Tier 2 of the Points Based System is the work permit category, generally used by businesses wanting to employ non-EU workers. Before embarking on the visa process, an employer must have what is known as a Tier 2 sponsor licence in place. This enables the employer to issue worker authorisations in the form of certificates of sponsorship (CoS) to workers who are not EU citizens. The workers then use the CoS to apply for their UK visa.
An employer can acquire a sponsor licence to allow them to sponsor workers for three types of Tier 2 visas:
Tier 2 (General)
Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer)
Tier 2 (Minister of Religion)
There are additional Tier 2 routes for elite sportsmen and women. This operates slightly differently, as the sponsor is not always the employer.
Tier 2 is not an option for low-skilled work. The minimum skill level has been raised repeatedly by the government. For the Tier 2 (General) and Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) routes, the applicant must be applying for a role which is at level 6 on the Regulated Qualifications Framework. This means it must be a job where the worker needs a degree.