UK Immigration Glossary

A fully compliant sponsor licence holder with the Home Office.

A fee charged by the Home Office for issuing a Sponsor Action Plan to address non-compliance.

A request to review a visa refusal decision.

A UK visa for Commonwealth citizens with a grandparent born in the UK.

Documents required when applying for a sponsor licence.

A person seeking protection as a refugee but whose claim is yet to be processed.

A key personnel role in managing a sponsor licence.

A temporary status for sponsor licences that require corrective actions outlined in an action plan.

A physical card proving an individual's right to stay in the UK.

A status allowing individuals to live and work in the UK permanently.

A visa for BN(O) status holders from Hong Kong to live and work in the UK.

When the Home Office cancels or shortens a person’s permission to stay in the UK.

A document confirming receipt of an immigration application.

An electronic document issued by a sponsor to a worker via the Sponsorship Management System.

The cost associated with assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship.

Reporting significant changes to the Home Office.

A check to confirm whether a sponsor is complying with their sponsor duties.

A Home Office official who assesses sponsor licence holders to ensure they meet required standards.

A physical inspection by the Home Office to assess sponsorship compliance.

The requirement to live in the UK for a set period without long absences.

The waiting period before reapplying for a visa.

The two types of CoS available to sponsors.

A CoS for workers applying for a Skilled Worker visa from outside the UK.

A visa for family members of a Skilled Worker visa holder.

A remote compliance check conducted via digital verification and video conferencing.

A list of required documents for issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).

A scheme allowing EU nationals to stay in the UK post-Brexit.

A visa or document providing evidence of a person’s eligibility to enter the UK.

A visa for highly skilled individuals in the arts, sciences, and tech.

A visa category including Senior or Specialist Worker, Graduate Trainee, UK Expansion Worker, Service Supplier, and Secondment Worker.

A requirement for British citizenship applicants to prove they have not committed serious crimes.

A Skilled Worker visa for the health and care sector.

How to contact the Home Office for immigration matters.

A person residing in the UK without legal immigration status.

A temporary release granted to people detained under immigration control.

The list of shortage occupation roles.

A fee paid by employers when sponsoring workers.

grant of settlement (after entry) to a non-EEA national.

Individuals appointed by the sponsor to manage sponsorship duties, including Authorising Officer and Level 1 Users.

Permission granted at the UK border to enter the country.

Permission to stay in the UK for a specific period.

A penalty imposed by the Home Office, reducing a sponsor licence from an A-rating to a B-rating due to non-compliance.

A simulated inspection of a sponsor's systems and processes, designed to assess compliance with Home Office regulations and prepare them for a formal audit.

A visa condition preventing access to UK benefits and public services.

A person who remains in the UK beyond the expiry of their visa.

Legal authorisation to enter the UK, sometimes referred to as 'leave to enter'.

Legal authorisation to remain in the UK after initial entry.

A rationalisation of 80 existing immigration control processes for persons working and studying in the UK into 5 'tiers'. Phased implementation began in February 2008. See the definitions for the individual tiers, Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, Tier 4 and Tier 5 for further information.

A criminal offence that may impact an individual’s ability to be sponsored.

An immigration status allowing an individual to live in the UK without restrictions.

A check required by UK employers to verify an employee's legal right to work.

An individual responsible for managing a sponsor licence via the Sponsor Management System (SMS).

A code used to classify occupations for visa sponsorship.

A person with Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or permanent residence in the UK.

Permission to stay in the UK permanently, also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).

The main work visa route for skilled roles in the UK.

A document issued by the Home Office outlining specific compliance actions a sponsor must take to retain or restore their licence.

A licence required to hire Skilled Worker visa applicants.

The process of applying for a licence to sponsor skilled workers.

Required documents for obtaining a sponsor licence.

The responsibilities of employers holding a UK sponsor licence.

Fees associated with applying for a Sponsor Licence.

A unique number assigned to a licensed sponsor by the Home Office.

The time it takes for the Home Office to process a sponsor licence application.

The process of renewing an existing UK sponsor licence.

The cancellation of a sponsor licence due to non-compliance.

An online system used by licensed sponsors to manage their sponsorship duties.

The minimum income needed to sponsor a spouse or partner.

Regulations that protect employees' rights when a business or service they work for changes ownership.

Permission for a person to stay in the UK temporarily while their immigration status is decided.

For highly skilled individuals who can contribute to growth and productivity.

For skilled workers from outside the EEA with a job offer to fill gaps in UK labour force.

: For limited numbers of low skilled workers needed to fill specific temporary labour shortages (currently suspended).

Students

Youth mobility and temporary workers: people allowed to work in the UK for a limited period of time to satisfy primarily non-economic objectives.

The agency responsible for immigration and customs control at UK borders.

a possible route of entry to work and/or settle in the UK for Commonwealth citizens without Right of Abode if they can show that they have a grandparent who was born in the UK.

An operational division of the Home Office responsible for processing visas and immigration applications.

A CoS for workers already in the UK switching to a Skilled Worker visa.

A tool to estimate visa costs.

A person who requires a visa before traveling to the UK.

A visa allowing entry to the UK for tourism, business, or short-term study.