RCOS for 2018/19:
demand continues to
outstrip supply

10 April 2018

As we reported last week, the demand for Tier 2 Restricted Certificates of Sponsorship (RCos) exceeded supply for the fourth consecutive month in March. This meant that a large number of skilled workers were denied employment in the UK.

In previous years, the Home Office has chosen to reset and front-load the annual number of RCoS available at the beginning of the financial year in April. This has relieved the pressure on the Tier 2 system in the past and satisfied ongoing demand from UK employers to fill specialist vacancies. But it appears that the limit will continue to be over-subscribed throughout 2018.

In the Home Office’s latest document offering guidance for sponsors, published this month for applications ‘on or after 6 April 2018’, there are no changes from last year’s allocation amounts. Given that the process continues to be oversubscribed, is this a missed opportunity to increase the overall limit?

How does it work?

A limited number of RCoS are made available to Tier 2 A-rated sponsors each year. The annual limit of 20,700 is divided into 12 monthly allocations as follows:

  APPLICATION PERIOD                      PROVISIONAL MONTHLY ALLOCATION

6 March-5 April 2018                                                     2,200

6 April-5 May                                                                  2,000

6 May-5 June                                                                   2,000

6 June-5 July                                                                   2,000

6 July-5 August                                                               2,000

6 August-5 September                                                   2,000

6 September-5 October                                                  1,500

6 October-5 November                                                  1,500

6 November-5 December                                               1,500

6 December-5 January 2019                                          1,500

6 January-5 February                                                      1,500

6 February-5 March                                                         1,000

Smith Stone Walters recommends…

…when you are planning your recruitment strategy, we advise that you make your RCoS applications without delay if possible, and certainly before September, when the allocation drops by 500 fewer each month.

Smith Stone Walters understands the complexity of the UK immigration processes, the legal requirements and the issues that cause problems. We will guide your company through every step, delivering support and advice on UK Immigration, including the work-sponsored Tier 2 schemes. For more information, click here. 

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