A lot of people in Zimbabwe desiring to make the transition to the UK and become nurse aids get confused when they hear the word “sponsor”. In this article, we will be exploring what exactly this means so that you are hopefully well versed about it by the time you finish reading this article.
The Confusion About UK Sponsorship
Many people seeking to pursue nurse aid job opportunities in the UK hear the word sponsor and naturally gravitate to the definitions we are accustomed to in the local context. The picture that comes to mind is someone coming along and offering a full ride scholarship to underprivileged or promising students.
This “sponsor” will pay for that child’s education and will sometimes include related expenses such as uniforms, stationery or other things that are needed. It’s little wonder that many Zimbabweans have the idea that the word sponsor means that all expenses are covered and all they have to do is get on a plane and go to work in the UK.
As you will discover in the rest of this article, the actual definition in the context of getting a job as a nurse aid in the UK, is different. This brings us to our next question:
What Does Sponsor Mean in UK visa?
What exactly does sponsor mean when it comes to the UK Visa? Well, the name simply means employer. This means that a UK company wants to get people from outside the UK to work for them. In order to make this a reality, they need to apply for the right to employ non British citizens.
In order to be able to do this, they have to apply for the right to do so and this also includes a financial obligation on their part. They need to satisfy some requirements as listed on the UK website.
If they manage to meet the set criteria, they will be issued with a Certificate of Sponsorship (COS). This certificate allows them to sponsor (employ) people from outside the UK. The COS comes with the requirements for the job, the benefits that come with that particular job as well as other benefits that the employer will be offering the employee.
Certificates of Sponsorship have a limited time period within which they can be used and as soon as that period lapses, the COS will expire.
Is My Sponsor Obligated to Pay For My Expenses?
Your sponsor is has no obligation, under law, to pay for any of your expenses in preparation for going to the UK or while there. However, some sponsors will offer to pay for expenses such as airfare as well as your living expenses during your first month in the UK.
The money they spend on you will be deducted from your salary during the first few months on the job until you pay them off. In such a situation, you may not be required to have funds in your bank account that will help you cover living expenses during your first month in the country.
If you are paying for everything yourself, you will be required to provide proof that you are able to sustain yourself especially during your first month in the country.
Conclusion
To wrap it up fellow Zimbabwean, sponsorship simply means employer. It does not mean someone who will pay for you to get to the UK. Even if you do get an employer who pays for your expenses to get there, it often means that that they will cover your expenses when you get there and in some cases, the airfare as well.
Some people have the misconception that there are sponsors that who will pay for your airtime, data, nurse aid course, TB tests, Visa applications and the like. These do not exist.
We hope this article has brought you to a better understanding about what a UK sponsor is.
