PHARMACY PROFESSIONAL SPONSORSHIP SCHEME
Supplementary guidance 3a: Extending sponsorship
There are several options open to migrant workers who wish to remain in the UK after
their original PPSS sponsorship and Tier 5 visa have expired:
1. Remain in the UK under the PPSS (NB: to ‘extend’ a visa, the application must be
made before the existing visa expires)
2. Leave the UK and return under the PPSS (e.g. if the existing visa has expired)
3. Leave the UK and return on an alternative visa.
This guidance is intended for pre-registration trainee pharmacists who wish to be sponsored
again under the RPS PPSS Tier 5 visa scheme. This would enable them to remain in the UK
and apply to extend their existing visa, or, for pre-registration trainee pharmacists whose
visa has expired, to return to work in the UK again.
The RPS is unable to advise on which option is the most suitable as each individual’s
circumstances are different. If any students are unsure as to which visa is right for them,
they should seek advice from a specialist immigration adviser – details of approved advisers
can be found on the Office of the Information Services Commissioner (OISC) website.
The RPS is not able to offer advice on other visa options.
Key points to note:




Applicants will need to reapply for sponsorship using the standard application form
on the RPS website
Sponsorship under the PPSS will be extended or re-issued to the date of the next
pre-registration assessment
The UKVI requires that all applicants to the PPSS are employed in a full-time preregistration trainee pharmacist position (the PPSS is a Tier 5 Government
Authorised Exchange issued to temporary workers)
The pre-registration employment must comply with current employment legislation
e.g. National Minimum Wage/National Living Wage, Working Time Regulations.
Students wanting to extend their leave to remain in the UK on their Tier 5 visa, or wanting
to re-enter the UK, will need to first make a new application for sponsorship under the
PPSS. Applications should be made using the standard PPSS Application Form: the employer
and School of Pharmacy declarations must be dated within one calendar month of submitting
the application for sponsorship to RPS. (Note we cannot accept copies of previous
applications.) Applicants should also send a covering letter explaining why the sponsorship
needs to be extended along with copies of any GPhC bank training forms or progress
reports as evidence of progress during their last period of leave.
PPSS: Extending sponsorship: February 2016
Page 1
Applicants should ensure that their contract of employment end date is on, or very close to,
the date of the next pre-registration assessment. The PPSS will not generally sponsor preregistration trainee pharmacists past the date of the next pre-registration assessment.
All applicants should ensure they have read the supporting documents on the RPS website,
particularly the ‘Applicant Guidance’ and ‘Application Form Guidance’ as some requirements
and obligations may have changed since their original application.
Applicants should pay particular attention to the timing of any application; especially the
expiry date of any existing Tier 5 visa. If the existing Tier 5 visa has expired, applicants may
not be able to extend their stay in the UK and may need to return to their home country
and re-apply from there. Further information can be found on the Home Office UKVI
website.
It is the pre-registration trainee pharmacist’s responsibility to apply for the Tier 5 visa and to
meet any Home Office UKVI requirements. Note that acceptance onto the PPSS does not
guarantee that a Tier 5 visa application will automatically be successful.
Notes:
Pre-registration trainee pharmacists who will not be able to sit the next available GPhC
assessment should email the RPS Support Team or the PPSS Manager, explaining their
circumstances.
The RPS does not guarantee to continue to sponsor a pre-registration trainee pharmacist
should they require sponsorship for a second/third time (e.g. if they do not pass the preregistration exam/assessment). All requests to extend or re-sponsor pre-registration trainee
pharmacists will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Note also that a requirement of the PPSS is that pre-registration students are employed at all
times which may be different to the pre-registration requirements set by the regulating body.
The maximum time permitted under Home Office UKVI rules for a Tier 5 GAE visa is a total
of two years. Your application will be refused if it is more than two years since your first
application for sponsorship under the PPSS.
If you are planning on extending your stay whilst in the UK, but do not hold a valid Tier 4 or
5 visa, we recommend you seek advice from an approved immigration/visa advisor regarding
your situation.
The last date for PPSS applications, including applications to extend sponsorship,
is 30 November 2016.
PPSS: Extending sponsorship: February 2016
Page 2