Sponsor Licence Application

Sponsor Licence Application

If a UK employer wants to employ a skilled worker from outside the UK then they will need to be sponsored (usually under the Tier 2 General visa category). To do this the UK employer will need to submit a valid Sponsor Licence Application.

What Is A Sponsor Licence

A Sponsor Licence is permission granted by the Home Office for a UK business to employ workers from outside the UK, usually under the Tier 2 General visa category.

In order to submit a valid Sponsor Licence application the employer must be able to demonstrate that they:

• are a genuine organisation trading legally in the UK;
• have suitable HR and recruitment systems and practices in place that enable them to carry out their Sponsor Licence Duties and Responsibilities;
• are offering genuine employment that meets the  Tier 2 category requirements, including paying a suitable rate of pay for the role, subject to minimum salary requirements;
• have appointment key personnel that are UK-based and of good character.

How To Apply For A Sponsor Licence

In order to submit a valid Sponsor Licence application you will need to provide documents to UKVI (UK Visas & Immigration, commonly referred to as the Home Office) to evidence that you are a UK employer that is trading legally in the UK. 

The type of documents required will depend on the type of organisation and the Tiers within the Points Based System within which you wish to Sponsor workers (usually Tier 2 but also Tier 5 for some organisations).

What If The Individual Is Already In The UK With A Tier 2 General Visa?

The employer will still need to have a Sponsor Licence and a new Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) will need to be obtained and assigned to the worker to enable an application for a new Tier 2 General Visa to be submitted. Most applications for a Certificate of  Sponsorship submitted prior to 01 January 2021 will still require a Resident Labour Market Test to be undertaken for a Change of Employment unless the role is exempt from this requirement.

What Happens If My Sponsor Licence Application Is Rejected

You might be able to appeal if you feel that the Home Office have incorrectly rejected your Sponsor Licence Application. If your Sponsor Licence Application is rejected then the Home Office will not permit you to submit a new application until 6 months have passed since your Sponsor Licence Application was rejected. It is therefore vital that you get this right the first time.

How Our UK Immigration Lawyers Can Help You

We have extensive experience in this area and manage Sponsor Licences for a wide variety of organisations, from start-ups, to multi-billion dollar multi-national corporations, including some well-known global brands. 

Whether you are at the early stages of trying to decide if a Sponsor Licence is right for your organisation, looking for a fresh approach to manage your existing Sponsor Licence or even under threat of having your Sponsor Licence revoked and require urgent assistance, we have the experience and expertise to help you, so get in touch to find out how we can help.