Broadly, the procedure to be followed can be outlined as follows:

First, if your prospective or proposed employer does not already have the required Tier 2 licence, they should apply to be included in the Tier 2 Register of Sponsors. This entails completing an application online and then submitting the hardcopies of all the specified list of evidence (with the current appropriate fee, which is expected to increase from 14th June 2012) to enable the UK Border Agency to determine your employer's application to be permitted to employ foreign workers from outside the European Economic Area[1]. Further details of the procedure (including the process that will need to be followed to obtain one of the Certificate(s) of Sponsorship to employ you post-recognition) is set out in the current Sponsors Guidance Note (due to be updated in June 2012).

Second, once your employer has been granted a licence, they are required to issue a prospective employee who they wish to employ under the Tier 2 (General) Points Based System a document called a 'Certificate of Sponsorship' (‘CoS’) using the online-interface with the UKBA utilising the access keys they will be given on recognition (referring to the various online guides for assistance, if necessary).