Five Star International

Five Star International Five Star International is an immigration services provider with over 20 years of experience. O.I.S.C Regulation Number: F202100287
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Do you need to tell the Home Office if you are a Skilled Worker taking on extra work? 🚨Usually, no - not if the extra ro...
20/04/2026

Do you need to tell the Home Office if you are a Skilled Worker taking on extra work? 🚨

Usually, no - not if the extra role qualifies as supplementary employment under the Immigration Rules.

You do not normally need a new visa or a new CoS, but your additional employer must still carry out a full right to work check.

To protect your status, make sure:

- You have a valid Skilled Worker permission.
- The extra work is no more than 20 hours per week.
- It is done outside your normal working hours for your sponsored job.
- The role meets the current Home Office rules for supplementary employment.

If the extra work does not meet those rules, you may need further immigration permission before starting it.

For more information, contact our immigration specialists at Five Star 👉 https://shorturl.at/gZCtO

What are the key responsibilities of those managing a Sponsor Licence? 🫡There are various key responsibilities, includin...
15/04/2026

What are the key responsibilities of those managing a Sponsor Licence? 🫡

There are various key responsibilities, including:

📄 Record-keeping and reporting changes via SMS
⚖️ Compliance with immigration rules and wider UK law
🔎 Monitoring sponsored workers
🇬🇧 Cooperating with the Home Office
🤝 Internal training and support
Be aware that failure to fulfil these responsibilities can result in serious consequences for your organisation.

Find out more about sponsor licence management here 👉 https://shorturl.at/EubAt

Need help managing your Sponsor Licence? 🤝At Five Star, we support organisations with Sponsor Licence management and com...
13/04/2026

Need help managing your Sponsor Licence? 🤝

At Five Star, we support organisations with Sponsor Licence management and compliance, helping them meet their Home Office duties and avoid the risks associated with a downgraded, suspended, or revoked licence.

The Sponsor Management System (SMS) is the key online system used by Sponsor Licence holders to assign Certificates of Sponsorship, report changes, and manage sponsorship activity.

Our immigration specialists can help your business use the Sponsor Management System effectively and stay on top of its Sponsor Licence compliance duties.

Find out more about how we can help here 👉 https://shorturl.at/EubAt

What is an eVisa? 💻An eVisa is a digital record of your immigration status and the conditions of your permission to ente...
10/04/2026

What is an eVisa? 💻

An eVisa is a digital record of your immigration status and the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK.

eVisas are replacing physical immigration documents, including:

✅ Biometric residence permits (BRP).
✅ Biometric residence cards (BRC).
✅ Passport endorsements, including the indefinite leave to enter wet-ink stamp.
✅ Vignette stickers in passports, including entry clearance or a visa vignette sticker.

Are you looking for more information on eVisas? Trust our experts at Five Star!

Find out all you need to know here 👉 https://shorturl.at/N0Ipd

What is a Certificate of Sponsorship?A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is an electronic record, not a physical document...
09/04/2026

What is a Certificate of Sponsorship?

A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is an electronic record, not a physical document. It is assigned by a UK licensed sponsor to a worker who needs sponsorship for a visa application.

A CoS includes key details of the sponsored role, such as:

🧑‍💻 The job role and occupation code
💰 The proposed salary
🏢 The sponsoring employer

For a Skilled Worker visa, a valid assigned CoS is a mandatory requirement. The applicant must include the CoS reference number in their visa application, and the details on the CoS must accurately reflect the role being sponsored.

If the CoS is invalid, expired, or incorrectly assigned, the visa application is likely to be refused.

If you require advice on sponsorship or assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship, speak to the team at Five Star for professional guidance 👉 https://tinyurl.com/3yvmbk2c

How long does a UK Skilled Worker visa application take? ⏰Processing times for a Skilled Worker visa vary depending on w...
08/04/2026

How long does a UK Skilled Worker visa application take? ⏰

Processing times for a Skilled Worker visa vary depending on where the application is made.

Typical decision timeframes are:

🌎 Applications made outside the UK are usually decided within 3 weeks
🇬🇧 Applications made within the UK are usually decided within 8 weeks

Priority and super-priority services may be available in some cases for an additional fee, though availability varies by application type and location.

Decisions can take longer if supporting documents are missing or incomplete, the Home Office requests further information, or additional checks are required.

Thorough preparation and careful document review can help reduce the risk of avoidable delays.

If you require guidance with your application, speak to the specialists at Five Star for professional support and advice 👉 https://tinyurl.com/yh7s887t

Who can qualify as a New Entrant under the Skilled Worker visa?Some Skilled Worker applicants may be eligible to be spon...
03/04/2026

Who can qualify as a New Entrant under the Skilled Worker visa?

Some Skilled Worker applicants may be eligible to be sponsored on a lower salary threshold as a New Entrant, provided they meet the relevant Immigration Rules.

You may qualify as a New Entrant if, for example:

🎂 You are under 26 on the date of application
🎓 You are applying from the Student or Graduate route, or were last granted permission in one of those routes and meet the relevant rules
📘 You are working towards a recognised professional qualification in a UK regulated profession
🏅 You are working towards full registration or chartered status in the job for which you are being sponsored
🔬 You are being sponsored for certain postdoctoral roles

The New Entrant provisions are intended to support eligible early-career workers by allowing sponsorship at a lower salary level than the standard Skilled Worker threshold, provided all other requirements are met.

It is important to note that New Entrant status is time-limited. It can generally only be relied on for a maximum of 4 years in total, including time previously spent on the Graduate route where relevant. After that, the standard Skilled Worker salary requirements will usually apply.

Find out more here 👉 https://tinyurl.com/49nt2jwx

Three common mistakes to avoid when applying for a Skilled Worker visa ❌ When applying for a Skilled Worker visa, many a...
02/04/2026

Three common mistakes to avoid when applying for a Skilled Worker visa ❌

When applying for a Skilled Worker visa, many applicants get refused due to common, avoidable mistakes.
Here are three common issues we see:

1️⃣ Incorrect salary level: The salary must meet the minimum threshold.
2️⃣ Incorrect job classification (SOC code): Choosing the wrong occupation code can lead to refusal.
3️⃣ Sponsor compliance issue: If the sponsor does not meet Home Office requirements, the application may fail.

Careful preparation is essential when applying for a Skilled Worker visa.

Are you applying for a Skilled Worker visa and looking for some guidance and support? Speak to Five Star today 👉 https://shorturl.at/KGKXJ

Can my employer sponsor me to work in the UK? 🤔Not every UK employer can sponsor a Skilled Worker visa.To sponsor a work...
31/03/2026

Can my employer sponsor me to work in the UK? 🤔

Not every UK employer can sponsor a Skilled Worker visa.

To sponsor a worker, an employer must usually:

🇬🇧 Hold a valid Home Office sponsor licence
💼 Offer an eligible role that meets the required skill level
💰 Pay a salary that meets the relevant Skilled Worker salary requirements
📄 Assign a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)

If your employer does not yet have a sponsor licence, they may be able to apply for one.

It is also important to remember that sponsorship by an employer does not, by itself, guarantee that a visa will be granted. The worker must still meet the relevant visa requirements.

If you are exploring UK sponsorship and want to understand your options, speak to the expert team at Five Star today 👉 https://shorturl.at/FGvF3

Skilled Worker vs New Entrant - what’s the difference? 🤔If you’re looking to work in the UK, you may have come across th...
27/03/2026

Skilled Worker vs New Entrant - what’s the difference? 🤔

If you’re looking to work in the UK, you may have come across these two terms. Here’s a simple breakdown:

Skilled Worker - this is the main visa route for people coming to the UK to work in an eligible sponsored role.

New Entrant - this is not a separate visa. It is a salary discount category within the Skilled Worker route for certain eligible applicants, such as some younger workers, recent graduates and those switching from the Student or Graduate route.

So what’s the key difference?

The main difference is that a New Entrant may be sponsored on a lower salary than the standard Skilled Worker threshold if they meet the relevant rules.

As of 4 April 2024:
Skilled Worker roles usually require a salary of at least £38,700 per year or the going rate for the occupation code, whichever is higher.
New Entrant roles usually require a salary of at least £30,960 per year and at least 70% of the going rate for the occupation code.
This lower salary option can help eligible early-career applicants access the Skilled Worker route.

However, New Entrant status is time-limited and can generally only be relied on for a maximum of 4 years.

Both Skilled Worker applicants and those relying on New Entrant provisions must still meet the other relevant requirements, including:
a valid Certificate of Sponsorship, an eligible job, the required English language standard and, where applicable, the financial requirement.

Find out more about the key differences here 👉 https://shorturl.at/ybbJP

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