If you want to employ workers from outside the UK your company might need a license to sponsor individuals including under the Skilled Worker route. Visa Advice UK provides a range of services to companies of all sizes looking to sponsor workers in the UK. We offer more than just immigration advice. Our team has a substantial amount of experience designing and implementing processes to help businesses meet their sponsor obligations. Find out the key things to consider when applying for a license below.
Applying for a Sponsor License
Eligibility for a Sponsor License
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To apply for a Sponsor License you need to make an application and pay the relevant fees. UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) will only grant you a license if the type of work meets the requirements under the relevant visa category (most commonly Skilled Workers) and if you have the necessary processes and polices in place to meet the requirements of the sponsor regime. Those involved with the operations of the business must not have any unspent criminal records and must generally be 'honest' and 'reliable'. Overall your business must not be a threat to immigration control. You will need to submit supporting documents at the time of application and for a Skilled Worker License you would need to submit the documents mentioned in Appendix A of the Sponsor Guidance. You may be more familiar with Tier 2 visas but they were replaced by the Skilled Worker route a while ago.
The main eligibility requirements are as follows:
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​You must be a genuine company operating lawfully in the UK
This means your company should be bona fide and appropriately registered, depending on the type of entity you operate. For example, if you are a limited company you must be registered with Companies House in the UK. Your company can be new or well established but it must operate in the UK and so there should be UK based staff responsible for its day to day management (including staff available to liaise with UKVI when required). You normally need a 'trading presence' in the UK, such as a registered office. If you are operating 'virtually' and not yet based in the UK it might be harder to obtain a Sponsor License but Visa Advice UK can advise you about your options.
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Appropriate HR polices and procedures
You also need to have adequate polices and procedures in place to ensure you can comply with the sponsor duties associated with your Sponsor License. This includes effective processes relating to the prevention of illegal working (also known as right to work checks) and effective record keeping and data collection processes in place to enable you to comply with the reporting duties set out in the applicable route's sponsor guidance documentation. Visa Advice UK can review your HR policies and procedures to ensure they are fit for purpose and meet the requirements associated with holding a Sponsor License in the UK.
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Genuine need and genuine vacancies
There must be a genuine need to sponsor workers from outside the UK, for example, there might be a lack of appropriate skills in the local market. In addition to this any role you wish to sponsor must genuinely reflect the business need, the duties must be accurate and therefore the job description must not be exaggerated. The UKVI may ask you for evidence of your future recruitment plans to support your request for a Sponsor License. You may need to demonstrate how the roles you wish to sponsor fit into your wider organisation. If you are applying for a Skilled Worker Sponsor License having already identified a worker you wish to sponsor then you may also need to demonstrate that their skills and experience genuinely fit the role in question.​
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Once you have a Sponsor License you will need to comply with a number of sponsor duties. These include keeping adequate records relating to your sponsored workers (in accordance with Appendix D) and meeting a number of monitoring and reporting obligations in relation to your sponsored staff. Visa Advice UK can help you manage your Sponsor License. We can do that in a number of ways so get in touch with us now to discuss the specific needs of your business.