Sponsorhip Licence For Churches & Charities in the UK
TIER 2 – Minister of Religion
TIER 5 – Religious Workers & Charity Worker
Sponsoring Minister of Religion, Religious workers or charity worker in the UK?
Let us help you with your Tier 2 or Tier 5 Sponsorship licence and certificate of sponsorship.
What is a Tier 2 Sponsorship Licence
Tier 2 for Ministers of Religion
From November 2008, any organisation that wishes to sponsor an overseas migrant under the points based system, must hold a sponsorship licence first.
If you do not have a sponsorship licence in place, you will be unable to transfer international employees to the UK, extend existing work permit holders, and/or make an application to employ a migrant from either inside or outside the UK.
Once the sponsorship licence has been granted an organization, it will then need to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship to any non-resident worker national it wishes to employ in the UK. The sponsored employee must then apply for a visa to enter the UK or to remain in the UK as a sponsored skilled worker under Tier 2..
The United Kingdom's Ministers of Religion immigration category will allow you to come to Britain to perform recognized religious duties. This will include preaching to a community and performing pastoral roles.
Before you apply under Tier 2 (Minister of religion), you must have:
- a sponsor; and
- a valid certificate of sponsorship.
If you are coming into the UK to perform pastoral duties
If you are already in the UK with permission to stay and want to switch into tier 2 (Minister of Religion)
If you are already in the UK as Minister of Religion and want to extend you permission to stay under tier 2 - Minister of Religion.
When you apply you are awarded points based on your:
- certificate of sponsorship:
- English language skills; and
- available maintenance (funds).
How long can you stay?
If you apply from outside the UK and you are given permission to come here as a minister of religion, you will be able to live and work in the UK for a maximum of three years plus one month, or the time given in your certificate of sponsorship plus one month, whichever time is shorter.
If you are already in the UK under a different category, you may be able to apply to switch into the Tier 2 (Minister of religion) category. If your application is approved, you will be able to live and work in the UK for a maximum of three years, or the time given in your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days.
ENTERING THE UK AS A CHARITY WORKER
The charity worker category is for people coming to the United Kingdom to do voluntary work for charity, which is not paid work. The work must be directly related to the work of your sponsor?s organisation.
ENTERING AS A RELIGIOUS WORKER
the religious worker category is for people coming to the United Kingdom to work temporarily as a religious worker. The work can be:
- preaching, pastoral work and non-pastoral work;
- work in the United Kingdom in the same way you are working in an overseas organisation (although your duties in the United Kingdom may be different). The job should be done during a break from your job overseas; or
- work in a religious order with community which involves a permanent commitment like a monastery or convent. The work in a religious order must be in the order itself or outside work directed by the order. You can apply if you are a novice whose training means taking part in the daily community life of the order.