Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex, Conservative)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Tier 2 general visas have been (a) made available and (b) issued since the introduction of a cap on those visas in 2010.

James Brokenshire (Minister of State (Home Office) (Security and Immigration); Old Bexley and Sidcup, Conservative)

An annual limit on the number of Tier 2 (General) authorisations has been in force since 6 April 2011 and applies to Certificates of Sponsorship issued to non-EEA nationals seeking admission to the UK for the purpose of employment.

This annual limit has stood at 20,700 in each year since 6 April 2011 and is released on a monthly basis. The number of Certificates of Sponsorship made

available each month to Tier 2 sponsors under this limit has, since May 2014, been published at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employer-sponsorship-restricted-certificate-allocations/allocations-of-restricted-certificates-of-sponsorship.

(Citation: HC Deb, 24 October 2014, cW)