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- 22 March 2010
Tier 4: Highly Trusted Sponsors scheme launched
The UK Border Agency (UKBA) today announced details of its new Highly Trusted Sponsor (HTS) scheme for Tier 4 of the Points Based System. HTS was one of the key changes to the system following the recommendations of the Tier 4 Review which were published on 10 February 2010.
In a letter to Tier 4 sponsors Monday, Neil Hughes, Director of Temporary Migration at UKBA, explained that the HTS was a new category of licence for "those sponsors who can demonstrate the highest levels of compliance with their sponsor obligations and who have a proven track record of recruiting genuine students who comply with the UK's immigration rules."
In effect, not only will Highly Trusted Sponsors be afforded a lighter touch monitoring by the Agency and the benefit of individual account management, but from 6 April 2010 they will be the only sponsors permitted to recruit visa students for courses at level 3 (A-level standard) or for courses below level 6 with a work placement element.
The criteria for becoming and remaining an HTS have been published on the UKBA website. Publicly funded institutions will automatically be transferred to the HTS register pending their application, while private institutions have until 30 April 2010 to apply. Provided that they meet this deadline, private institutions will continue to be able to recruit visa students to their current courses while their application is considered. UKBA has committed to process all such applications by 30 June 2010.
