If you want to hire someone from abroad who isn’t a settled worker or doesn’t have the right work permit in the UK, your organisation will need a sponsor licence.
Getting a sponsor licence is a privilege that carries big responsibilities in keeping the UK’s immigration system running properly. Your organisation must meet certain eligibility requirements to apply for a sponsor licence. It is important to know which jobs can be sponsored and their minimum salary levels.
Keeping your Sponsorship licence in good standing means following strict rules from the Home Office. This includes being ready for audits that check if your business follows all immigration laws. To stay compliant, it’s important to have strong systems for checking immigration status, keeping records, and managing recruitment. This preparation will keep your organisation on track and audit-ready.
Make sure your organisation understands what it needs to do as a sponsor and has a system to follow these rules. You should also identify the key staff involved and make sure they know their responsibilities. Key roles include:
- Key Contact, who will serve as the main point of contact with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)
- Authorising Officer, a senior person responsible for overseeing the sponsorship activities
- Level 1 User, who will manage the day-to-day operations of the licence.
Collect all the necessary documents and evidence for your sector. This includes:
- Recent financial statements
- Copies of contracts from the last 12 months
- Proof of business registration
- Documents evidencing your compliance with UK trading laws.
When you’re ready, submit your application and pay the fee. The fee will vary depending on your organisation’s size and type. Once you’ve submitted your application, the Home Office will review it. Then, the Home Office will decide whether to approve it and list your organisation as a sponsor.
We’re here to help you with every step, and once we start, it usually takes us 3-5 working days to submit everything.
