International Recruitment Support from Oxfordshire County Council

Councils can provide additional information to UKVI to support certificate of sponsorship applications submitted by ASC providers in their area. This additional level of assurance has been developed in collaboration with DHSC, Home Office, UKVI, and ADASS.

Designed to facilitate applications for undefined CoS in instances where international recruits have been affected by a sponsorship licence revocation and need to be supported into alternative, appropriate employment within the sector (eg; through the SESCA displaced worker project).

A provider operating in Oxfordshire wishing to obtain a supporting letter will need to submit the details of their application to the Quality Improvement Team and ask for a letter of support for their CoS application.

Supporting information submitted presents a view, not an endorsement, of any application and is intended to aid UKVI to make a final decision.

In deciding whether to support providers in obtaining sponsorship licenses via UKVI, the Council will consider:

• the provider needs to be CQC registered in Oxfordshire
• have at least 10 active care packages/ placements in an active framework
• have worked with Oxfordshire County Council for at least 2 years
• there must be no ongoing concerns, especially around treatment of the workforce 
• the provider must have been reviewed by a QI officer within the past 12 months
• whether the nos. of CoS requested is reasonable given the nos. of people supported and staff currently employed

Requirements put in place to ensure high-quality care provision and safeguarding of service users and staff. Council will retain discretion over whether to submit a letter of support.

Once Council is content to submit letter of support to UKVI, letter goes to the Home Office and UKVI will expedite applications submitted by providers that match to letters of support received.