We assess whether the business is in a position to apply, what preparation is needed, and which licence sub-categories are appropriate. Where the HR systems or supporting documents need strengthening, we address this before the application is submitted.
Corporate Immigration
For UK businesses that want to recruit and sponsor international workers.
Overview
A UK sponsor licence allows an organisation to recruit and sponsor overseas workers under routes such as the Skilled Worker visa.
For businesses recruiting internationally, a sponsor licence can support both immediate hiring needs and longer-term workforce planning.
Key Benefits
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Recruit eligible international workers under the Skilled Worker route and other sponsored work categories.
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Retain existing employees who need to switch from routes such as Graduate or High Potential Individual.
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Support business growth, succession planning and international expansion.
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Build a structured route for sponsored workers who may later qualify for settlement.
The two main types of licence
The correct licence depends on the type of worker and route you intend to sponsor. Some organisations need both Worker and Temporary Worker permissions. Our team can assess your business and advise on the most appropriate route.
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Worker licence
This covers longer-term work routes, including Skilled Worker, Senior or Specialist Worker, Creative Worker and Charity, Minister of Religion and International Sportsperson. Many employers recruiting under standard employment contracts require a Worker licence in the Skilled Worker category.
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Temporary Worker licence
This covers temporary routes including UK Expansion Worker, Graduate Trainee, Service Supplier, Secondment Worker, Scale-up Worker and other temporary work categories, such as Charity Worker, Creative Worker and a few more.
Key Requirements
The Home Office will consider the organisation, the proposed roles, the people managing the licence and the systems in place.
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The business must be lawfully operating in the UK and able to provide the documents required for its type and sector.
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The organisation should be able to explain why it needs the licence and the types of roles it expects to sponsor.
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Each proposed role must meet the eligibility, skill and salary requirements of the relevant sponsored work route.
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The licence must have an Authorising Officer, Key Contact and at least one Level 1 User. Different eligibility rules apply to each role.
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The organisation must be able to carry out right-to-work checks, maintain records, monitor attendance and report relevant changes.
Who manages the licence and how compliance is checked
A sponsor licence depends on both the people responsible for managing it and the systems the business has in place.
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Key personnel and the SMS
Every sponsor must appoint people to manage the licence. The Authorising Officer has overall responsibility, the Key Contact communicates with the Home Office, and Level 1 and Level 2 Users carry out day-to-day functions on the Sponsorship Management System.
An external legal representative may be able to act as the Key Contact or support the business as an additional Level 1 User. The right arrangement will depend on the size and structure of the organisation. -
Home Office compliance visits
The Home Office may carry out a compliance visit before deciding a sponsor licence application. This may be announced or unannounced and can take place in person or remotely.
The visit tests whether the business is genuine, whether the proposed roles are credible and whether its HR systems work in practice. Policies on paper will not be enough if the organisation cannot explain or demonstrate how they are followed.
Where applications fall short
After many years advising on sponsor licences, the same handful of issues account for most difficulty:
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First-time sponsors often underestimate what is involved. The business should be able to show how it will carry out right-to-work checks, monitor attendance, keep the required records and report relevant changes to the Home Office.
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Newly established businesses may need to provide stronger evidence of their activity, finances, clients and plans for growth. The Home Office must be satisfied that the organisation is genuine and operating lawfully in the UK.
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The documents required depend on the type and structure of the organisation. Missing mandatory documents can make the application invalid, while incomplete or unsuitable evidence can lead to delays or refusal.
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The Home Office may check whether the systems described in the application work in practice. Difficulties often arise where the application says one thing, but the business cannot explain or demonstrate it during a visit.
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A role must exist because the business genuinely needs it. A job that appears to have been created mainly to support a visa application may lead to the worker’s application being refused and action being taken against the sponsor licence.
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Most new Skilled Worker roles must be at RQF Level 6 or above, although limited lower-skilled roles and transitional arrangements remain available. The salary must also meet the requirements applying to the occupation and the worker’s circumstances.
Is a sponsor licence right for your business?
A sponsor licence may be the right step if:
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You need to hire workers from outside the UK
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You want to retain international employees moving onto Skilled Worker
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You are establishing or expanding UK operations and need to transfer eligible employees
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You expect international recruitment to form part of your future workforce planning
A licence may not be appropriate where the proposed role is not eligible, the salary does not meet the relevant requirements or the organisation is not yet ready to take on the compliance duties involved. We assess this at the outset and consider whether another route, such as Global Talent, Innovator Founder or High Potential Individual, may allow the individual to work in the UK without employer sponsorship.
How we approach Sponsor Licence applications
Initial assessment
Application preparation
We prepare the application and supporting evidence, advise on the appointment of key personnel and ensure that the correct documents are provided for the type of organisation.
Pre-licence audit preparation
We review the business’s HR systems and prepare the relevant team members for the questions and documents the Home Office may ask to see during a compliance visit.
Post-approval support
Once the licence is granted, we support the business with Certificates of Sponsorship, reporting duties, record-keeping and ongoing compliance. Further details are available on our Sponsor Compliance page.
Highly Rated By Our Clients
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5-Star
Client-rated
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22+
Years’ experience
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes. Businesses of all sizes can apply. A small or newly established business may face closer scrutiny of its trading activity, finances and HR systems, but it is not excluded simply because of its size.
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Most sponsor licences remain valid for as long as the organisation continues to meet the eligibility requirements. Scale-up and UK Expansion Worker licences are limited to four years. A licence can still be downgraded, suspended or revoked if the sponsor does not comply with its duties.
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Potentially. Being a director or shareholder does not automatically prevent sponsorship. However, the business must be genuine, the role must be genuinely required and meet the relevant skill and salary requirements, and the licence must be managed by suitable key personnel. The Home Office may refuse an application where it has reasonable grounds to believe that the business was established mainly to facilitate a person’s entry or residence in the UK.Â
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An A-rated sponsor can assign a Certificate of Sponsorship once the appropriate allocation or approval is available and the role meets the relevant requirements. The worker must then apply for and obtain the required immigration permission before starting the sponsored role, where applicable.Â
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The business must normally report the end of sponsorship through the Sponsorship Management System within 10 working days. The Home Office will then decide whether to cancel or shorten the worker’s immigration permission. Where the worker has more than 60 days remaining, their permission is often shortened to 60 days, but this is not automatic and may be shortened to a different date depending on the circumstances.Â
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In many cases, yes. Whether the person can switch into the relevant work route will depend on their current immigration status. A person in the UK as a Visitor cannot normally switch into the Skilled Worker route and would need to apply from outside the UK.Â
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No. A sponsor licence allows the business to assign Certificates of Sponsorship, but the worker must make a separate visa application and meet the requirements of the relevant route. The Home Office makes the final decision on that application.Â
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Yes. A business can apply for more than one sponsor route or apply to add another route to an existing licence. For example, a business may hold permission to sponsor both Skilled Workers and Senior or Specialist Workers where it meets the requirements for each route.Â
Speak To Us
Planning to sponsor an overseas worker? We can assess whether your business is ready, identify any gaps and manage the sponsor licence process from preparation through to approval.
What Our Clients Say
Clear, calm advice at the point we needed it most — and there wasn’t a word of jargon in any of it.
Private client
Spouse visa
We were kept informed at every stage and never once had to chase an update. Knowing exactly where the application stood made a difficult year considerably easier to carry.
Private client
Skilled Worker visa
Moving part of our senior team to London looked impossible on the timescale we’d been given. The route was mapped out at the first meeting, the Home Office correspondence was handled end to end, and every application came back granted.
HR Director
Corporate client
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For advice on moving to, working in or settling in the UK, our immigration lawyers are here to guide you through every stage of the process.