Tier 2 General Restricted Certificate of Sponsorship Allocation Cap Reached
December 28, 2017

Executive Summary
The monthly quota for non-European Economic Area nationals sponsored under the Tier 2 (General) Visa category has been exceeded.
Applications submitted by December 5, 2017 for Restricted Certificates of Sponsorship (RCOS) where applicants were to be paid under GBP 55,000 have been refused unless they are PhD-level jobs, a role listed on the recognised shortage occupation list, or were prioritised for other reasons.
The situation
The monthly quota for non-European Economic Area nationals sponsored under the Tier 2 (General) Visa category has been exceeded.
A closer look
Applications submitted by December 5, 2017 for Restricted Certificates of Sponsorship (RCOS) where applicants were to be paid under GBP 55,000 have been refused unless they are PhD-level jobs, a role listed on the recognised shortage occupation list, or were prioritised for other reasons.
Applicants whose applications are refused will be able to reapply for a RCOS next month provided the advertising undertaken by their prospective employer is still valid. There is no right of appeal following refusal.
Impact
Fragomen will notify employers of rejected applications and will discuss strategic options such as whether the application can or should be re-filed next month or whether other options exist.
Background
The current annual quota is 20,700 and a fixed number of spaces are available each month.
The Tier 2 (General) Visa quota affects foreign nationals applying for a visa from outside the United Kingdom who will earn less than a guaranteed amount of GBP 159,600 per year or those who apply from within the United Kingdom and are switching from the Tier 4 Partner category.
Tier 2 (General) Visa applications are processed in a priority order based on a points system: shortage occupations are awarded the most points, followed by PhD-level jobs and lastly points are awarded based on salary. Applications can also be prioritised for other reasons, such as UK graduates being recruited through a milkround, amongst others.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
Explore more at Fragomen

Awards
Fragomen and Regional Partner for the Asia Pacific Mark Buchanan were recognized at the 2025 FEM APAC EMMAs.

Awards
Partner Archana Iyer won the "Innovation Award" at The New York Law Journal's 2025 New York Legal Awards.

Media mentions
Senior Counsel Mitch Wexler discusses how USCIS’s new rule could potentially increase enforcement and affect how applicants interact with the US immigration system.

Blog post
Assistant Business Immigration Manager Raga Rasuanta discusses Indonesia’s post-election immigration strategy and its shift toward balancing openness to global talent with increased regulatory scrutiny.

Fragomen news
Fragomen announces the appointment of Leah Rogal as Senior Director of its Center for Strategy and Applied Insights.

Blog post
Destination Services Manager Ali Sikandar discusses how orientation programmes in Saudi Arabia help expatriates adapt to cultural differences, workplace norms and everyday challenges, easing their transition into a new environment.

Blog post
Manager Olga Astapova outlines options for individuals to obtain residency without employer sponsorship, highlighting legal routes and strategic considerations.

Video
Senior Manager Fatima Aydin discusses Ireland's 2025 public consultation on the occupations lists, and how stakeholders such as employers can provide input.

Blog post
Manager Mihaela Dumitru outlines Switzerland's evolving immigration policies and quota adjustments for 2025.

Video
Learn how to apply for German citizenship by descent. Discover eligibility under Article 116 and Section 15, benefits of EU citizenship and the step-by-step application process.

Media mentions
Partner Siobhan Owers discussed how visa reforms are reducing available international staff and creating workforce challenges in the UK care sector.

Awards
Fragomen and Regional Partner for the Asia Pacific Mark Buchanan were recognized at the 2025 FEM APAC EMMAs.

Awards
Partner Archana Iyer won the "Innovation Award" at The New York Law Journal's 2025 New York Legal Awards.

Media mentions
Senior Counsel Mitch Wexler discusses how USCIS’s new rule could potentially increase enforcement and affect how applicants interact with the US immigration system.

Blog post
Assistant Business Immigration Manager Raga Rasuanta discusses Indonesia’s post-election immigration strategy and its shift toward balancing openness to global talent with increased regulatory scrutiny.

Fragomen news
Fragomen announces the appointment of Leah Rogal as Senior Director of its Center for Strategy and Applied Insights.

Blog post
Destination Services Manager Ali Sikandar discusses how orientation programmes in Saudi Arabia help expatriates adapt to cultural differences, workplace norms and everyday challenges, easing their transition into a new environment.

Blog post
Manager Olga Astapova outlines options for individuals to obtain residency without employer sponsorship, highlighting legal routes and strategic considerations.

Video
Senior Manager Fatima Aydin discusses Ireland's 2025 public consultation on the occupations lists, and how stakeholders such as employers can provide input.

Blog post
Manager Mihaela Dumitru outlines Switzerland's evolving immigration policies and quota adjustments for 2025.

Video
Learn how to apply for German citizenship by descent. Discover eligibility under Article 116 and Section 15, benefits of EU citizenship and the step-by-step application process.

Media mentions
Partner Siobhan Owers discussed how visa reforms are reducing available international staff and creating workforce challenges in the UK care sector.