Sponsor Licence Check UK
A sponsor licence is the formal permission granted by the UK Home Office to allow a business to employ non-UK workers under the Skilled Worker route and other eligible immigration categories. Licences are normally granted for four years and are subject to renewal. Once granted, the licence comes with strict compliance duties under the Immigration […]
Sponsor Licence Application Priority Service
The UK’s immigration system requires employers who wish to hire overseas nationals under work visa routes, such as the Skilled Worker visa, to hold a valid sponsor licence. Obtaining a sponsor licence is a critical first step, but the application process can be time-consuming. For employers needing a faster decision, the Home Office offers a […]
Sponsor Licence Application Fee 2025
Applying for a sponsor licence is the first step for any UK business that intends to employ overseas nationals under the Skilled Worker or Temporary Worker visa routes. The licence acts as formal permission from the Home Office to sponsor eligible workers, but securing it requires more than just meeting compliance duties. Employers must also […]
Sponsor Guidance UK
The UK immigration system requires organisations that employ overseas nationals or enrol international students to hold a sponsor licence. This licence comes with strict compliance responsibilities set out in detailed Home Office guidance. Known as sponsor guidance, these documents outline what licence-holders must do to retain their ability to sponsor and to remain in good […]
Sponsor Duties & Compliance UK
Employers in the UK who hold a sponsor licence take on significant legal responsibilities under immigration law. A sponsor licence is not simply permission to hire overseas workers, it is an ongoing commitment to meet strict Home Office compliance standards. These obligations are designed to ensure that the UK immigration system is not abused and […]
Sponsor Change of Circumstances Form
The UK sponsor licence regime imposes strict compliance duties on employers and education providers that sponsor overseas nationals. One core obligation is to keep the Home Office informed of relevant changes via the Sponsor Management System (SMS) and, in limited scenarios where SMS cannot be used, by submitting a Sponsor Change of Circumstances form. Timely […]
SMS Level 1 & 2 User Training
The Sponsor Management System (SMS) is the Home Office’s online portal through which UK sponsor licence holders must manage their immigration compliance responsibilities. It is the official platform that connects sponsoring organisations with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), and it is used for day-to-day licence management tasks such as assigning Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS), reporting […]
SMS Sponsor Login UK
The Sponsor Management System (SMS) is a critical tool for all UK organisations that hold a sponsor licence under the points-based immigration system. It is the online platform provided by the Home Office to allow licence holders to manage their sponsorship duties and responsibilities. Without access to the SMS, a sponsor cannot assign Certificates of […]
Self Sponsorship Visa UK Cost
Self-sponsorship is a practical pathway for entrepreneurs and professionals who want to live and work in the UK by establishing a UK company and using it to sponsor their own Skilled Worker visa. It is not a separate visa category under the Immigration Rules; rather, it is a lawful use of the existing sponsor licence […]
Scale-up Sponsor Licence UK
The UK’s immigration system provides specific visa routes designed to support businesses at different stages of their growth. For rapidly expanding companies, the Scale-up Sponsor Licence offers a streamlined option to attract and employ highly skilled overseas talent. It is intended for scale-up businesses that have demonstrated sustained growth and need to fill vacancies that […]
Revoked Sponsor Licence List
The Home Office requires UK employers to hold a valid sponsor licence in order to lawfully employ non-UK nationals under the Skilled Worker or other sponsored work visa routes. Holding a sponsor licence places the employer under strict duties and compliance obligations. Where an employer fails to meet these obligations, the Home Office has the […]
Apply for a Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence
Any UK business looking to recruit an overseas national under the skilled worker route must first hold a valid sponsor licence permitting sponsorship under this category. In this guide for businesses, we explain the rules and requirements to apply for a Skilled Worker sponsor licence and obtain permission to hire non-UK resident workers. We also […]
Post Licence Priority Service
The UK’s sponsor licence system places significant compliance duties on employers and organisations that hold a licence to sponsor migrant workers. Licence holders are required to keep their licence details accurate and up to date, from key personnel appointments to company address changes. Traditionally, updates made through the Sponsorship Management System (SMS) could take weeks […]
Register of Licensed Sponsors UK
The Register of Licensed Sponsors is the official list published by the Home Office of organisations in the UK that are approved to sponsor migrant workers and students. It serves as a critical tool both for individuals seeking to come to the UK under a visa that requires sponsorship and for employers or education providers […]
Merger Impact on Sponsor Licence
When a business undergoes a merger, acquisition or internal restructuring, there are significant implications for its sponsor licence. UK immigration law requires organisations holding a sponsor licence to comply with strict duties relating to the employment of overseas workers. Where corporate changes take place, the Home Office must be notified, and in some cases, a […]
PBS Licence UK
The UK operates a Points Based System (PBS) for immigration, which regulates how overseas nationals can come to the UK to work. For employers wishing to hire non-UK nationals under the PBS, a sponsor licence is required. The licence grants permission to lawfully sponsor migrant workers and forms the foundation of the UK’s employer sponsorship […]
UK Visa Sponsorship Companies List
For overseas nationals looking to work in the United Kingdom, securing employment with a company that holds a Home Office sponsor licence is often the first and most important step. Without sponsorship, many roles will not meet the requirements for a work visa, particularly under the Skilled Worker route, which is the main pathway for […]
Key Personnel Sponsor Licence
When applying for and maintaining a UK sponsor licence, employers must appoint individuals to specific roles known as key personnel. These roles are critical to ensuring that the organisation meets its compliance duties under the Immigration Rules. The Home Office requires that every sponsor covers three distinct functions — Authorising Officer, Key Contact, and at […]
How to Sponsor Someone UK
Sponsoring someone to come to the UK is a structured process governed by immigration law. Sponsorship can take different forms depending on the circumstances. Employers may wish to bring overseas workers to fill roles within their organisation, while individuals may look to reunite with family members. In both cases, the process requires compliance with detailed […]
How Long Does it Take to Get a Sponsorship Licence
Applying for a UK sponsor licence is a crucial step for employers who want to hire skilled workers from outside the UK. Without a licence, organisations cannot assign Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) and therefore cannot employ workers under routes such as the Skilled Worker visa, Global Business Mobility routes, or Temporary Worker categories. What this […]