Governing Body Endorsements

Overview
Requirements
Application Process
Appendices

Section 1: overview of governing body endorsements for Tier 2 (Sportsperson) and Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) Creative and Sporting categories of the points-based system

This guidance is to be used for all Tier 2 and Tier 5 governing body endorsement requests made on or after the 1 October 2019.

This page provides a brief explanation of what endorsement requirements apply in respect of the Tier 2 (Sportsperson) and/or Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) Creative and Sporting categories of the points-based system.

The Tier 2 (Sportsperson) category is for elite sportspeople and coaches who are internationally established at the highest level and whose employment will make a significant contribution to the development of their sport at the highest level in the UK, and who will base themselves in the UK; and the post cannot be filled by a suitable settled worker.

The Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) - Creative and Sporting category is for sportspeople (and their entourage where appropriate) and coaches (who must be suitably qualified to fulfil the role in question) who are internationally established at the highest level in their sport, and/or will make a significant contribution to the development of their sport in the UK; and the post cannot be filled by a suitable settled worker.

The application process explained: Migrants applying to come to the UK under either of the sporting categories above need to be sponsored by an organisation that has a sponsor licence under Tier 2 (Sportsperson) or Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) Creative and Sporting.

If you wish to sponsor such migrants, you must have a sponsor licence. Before you apply to the Home Office for a licence you must be endorsed by the approved governing body for your sport. This endorsement confirms to the Home Office that the application for a licence is from a genuine sports club (or equivalent) that has a legitimate requirement to bring migrants to the UK as sportspeople. Once licensed, you can assign certificates of sponsorship to a sportsperson or coach with a job offer that allows them to apply for leave to enter or remain in the UK. Each individual must also have a personal endorsement from the approved governing body for their sport before you assign the certificate of sponsorship.

An approved governing body is one specified in Appendix M of the Immigration Rules. Such a governing body must be recognised by one of the home country sports councils such as Sport England, and will have been approved by the Home Office before being included in Appendix M of the Immigration Rules.

Approved governing bodies will work within the Home Office code of practice for sports governing bodies and must comply with any immigration regulations, UK legislation and the principles of the Points Based System as detailed on the GOV.UK website.

Length of endorsement

Governing body endorsements should be issued for a period appropriate to the period of approval for sponsorship or the tier under which the migrant’s application is being made, that is:

Type	Tier	Length of endorsement
Sponsor	Tier 2 (Sportsperson) and/or Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) Creative and Sporting	4 years from date of issue
Migrant	Tier 2 (Sportsperson)	For an initial maximum period of 3 years, with a further extension of a maximum period of 3 years. If the contract is for fewer than 3 years, it will be issued for the length of the contract.
Sponsor	Tier 5 (Creative and Sporting)	For the length of the contract or up to a maximum of twelve months, whichever is the shorter period.

Change of employment

If a migrant is intending to change employer, their new employer must request a new governing body endorsement. The endorsement can be issued for the length of the contract or to the maximum period permitted within the category, whichever is the shorter. The new employer must assign a new certificate of sponsorship to the migrant to allow them to apply to the Home Office for new leave to remain. Leave to remain must be granted before the migrant can start work with the new employer.

Supplementary Employment

Tier 2 and Tier 5 migrants are eligible to undertake supplementary employment under the Home Office supplementary employment regulations. The ‘Supplementary employment’ section of the Tiers 2 and 5: Guidance for sponsors has more information on this.

Section 2: Requirements

This page explains BaseballSoftballUK (BSUK) requirements under the Tier 2 (Sportsperson) and Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) Creative and Sporting categories. The requirements are effective from 1 October 2019.

Consultation

The following requirements have been agreed by the Home Office following consultation with BaseballSoftballUK (BSUK), who has consulted with the development agency for baseball and softball in the UK along with the British Baseball Federation (BBF) and British Softball Federation (BSF).

Review

The requirements will be reviewed biennially. The next review will be in October 2020.

Length of season

The season for baseball and softball runs throughout the year.

Requirements

The table below shows the endorsement requirements for sponsors and migrants.

Category	Requirement
Sponsor Tier 2 (Sportsperson) and or Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) Creative and Sporting	Governing body endorsements will only be accepted from: • BSUK • British Baseball Federation (BBF) • British Softball Federation (BSF)
Migrant Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) Creative and Sporting	Coach	Governing body endorsements for an individual will be issued if they meet the following criteria: BSUK must be provided with written details of the proposed role to be undertaken by the coach BSUK must be provided with a cv and 2 references and such other supporting documentation as it may require to evidence the applicant’s coaching experience and qualifications and enable it to judge the applicant’s suitability for the role in question previous experience must be at club or high school head coach level or above applicants will hold National Coaching qualifications at Level 3 or above or equivalent to level 3, BSUK will carry out an assessment to determine this applicants from countries where coaching qualifications are not available will be assessed by BSUK arrangements judged suitable by BSUK must be in place for a disclosure and barring (DBS) check and other welfare checks of the applicant’s suitability where relevant arrangements judged suitable by BSUK must be in place to ensure the applicant will receive training equivalent to that at BSUK Level 3 in Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults before commencing any work with children or vulnerable adults confirmation must be given by the sponsoring employer that the wider requirements of UK law will be met in connection with the employment of the migrant Suspensions In order to obtain the governing body endorsement, the individual must not be subject to a provisional suspension or any unexpired period of ineligibility from playing and/or coaching activities in any jurisdiction as a result of being charged with or found guilty of a corruption offence and/or a doping offence and/or another misconduct offence.
Tier 2 (Sportsperson)	Coach	Governing body endorsements for an individual will be issued if they meet the following criteria: applicants must hold a coaching qualification at, or equivalent to BSUK level 3, BSUK will carry out an assessment to determine this applicants from countries where coaching qualifications are not available will be assessed by BSUK BSUK must be provided with written details of the terms and conditions of employment of the proposed post and evidence that such terms are comparable to those a UK applicant would be offered for the same or a similar post BSUK must be provided with details of the efforts made to fill the post from within the EEA BSUK must be provided with a cv and 2 references and such other supporting documentation as it may require to evidence requirements as above applicants should have a minimum of 3 years technical coaching experience at World Level and provide evidence of delivering finalists at World Level (Senior) and have coached within the last 2 years arrangements judged suitable by BSUK must be in place for a disclosure and barring (DBS) check and other welfare checks of the applicant’s suitability where relevant arrangements judged suitable by BSUK must be in place to ensure the applicant will receive training equivalent to that at BSUK Level 3 in Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults before commencing work with children or vulnerable adults confirmation must be given by the sponsor that the wider requirements of UK law will be met in connection with the employment of the migrant Suspensions In order to obtain the governing body endorsement, the individual must not be subject to a provisional suspension or any unexpired period of ineligibility from playing and/or coaching activities in any jurisdiction as a result of being charged with or found guilty of a corruption offence and/or a doping offence and/or another misconduct offence.

Further information

This information is available on the BaseballSoftballUK website at www.baseballsoftballuk.com or for download here.
For any queries relating to the requirements or the endorsement process please contact:

John Boyd
CEO
BaseballSoftballUK
Marathon House
190 Great Dover Street
London SE1 4YB

Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7453 7055
Email: john.boyd@bsuk.com

Information on visas and immigration is available on the GOV.UK website.

Dispute handling procedures

Any challenge to a decision of BSUK under this policy must be made under BSUK’s points based immigration system appeal policy, attached as Appendix E. No other challenge to any decision will be entertained.

Section 3: Process for applying for an endorsement

How to apply for governing body endorsements for Tier 2 (Sportsperson) and Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) Creative and Sporting sponsor applications

The application forms referenced below can be found on the Appendices tab of this section.

Member/Partner Organisations eligible for Tier 2 (Sportsperson) sponsor licence governing body endorsement should use the Application Form: Appendix A.

Member / Partner Organisations eligible for Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) Creative and Sporting sponsor licence governing body endorsement should use the Application Form: Appendix B.

All potential sponsors should note that the purpose of an endorsement for a prospective sponsor is to confirm to the Home Office officials processing sponsor applications that the application is from a bona fide sports club or equivalent that has a legitimate requirement to bring migrants to the UK as sportspeople. The Home Office has additional criteria for sponsors that must be met for a Member / Partner Organisation to be granted a sponsor licence. It is not BSUK who will grant a sponsor licence.

There is an administration fee of £50 for each governing body endorsement for sponsor licences.

How to apply for governing body endorsements for Tier 2 (Sportsperson) and Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) Creative and Sporting migrant applications

Once a Member / Partner Organisation has obtained a sponsor licence from the Home Office, the sponsor will be able to apply for Certificates of Sponsorship, which it will allocate to migrants coming here to work. Each migrant that a Member / Partner Organisation wishes to employ needs to be assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship. However, before a Member / Partner Organisation can assign a Certificate of Sponsorship to a sportsperson, they will also have to obtain an endorsement from BSUK for all applications made for individual sportspeople and coaches.

Tier 2 Member / Partner Organisations should use Appendix C: Tier 2 Migrant Governing Body Endorsement Application Form.

Tier 5 Member / Partner Organisations should use Appendix D: Tier 5 Migrant Governing Body Endorsement Application Form.

There is an administration fee of £50 for each governing body endorsement for migrant applications.

You should read and complete the appropriate appendices and send to BSUK

Appendices

Appendix A	Tier 2 Sponsor Licence Governing Body Endorsement Application
Appendix B	Tier 5 Sponsor Licence Governing Body Endorsement Application
Appendix C	Tier 2 Individual Migrant Governing Body Endorsement Application Form
Appendix D	Tier 5 Individual Migrant Governing Body Endorsement Application Form
Appendix E	BSUK’s Points Based Immigration System Appeal Policy.