In the United Kingdom the PBS Sponsorship system is used to decide who will and won’t enter the country. This is a system that is based on points. It is used by any person who wants to sponsor an individual i.e. bring that person into the country to work. The sponsor must apply for permission which is granted in the form of a licence. There are two kinds of sponsors, either A or B. This is for those who want to sponsor individuals who are not EU nationals. The application for a sponsorship licence must be made to the Border Immigration Agency. Once a licence is granted, the sponsor has the full responsibility of making certain all the requirements of the Agency are constantly upheld.
Depending on how much ‘risk’ is involved in the application of the sponsor, most will be graded with an A rather than a B. If a sponsor is not keeping up with the requirements of the Border Immigration Agency then he or she can be demoted from an A to a B. In such a case the sponsor who has been demoted is allowed to give his or her side of the story. The demoted party will be afforded the chance to get back their A grade in a set time period.
Businesses, organisations or individuals who do not comply with the regulations can be treated as criminal or civil. It will depend on the situation. These regulations protect the sponsor as well as the employees. It is a criminal offence to ‘knowingly’ provide employment to migrant workers illegally. A sponsor can be fined or be given a prison sentence of up to two years.