Guidance

Becoming a Skilled Worker (formally Tier 2) Visa Sponsor

Becoming a Tier 2 Visa Sponsor

Did you know that if you wanted to recruit a GP from outside the EU, it is highly likely they will require a Skilled Worker (formally Tier 2) visa and that you will need to sponsor them.

This ensures:

  • The Home Office knows they have secured a job in the UK; and
  • That an employer is able to take responsibility for them while they are here.

To do this, GP practices will need a sponsorship licence.  This process is NOT complex but the guidance around it is and can be very off-putting.  This is because the official Home Office guidance needs to cover every sector in the economy, along with every possible scenario.

This guide is a simplified version that should help you:

  • Complete the online registration process; and
  • Identify the right documents you’ll need to send to the Home Office as part of your registration.

Please note, we have only provided guidance on the questions which we think will be the most difficult to answer, not the entire application form.

This guidance does not replace official Home Office guidance, but should help you get through the registration process with ease.

This BMA Guidance will assist you with the process.

First Published
7 April 2022
Updated On
12 March 2025
Due to be Reviewed
6 April 2025
Not signed in.

Please Login or Register an account to access the ability to favourite this.
Share this article

You might also find this useful...

GPs offering Private Services
GPs offering Private Services
1 April 2025
We are receiving a number of enquiries from practices regarding offering private services. The article below seeks to explain the contractual limitations practices face when seeking to offer private services.…
Cont. Reading
GPC England Regional Elections
GPC England Regional Elections
31 March 2025
Voting is open for the election of GPC England Regional Representative. Members will be elected to serve out the remainder of a three-year term. There is one seat open for…
Cont. Reading
GP contract 2025/26 documents published
GP contract 2025/26 documents published
31 March 2025
Following the letter NHS England sent to general practice on 27 February outlining the contract arrangements for 2025/26, new and updated specifications and guidance have been published for contractors today. The…
Cont. Reading