Our client, a media organisation, was employing a journalist under the now abolished overseas broadcaster scheme. Due to the nature of her work, it was highly inconvenient to our client for the employee to return to Australia purely to file a tier 1 (general) application.
We were instructed to come up with a solution. We secured a sponsor licence for our client in approximately three weeks and were then able to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship under tier 2 (general) - which permitted an in-country switch - in order that the employee's employment could continue.
Since finalising this work, the UK Border Agency has re-instated the overseas broadcaster category and our client is considering a legal challenge to UKBA for the wasted monies in securing a sponsor licence.