What is the Sponsored Researcher Scheme?

The Tier 5 (Sponsored Researcher) Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) scheme enables researchers, including academics, researchers, scientists, research engineers or other skilled research technology specialists, to come to the UK on a temporary basis, where they are hosted at a UK higher education institution (HEI).

The work or activities undertaken must never amount to what the Home Office terms ‘a genuine vacancy’. In accordance with the Home Office rules, the role must be over and above the University's normal staffing requirements, and the role would not be automatically refilled once the post holder leaves.

The researcher may be funded by their host, their overseas employer, or an independent UK or non-UK funding body. The researcher cannot be self-funded and must be in receipt of funding in line with, or above, the National Minimum Wage. Visitors under this scheme can come to the UK for a maximum of two years and will require a Certificate of sponsorship.

Who can use the scheme?

As an A-rated sponsor, Queen Mary University of London is able to sponsor individuals to undertake the following activities:

A formal research project or collaboration;

A period of work-based training/work experience/internship/placement;

Skill development/knowledge transfer;

A series of lectures, which doesn’t amount to a formal teaching post;

External examinations.

If your visitor is a PhD student they will need to apply for a Student visa. They will need to apply as an associate student and will require a CAS.

How does my visitor obtain sponsorship

In order to apply for a Tier 5 (GAE) visa the individual will require a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). This is an electronic document issued by the Home Office. It is the responsibility of the host department, not the individual, to request a Certificate of Sponsorship from Human Resources.

Each CoS request will be assessed by HR to ensure it meets the terms of the sponsored researcher scheme. To enable HR to process a request for a Tier 5 CoS the individual and department will need to provide additional supporting documents describing the purpose and length of the visit, information regarding the funding of the visit, and the individual’s personal information.

Documents required by Human Resources

To apply for a Tier 5 CoS, departments should supply the following information to their local HR team.

Completed and signed Tier 5 application form;

Letter from the individual’s employer confirming attendance at Queen Mary, dates, they are on sabbatical leave (if applicable) and the individual will return to employment; or

Letter from University confirming studies, dates and qualification

Scanned copy of individual’s passport – personal details page

Individual’s CV

Research plan/job description

Evidence of Funding

Recruitment information (if applicable)

This form is used to make an application for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for a sponsored researcher under Tier 5 of the points-based migration system. If a CoS is granted the individual can apply for Tier 5 Government Authorised Exchange visa for a maximum of two years.

You must show that the individual will be involved in supernumerary work, that the work is collaborative with another institution and benefits the University.

The University is legally obliged to inform UK Visa & Immigration about the activity of our sponsored workers. You must inform us immediately if the individual does not arrive in the UK as planned, has an unauthorised absence for more than 10 working days, if their involvement ends early, if any aspect of their role changes, or if their visa status changes whilst they are working with you.

How to complete the forms

There are four sections to the form that will need to be fully completed before we can issue a Certificate of Sponsorship.

Page 3. To be completed by the Department. Please provide information about what your visitor will be undertaking while they are in the UK.

Page 4. To be completed by the sponsored researcher. Please provide all of the information requested. This is essential to allow Human Resources to complete the Certificate of Sponsorship.

Page 5. Document Checklist. Please provide Human Resources with all of the documents on the checklist.

Page 6. Sponsorship Responsibilities. As above the University has a number of sponsorship responsibilities please read this section and confirm that you understand your obligations.

To be completed by the Department

Position Details
Job Title

Host Details
Name of Host / Line Manager	Email
Department	Faculty	Please Select
Statement about the research project, indicating how it is collaborative with an overseas institution, supplementary to the current research programme and therefore is a supernumerary position:

Sponsorship Details
Start Date	Click or tap to enter a date.	End Date (N.B. this cannot exceed 24 months)	Click or tap to enter a date.
Multiple entry visa required? (based overseas with regular entry to the UK):	Please Select	Total weekly hours of work
Main UK Work Address	Please Select
*If other, please add address
Additional UK Work Addresses

If department is contributing to pay, please detail:
Gross Pay	£	Frequency of Pay	Please Select
Gross Allowances	£	Frequency of Pay	Please Select
Cost code for salary payment

Payment Details for Certificate of Sponsorship
Each Certificate of Sponsorship costs £21. Please provide a Cost Code for online payment

Authorisation Details (to be completed by host department only)
Please confirm that you have read and understood the responsibilities that come with sponsoring a visitor under Tier 5 Government Authorised Exchange as noted on page 6.
I can confirm that I have read and understood the record-keeping responsibilities for Tier 5 visa holders.	☐
I can confirm that I have read and understood the reporting responsibilities for Tier 5 visa holders.	☐
I can confirm that I have read and understood the consequences of non-compliance with their record-keeping and reporting responsibilities for Tier 5 visa holders.	☐
Full Name	Date	Click or tap to enter a date.

To be completed by the Sponsored Researcher

Instructions

Please fully complete the below application form to enable Queen Mary to apply for a Certificate of Sponsorship. It is important that the information that you provide in this application is accurate; the Certificate of Sponsorship must match the information you provide to the Home Office in your visa application.

Eligibility

Human Resources cannot consider incomplete applications. Therefore, please ensure that you provide all of the required information.

Personal Details
Family Name
Given Name(s)
Other Names
Nationality
Date of Birth
Place of Birth
Country of Birth
Gender	Please Select
Country of Residence

Passport or Travel Document Details
Passport Number
Passport Issue Date
Passport Expiry Date
Place of Issue of Passport

Current Home Address
Address
Post Code
Country
Declaration
I can confirm that I have read and understood the reporting responsibilities for Government Authorised Exchange visa holders s noted on page 6.	☐
Full Name	Date	Click or tap to enter a date.

Please provide us with a scanned copy of the following supporting documents:
☐	Passport or Travel Document (Photo page)
☐	CV
☐	Highest Qualification Certificate (Translated into English as required, signed and dated to confirm that the original has been seen)
☐	Job description - must be detailed enough for a research SOC code to be assigned to it.
☐	Letter from School / Department to sponsored researcher confirming the arrangement between them and the sponsoring body, detailing the period involved and the placement at the University
☐	Letter from third party employing organisation/funding body confirming: Project Name That they will continue to employ you The date funding will start and end, amount of funds and allowances Names of individuals you will be collaborating with That you do not intend to stay in the UK beyond your visa

Document Checklist

Data Protection

The information supplied by you as part of the recruitment process will only be accessed by authorised persons at Queen Mary, University of London or its agents. The information will be retained by Queen Mary, University of London and will be used for the purpose of (a) processing your application, and (b) for compiling statistics, equalities monitoring and audit purposes.
By supplying such information you consent to Queen Mary, University of London storing the information for the stated purposes. The information is processed by Queen Mary, University of London in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Sponsorship under Tier 5 brings with it a number of responsibilities for both the University and the sponsored employee. We have a joint responsibility to ensure that we meet the legal obligations set out by the Home Office. This document has been created to provide an overview of these obligations.

Queen Mary’s Responsibilities

Queen Mary is obliged to hold a record of your right to work documents, your contact details, and your absence record. The university is also obliged to inform the Home Office of changes to the terms of your employment or any significant changes in your circumstances. We are obliged to report the below within 10 days:

If you fail to arrive on your first day of work or if the start date of your employment changes

If you are absent from work for more than 10 consecutive working days without permission

If we cease to sponsor you

If you move into another immigration category

If you take a period(s) of unpaid leave in excess of a total of 4 weeks in any calendar year (This will calculated according to your normal working pattern).

Any significant changes in circumstances e.g. promotion, salary, maternity, paternity, shared parental, adoption or long term sick leave (in excess of one month), work location, duration of employment contract or TUPE transfer

If we suspect that you are in breach of your leave conditions

Your Responsibilities

The Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) sets out the expectations of employment. This includes the employees’ primary place of work, job title, salary, and associated SOC code, as well as their start and end dates, and their personal details. The sponsored individual must keep the university informed of any changes to their status

Provide original documents that confirm your right to work in the UK as part of any initial and follow up verification checks.

If you are absent from work you need to notify your line manager, in line with the university’s leave and attendance policies and procedures.

If you are planning on working outside of the UK, you need to record the details of these absences on MYHR before you leave the country .This includes leave for conferences.

Advise us of any changes to your personal contact details.

Advise us of any change to your immigration status that might mean sponsorship is no longer required

Advise us if you wish to take any periods of special or unpaid leave. Any arrangements will need to take into consideration your sponsored leave conditions, in order to protect your Tier 5 status.

Advise us if you are intending on undertaking any supplementary employment in addition to your sponsored post.

As well as reporting this information to the University you are also required to report the following to UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) immediately, a lost, stolen or damaged BRP or changes to your address, personal details or circumstances. https://www.gov.uk/change-circumstances-visa-brp.

Declaration

I accept the responsibilities set out above and undertake to notify my HR department in writing immediately of any changes.

Signed ……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Name …………………………………………………………. Date ………………………..