form and continue to the Record-keeping and ReportingResponsibilitiessection instead.

Is the applicant any of the following? If yes, please indicate which by listing the relevant number (1 – 5):
  1. Anamed researcher on an externally funded granttaking up a supernumerary position.
  2. A Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur visa holder.
  3. Taking up an advertised, externally funded, supernumerary research position where the funding agreement between the University and the external organisation includes ‘objectively justified requirements that effectively prohibit any settled worker from undertaking the role’. This is a new category which could potentially be used for advertisedMarie Skłodowska-Curie research roles – please speak to SIT if you think this category is relevant.
  4. Transferring with a research group they have been working for the last 12 months, but where this is not considered to be a TUPE transfer. This is a new category likely to arise very infrequently but if you think this may be relevant please speak to SIT.
  5. Filling a post with an annual salary of more than £159,600 per annum.

If you have answered yes to any of the above other exemptionsfrom the Home Office’s Tier 2 advertising requirements please do not complete the Recruitment section of the form and continue to the Record-keeping and Reporting Responsibilitiessection instead.

Adverts used to support a Tier 2 CoS application for University research and/or teachingposts, and any post with an annual salary of £73,900 or more, must be advertised in TWO locations which both meet the Home Office's criteria for suitable media, as a minimum. Please note that the two locations do not need to be two different types of media and can be, for example, two different websites.Suitable locations include the University’s main vacancies web page and the Jobs.ac.uk website. There is no requirement to advertise these posts on JobCentre Plus.

Alladverts used to support a Tier 2 CoS application for other posts (e.g. administrative and IT posts) must have been placed on both (i) JobCentre Plus and (ii) either the University’s main vacancies web page, or one other place which meets the Home Office's criteria for suitable media, as a minimum.

Further information on the advertising requirements can be found at

Please give details of the recruitment exercise for this post below.

Advertisement 1:

Place of advertisement
Advertisement reference number
Date advert placed
Closing date
Advert contains (please tick to confirm):
If the advert does not contain all of the required criteria, a CoS cannot be requested. Please contact the Staff Immigration Team for further advice. / job title
main duties and responsibilities of the job
location(s)of the job
salary range and terms on offer
qualification(s) required
skills and experience needed
closing date for applications

Advertisement 2:

Place of advertisement
Advertisement reference number
Date advert placed
Closing date
Advert contains (please tick to confirm):
If the advert does not contain allof the required criteria, a CoS cannot be requested. Please contact the Staff Immigration Team for further advice. / job title
main duties and responsibilities of the job
location(s)of the job
salary range and terms on offer
qualification(s) required
skills and experience needed
closing date for applications
THIS QUESTION DOES NOT NEED TO BE ANSWERED FOR UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND/OR TEACHING POSTS, OR ANY POST WITH AN ANNUAL SALARY OF £73,900 OR MORE.
Is the department/college satisfied that their recruitment search did not identify any suitable resident workers for the post?
Is the department/college satisfiedthat they hold the following documentation on file?
  • All applications shortlisted for final interview in the medium in which they were received (e.g. emails, application form, cv)
  • The names and total number of applicants short-listed for final interview
  • Notes from the final interviews conducted
  • Documented reasons why each rejected EEA national who attended a final interview was not employed. Reasons must directly relate to the essential selection criteria for the post.

Departments and colleges employing applicants on Tier 2 (General) visas have a number of record-keeping and reporting responsibilities. The consequences of non-compliance with these duties, including reporting details late, are potentially severe for the University.

Departments and colleges can view their record-keeping and reporting responsibilities at

Our Tier 2 & Tier 5 Changes & Leavers Form should be used to report any changes in circumstances for Tier 2 and Tier 5 visa holders to the Staff Immigration Team within 5 working days after the changes take effect in order that they can be reported to the Home Office as required.