Loading…
Obtain your sponsor licence to hire international talent and grow your business
A UK Sponsor Licence is official permission from the Home Office that allows UK employers to hire workers from outside the UK on certain visa routes. It is a mandatory requirement for businesses that want to sponsor skilled workers, scale-up workers, and other sponsored visa categories.
The sponsor licence system ensures that UK employers are genuine, operating businesses capable of meeting their responsibilities when hiring migrant workers. It demonstrates to the Home Office that your organisation has the proper systems, processes, and commitment to comply with immigration rules and sponsor duties.
Without a valid sponsor licence, you cannot legally assign Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) to workers, which means you cannot hire most non-UK workers who require visa sponsorship. The licence is essential for accessing international talent and competing in the global market.
We can guide you through the entire application process.
There are two main types of sponsor licence, each covering different visa routes. You can apply for one or both types depending on your recruitment needs.
For long-term employment routes:
For short-term and temporary routes:
To be granted a sponsor licence, your organisation must meet both eligibility and suitability criteria set by the Home Office. These tests focus on whether you are a genuine, compliant business and whether you can meet your sponsorship duties on an ongoing basis.
You must provide comprehensive evidence to demonstrate your organisation is genuine, operating, and capable of meeting sponsor duties.
The fees for sponsor licences vary depending on your organisation size and the type of licence. All fees are set by the Home Office and are subject to change.
| Fee Type | Small/Charity Sponsor | Medium/Large Sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| Worker Licence Application | £574 | £1,579 |
| Temporary Worker Licence Application | £574 | £574 |
| Both Worker & Temporary Worker Licence | £574 | £1,579 |
| Add Worker licence to existing Temporary Worker licence | No fee | £1,005 |
| Add Temporary Worker licence to existing Worker licence | No fee | No fee |
When you assign a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for a Skilled Worker visa, you must pay the Immigration Skills Charge. This is separate from the sponsor licence fee and is charged per worker, per year of their visa.
You are exempt from paying the Immigration Skills Charge if sponsoring workers in these occupation codes:
Once your sponsor licence is granted, you will receive a unique sponsor licence number and access to the Sponsorship Management System (SMS). This allows you to assign Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) to workers so they can apply for their visas.
As a sponsor, you have ongoing legal responsibilities to the Home Office. Failure to meet these duties can result in your licence being downgraded or revoked.
You must nominate specific individuals to fill key management roles in your sponsor licence. These roles have important responsibilities and must pass suitability checks.
A UK Sponsor Licence is valid for 4 years from the date it is granted. You must renew it before expiry if you want to continue sponsoring workers.
Find answers to frequently asked questions about sponsor licences.
A Sponsor Licence is permission from the Home Office that allows UK employers to hire workers from outside the UK on certain visa routes, including the Skilled Worker visa, Scale-up visa, and other sponsored routes. Without a valid sponsor licence, you cannot legally employ most non-UK workers who require visa sponsorship. The licence demonstrates that your organisation is a legitimate business capable of meeting sponsorship duties and compliance requirements.
Standard processing time is approximately 8 weeks from submission. Priority processing is available for an additional fee, reducing the time to around 10 working days. Processing times can vary depending on the complexity of your application and whether the Home Office requests additional information or conducts a compliance visit.
As a sponsor, you must: keep copies of sponsored workers' documents, report certain changes to the Home Office (such as workers leaving or changing roles), maintain accurate records, ensure sponsored workers are doing the job they were sponsored for, and cooperate with Home Office compliance visits. Failure to meet these duties can result in licence downgrade from A-rating to B-rating, or even revocation.
The Home Office fee depends on your organisation size and licence type. For Worker licences: £574 (small/charity) or £1,579 (medium/large). For Temporary Worker licences: £574 for all sponsors. If applying for both types together: £574 (small/charity) or £1,579 (medium/large). You'll also need to budget for professional fees to prepare your application and set up compliance systems. Additionally, you must pay the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) when assigning Certificates of Sponsorship - £364 per year for small/charity sponsors or £1,000 per year for medium/large sponsors.
If your licence is revoked, you can no longer sponsor workers, and any workers you're currently sponsoring will have their visas curtailed (usually to 60 days). This gives them time to find a new sponsor or make other arrangements. Revocation can occur due to non-compliance, providing false information, or failing to meet your sponsor duties. We can help you appeal or reapply if appropriate.
A Sponsor Licence is valid for 4 years from the date it is granted. You must apply to renew it before it expires if you want to continue sponsoring workers. The renewal process is similar to the initial application and requires you to demonstrate continued compliance with sponsor duties.
A-rating is the standard rating for compliant sponsors - it allows you to assign Certificates of Sponsorship immediately. B-rating is a transitional rating given when the Home Office has concerns about your compliance. With a B-rating, you cannot assign new CoS until you complete an action plan and upgrade back to A-rating. Most sponsors start with A-rating if their application is successful.
Yes, you can apply for both types of sponsor licence in a single application. The Worker licence covers routes like Skilled Worker and Scale-up visas, while the Temporary Worker licence covers routes like Creative Worker, Charity Worker, and Seasonal Worker visas. You can choose which categories you need based on your recruitment needs.
If your sponsor licence application is refused, you will usually be subject to a cooling-off period before you can apply again. Common reasons for refusal include: not meeting the eligibility or compliance requirements, failing to respond to Home Office enquiries in time, concerns that the application or vacancies are not genuine, unspent criminal convictions, providing inaccurate or misleading information, or evidence of previous non-compliance with sponsorship duties. We can review the refusal reasons, advise whether there are grounds to challenge the decision, and help you prepare a stronger application when you are able to reapply.
Book a free consultation with our business immigration experts today. We'll assess your eligibility, guide you through the application process, and help set up robust compliance systems to maintain your licence.