UK Sponsor Licence Application

In this UK sponsor licence application guidance 2022, you will find how to apply, eligibility requirements and supportive documents for successful application.

Employers need a sponsor licence to employ most types of workers from outside the UK, including Skilled workers.

Skilled Workers, Global Business Mobility and Temporary worker are the key immigration routes for non-UK residents who wish to work in the UK. Migrant workers must be sponsored by an organisation that holds a sponsor licence before they can apply to come to the UK, or remain in the UK, for work.

The sponsorship licence grants permission to an organisation to sponsor migrant workers in its business.

What are the requirements for a UK sponsor licence application?

To be eligible to apply for a sponsor licence, an organisation must provide UKVI with necessary documents to evidence that it is genuine and has an operating or trading presence in the UK. There are no provisions in the Home Office guidance that the organisation should have been trading for any particular period of time, but there should be someone settled/resident in the UK working at the organisation who is available to answer any queries that Home Office may have in relation to the sponsor licence application.

If the organisation has no operating or trading presence in the UK, UKVI will refuse the application. If UKVI finds that the organisation has no operating or trading presence in the UK after granting a sponsor licence, it will revoke it.

Suitability Criteria

To assess suitability criteria, UKVI look at whether:

• The organisation has human resource and recruitment systems in place to meet, and continue to meet its sponsor duties. UKVI may judge this by conducting a compliance check either before or after the licence is granted.
• The organisation can offer a genuine vacancy that meets the salary and skill-level criteria of the category it is applying to be licenced for. If the organisation's business involves operating no (or little) physical space in the UK (a virtual business model), UKVI will consider the type of work a sponsored worker will be doing and where the worker will be carrying out their employment duties.
• The organisation or any of its directors have an unspent criminal conviction for a relevant immigration related offence.
• There is any evidence of the previous non-compliance by the organisation.

What documents are required for a sponsor licence application?

A minimum of four mandatory documents must be submitted to UKVI in support of the sponsor licence application. Depending on the type of organisation and how long it has been operating in the UK, these documents could include (but are not limited to):

• The organisation's employer's liability insurance cover for at least £5m from an authorised insurer
• Proof of ownership, or lease agreement signed by all parties, for the business premises occupied by the organisation
• Evidence of the organisation's HMRC PAYE number and accounts office reference number
• The organisation's VAT certificate
• The organisation's latest corporate bank account statement
• The organisation's latest audited annual accounts
• The organisation registration certificate, if organisation is required to be registered with and/or inspected/monitored by a regulatory body to operate lawfully in the UK.

How to submit a sponsorship application?

Once the authorising officer of the UK organisation is satisfied that the business has the necessary systems in place to comply with its sponsor duties and all of the supporting documents are in order the online sponsor licence application form should be submitted.

The authorising office can apply for sponsor licence application online.

As part of the online submission process, the authorising officer will be required to pay the appropriate sponsor licence application fee. The fee for a sponsor licence depends on the type of licence and the size of the organisation.

• Organisations classified as “small” sponsors are required to pay a sponsor licence fee of £536.
• Organisations classified as “medium” or “large” are required to pay a sponsor licence fee of £1476.

An organisation would normally qualify as a small sponsor if two of the following apply:

• your annual turnover is £10.2 million or less
• your total assets are worth £5.1 million or less
• you have 50 employees or fewer

Once the sponsor licence application form has been submitted, the duly completed submission sheet and supporting evidence must be sent to UKVI within 5 working days online or by post.

Sponsorship licence application processing time

The standard processing time for a sponsor licence application is up to 8 weeks.

Applications submitted via the priority service are processed within 10 working days. To be eligible for priority service the authorising officer must submit a fully completed application to the pre-licencing priority service. A maximum of thirty priority requests are accepted each day. The fee for priority service is £500 per request.

Sponsor licence solicitors

At Tennyson Monroe Solicitors, we understand your organisation's values and goals. We know how important it is to be able to recruit the right candidates from outside the UK who share the same values and goals as your organisation.

Our immigration lawyers ensure that the process to obtain a sponsor licence for your organisation is smooth and pleasant. We are committed to providing full support and bespoke advice in relation to sponsor licence applications.

To discuss a sponsorship licence, we can arrange a phone call, face-to-face meeting or online Web conferencing such as Zoom or Teams.

Frequently asked questions for Sponsor Licence applications

What is sponsorship?

Migrant workers must be sponsored by an organisation that holds a sponsor licence before they can apply to come to, or remain in, the UK for work.

Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility and Temporary Worker are the primary immigration routes for non-British and Irish nationals who wish to work in the UK.

What are the eligibility and suitability requirements for a sponsor licence?

To be eligible to apply for a sponsor licence, your organisation must provide UKVI with the necessary documents to evidence that the organisation is genuine and has an operating or trading presence in the UK.

To assess suitability criteria, UKVI look at whether: the organisation has recruitment systems in place to meet its sponsor duties. UKVI look at whether the organisation can offer a genuine vacancy which meets the criteria of the category it is licenced for. UKVI will assess whether the organisation or any of its directors have an unspent criminal conviction for a relevant immigration related offence. Also, if there is any evidence of the previous non-compliance by the organisation.

Who can submit the sponsor licence application form?

The online sponsor licence application must only be submitted by the Authorising Officer. Legal representatives may assist the Authorising Officer in completing the draft online application form.

How much does a sponsor licence application cost?

The fee for a sponsor licence depends upon the size of the organisation. The current fee payable for small companies to obtain a sponsor licence is £536 and £1,476 for large companies. A company will usually qualify as a small company if it meets two of the following criteria in its financial year:

• your annual turnover is £10.2 million or less
• your total assets are worth £5.1 million or less
• you have 50 employees or fewer.

What is the processing time for a sponsor licence application?

The standard processing time for a sponsor licence application is up to 8 weeks. Applications submitted via the priority service for an additional £500 fee are processed within 10 working days

How long is a sponsor licence valid for?

A sponsor licence is granted for a fixed term of four years. The relevant key personnel will receive an email reminder from UKVI 120 calendar days before the expiry of the sponsor licence.

What can the organisation do if the sponsor licence application is refused?

If the sponsor licence application is refused, the UK organisation should not usually make another application until six months after the date of the refusal letter.

What can the organisation do if the sponsor licence application is rejected?

There is no right of appeal against a sponsor licence application rejection. However, a pre-licence error correction form may be submitted within 14 calendar days from the date of the rejection if it is believed that a case-working error has occurred, such as a document sent in support of the application was not considered by the caseworker.