Becoming a skilled worker visa sponsor: guide for GP practices

Introduction to becoming a sponsor

Introduction

This guidance covers applications to the Home Office for independent General Practice contractors looking to apply for a for a license to employ and sponsor individuals on (formerly Tier 2) and Temporary Worker (formerly Tier 5) immigration routes.

Becoming a Sponsor

If the practice intends to recruit a GP from outside the UK and they are not a 'settled worker' or if the practice intends to recruit a UK medical graduate switching from a Tier 4 visa, they are likely to need a Skilled Worker visa and the practice will need to provide sponsorship. (The Skilled Worker visa replaced the Tier 2 (General) visa from 1 December 2020.)

This ensures:

1. The Home Office knows they have secured a job in the UK; and

2. That an employer is able to take responsibility for them while they are working in the UK.

To do this, practices will need a sponsorship licence.

This guide will help you to:

1. Complete the online registration process; and

2. Identify the right documents you will need to send to the Home Office as part of your registration.

Please note, guidance only covers the questions which require a specific response from practices, and not the entire application form.

This guidance does not replace official Home Office sponsor guidance, and has been developed specifically for independent general practices in Scotland.

To note: The Practice does not need to provide sponsorship to EU, EEA or Swiss citizens with status under the EU Settlement Scheme; Irish citizens; people with 'indefinite leave to remain' in the UK, or people who have another type of immigration permission to work. For full guidance on who needs to be sponsored, see Section S1 of Part 2: Sponsor a worker