Applying for a UK Sponsor Licence

An organisation applying for a Worker or Temporary Worker sponsor licence must make an online application to the Home Office and provide the supporting evidence required for its circumstances and the route or routes it wishes to sponsor under.

The correct application depends on the organisation and the immigration route involved. A business seeking to employ workers under the Skilled Worker route must hold a licence that includes that route before it can assign the relevant Certificate of Sponsorship.

The Home Office sponsor guidance sets out the general requirements for obtaining a licence as well as route-specific requirements. Employers should therefore identify at an early stage whom they intend to sponsor, the proposed role and the appropriate sponsorship route.

A sponsor licence also brings continuing responsibilities. An organisation should therefore consider whether it has suitable HR systems, internal responsibility and reporting arrangements before applying rather than treating compliance as something to address only after the licence is granted.

Who Can Apply for a Sponsor Licence?

Sponsor licences are available to eligible UK-based employers and organisations that meet the applicable Home Office requirements.

The Home Office will consider whether the organisation is genuine, operating or trading where required, capable of carrying out its sponsor duties and suitable to participate in the sponsorship system.

The precise requirements vary according to the type of organisation and sponsorship route. Businesses, charities and other organisations can therefore have different supporting-document and eligibility requirements.

Where an organisation already holds a sponsor licence but wishes to sponsor under an additional route, it may be possible to apply to add that route to the existing licence rather than making an entirely separate application.

Sponsor Licence Eligibility & Suitability

The sponsor licensing system is based both on eligibility and suitability. An organisation may have a genuine need to recruit internationally but must still satisfy the Home Office that it can properly fulfil the responsibilities associated with sponsorship.

The application should therefore be considered in the context of the organisation’s structure, trading activities, recruitment needs, HR arrangements and the proposed sponsored roles.

The Home Office may also consider previous immigration or sponsorship history, relevant compliance issues and the conduct of people connected with the licence application.

Where there are historic issues, previous refusals, compliance concerns or unusual business circumstances, these should be assessed before the application is submitted.

Supporting Documents

The Home Office requires sponsor licence applicants to provide supporting evidence. The documents required depend on the type of organisation, its circumstances and the sponsorship route.

The relevant requirements are set out in Appendix A to the sponsor guidance. Depending on the organisation, supporting evidence may relate to matters such as corporate registration, business operations, regulatory registration, financial arrangements, premises or other evidence specified by the Home Office.

It is important to identify the correct documents for the particular applicant rather than assuming that every organisation must provide the same evidence.

We can review the proposed supporting evidence against the current Home Office requirements and identify issues that should be addressed before submission.

Key Personnel

A sponsor licence must be managed by nominated individuals holding specified sponsorship roles. These are commonly referred to as key personnel.

The organisation will normally need to nominate an Authorising Officer and individuals responsible for use of the Sponsorship Management System, including the relevant Level 1 User arrangements.

The people nominated should be selected carefully. Their immigration history, relationship with the organisation and suitability can be relevant to the sponsor licence application.

Responsibility should not simply be allocated by job title. The organisation should understand what the sponsor roles involve and ensure that those managing the licence can carry out the required functions.

HR Systems & Sponsor Compliance

Before granting a licence, the Home Office may consider whether the organisation is capable of meeting its sponsor duties.

Those duties include maintaining appropriate records, reporting relevant changes, monitoring sponsored workers and ensuring that sponsorship is used only where the applicable immigration requirements are met.

An applicant should therefore consider whether its existing HR and recruitment systems can support sponsorship.

This can include arrangements for monitoring attendance and contact information, retaining required documents, tracking immigration status and reporting specified changes through the Sponsorship Management System.

Our Sponsor Licence Compliance service deals specifically with the continuing compliance framework once an organisation holds a licence.

Skilled Worker Sponsor Licences

The Skilled Worker route is one of the principal sponsored work routes used by UK employers recruiting overseas workers.

An employer wishing to sponsor a Skilled Worker must hold a valid sponsor licence that includes the Skilled Worker route and must comply with the relevant sponsorship and immigration requirements when assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship.

The sponsor licence application and the later visa application are separate stages. Obtaining a sponsor licence does not itself guarantee that a particular worker or role will qualify under the Skilled Worker route.

Our Skilled Worker Sponsorship service deals with the sponsorship requirements applicable once an employer is licensed and intends to sponsor a particular worker.

Certificates of Sponsorship

Once an organisation has the appropriate sponsor licence, it may be able to assign Certificates of Sponsorship to eligible workers in accordance with the requirements of the relevant immigration route.

A Certificate of Sponsorship is an electronic sponsorship record rather than a paper certificate. The sponsor must ensure that the information recorded is accurate and that the proposed employment satisfies the relevant immigration and sponsorship requirements.

The sponsor licence application should therefore be approached with the organisation’s intended future use of sponsorship in mind.

See our Certificates of Sponsorship service for advice on CoS allocation, assignment and related sponsorship issues.

Home Office Compliance Visits

The Home Office may carry out checks when considering a sponsor licence application. Depending on the circumstances, this can include a compliance visit to the organisation.

A visit may involve questions about the business, its recruitment needs, proposed sponsored roles, HR processes and the people responsible for managing sponsorship.

Employers should therefore ensure that the information given in the application accurately reflects how the organisation operates in practice.

A compliance visit should not be treated merely as a document inspection. The Home Office may wish to understand whether the organisation genuinely has the systems and knowledge required to operate as a licensed sponsor.

Sponsor Licence Application Fees & Processing

The Home Office charges a fee for a sponsor licence application. The amount depends on the type and size of the sponsor.

At the time of writing, the Worker sponsor licence application fee is £574 for a qualifying small sponsor and £1,579 for a large sponsor.

The Home Office states that most sponsor licence applications are decided in less than eight weeks, although the time required will depend on the application and whether further enquiries or a compliance visit are necessary.

A limited priority service may be available for an additional Home Office fee. Where available, the current priority service aims to provide a decision within 10 working days. Availability is limited and a priority application does not alter the substantive requirements that must be satisfied.

Home Office fees and processing arrangements can change, so the applicable position should always be checked at the time of application.

If a Sponsor Licence Application Is Refused

A refused sponsor licence application can affect an organisation’s recruitment plans and may limit when or how another application can be made.

The reasons for refusal should therefore be examined carefully before deciding on the next step.

In some circumstances, the Home Office provides a mechanism to request review where the applicant considers that the decision resulted from a caseworking error or because submitted supporting documents were not considered. This is not a general appeal simply because the applicant disagrees with the decision.

Depending on the circumstances, the appropriate response may instead involve addressing the issues identified and considering whether and when a fresh application can be made.

See our Business Immigration Refusals service where a sponsor licence or other business immigration matter has already been refused.

How We Assist With Sponsor Licence Applications

1. Initial Sponsor Licence Assessment

We consider the organisation, its recruitment objectives, proposed sponsorship route and any issues that may affect the application.

2. Supporting Document Review

We identify the supporting evidence relevant to the organisation and review the proposed documentation against the applicable sponsor guidance.

3. Key Personnel & Compliance Review

We consider the proposed key personnel and whether the organisation’s existing HR arrangements are suitable for sponsorship.

4. Preparation of the Application

We assist with the sponsor licence application and the information and representations required to support it.

5. Home Office Queries

Where appropriate, we can advise on further information requests, compliance issues or other questions arising during the application process.

6. After the Licence Is Granted

We can advise on Certificates of Sponsorship, Skilled Worker sponsorship, sponsor duties and ongoing licence compliance.

What is a sponsor licence?

A sponsor licence is Home Office permission allowing an eligible organisation to sponsor qualifying overseas workers under specified sponsored work routes. The organisation must continue to comply with its sponsor duties while holding the licence.

Does every employer need a sponsor licence to employ a foreign worker?

No. A sponsor licence is required where sponsorship is needed under the relevant immigration route. Some workers may already have immigration permission that allows them to work without employer sponsorship.

How long does a sponsor licence application take?

The Home Office currently states that most applications are dealt with in less than eight weeks. Some applications may take longer if additional enquiries or a compliance visit are required.

Can a sponsor licence application be expedited?

A limited Home Office priority service may be available. At present, where a priority request is accepted, the Home Office aims to decide the application within 10 working days. Availability is restricted and an additional fee applies.

How much does a sponsor licence cost?

At the time of writing, the Worker sponsor licence application fee is £574 for a qualifying small sponsor and £1,579 for a large sponsor. Other sponsorship costs may arise later when individual workers are sponsored. Home Office fees should be checked at the time of application because they can change.

What documents are required for a sponsor licence application?

The required documents depend on the organisation and the sponsorship route. Appendix A to the Home Office sponsor guidance specifies the supporting evidence applicable to different types of organisations and applications.

Can a new company apply for a sponsor licence?

Potentially, yes. The application must still satisfy the applicable sponsor licensing requirements and provide the supporting evidence required for the organisation’s circumstances. The position should be considered carefully where the business has only recently started operating.

Will the Home Office visit the business?

It may. The Home Office can carry out compliance checks when considering a sponsor licence application. Employers should therefore ensure that their application, HR systems and practical arrangements are consistent.

Does obtaining a sponsor licence guarantee that I can sponsor a particular worker?

No. The organisation must hold the correct sponsor licence, but the proposed role and worker must also satisfy the requirements of the relevant immigration route when sponsorship is undertaken.

What happens after a sponsor licence is granted?

The organisation becomes responsible for complying with continuing sponsor duties. It can use the Sponsorship Management System in accordance with its licence and may assign Certificates of Sponsorship where the applicable requirements are satisfied.

Official Sponsor Licence Guidance

The current Home Office guidance on applying for a Worker or Temporary Worker sponsor licence is available through Workers and Temporary Workers: guidance for sponsors, Part 1.

The supporting document requirements are set out in Sponsor Guidance Appendix A.

Employers should also consider the wider Home Office sponsorship guidance collection, including route-specific guidance and sponsor duties.