In order to employ skilled workers from outside the EU/EEA, UK employers must first obtain a sponsor licence (i.e. authorisation from the Home Office).

There are a number of requirements that employer organisations must meet to qualify for the licence:

  • Have a trading presence and operate lawfully in the UK,
  • Have HR systems and recruitment processes in place to comply with sponsorship duties,
  • Be honest, dependable and reliable,
  • Be able to offer highly skilled jobs (in general, jobs must be graduate level, NQF Level 6 or above with very few exceptions).

Application process

The sponsor licence application is submitted online, with fees of £356 for small sponsors and £1,476 for large sponsors.

After paying, you’ll receive a Submission Sheet that must be mailed to the Home Office with original or certified copies of at least four required supporting documents, such as a business bank statement or Employer’s Liability Insurance certificate.

The Home Office processing time for sponsor licence applications is usually between 5 to 9 weeks.

Home Office audit (visit)

Home Office officers may visit a sponsor’s premises to conduct an audit before deciding on a sponsor licence application or at any point during the licence period.

These visits assess compliance with sponsorship duties by speaking to the Authorising Officer and reviewing HR procedures and records, which can result in the approval, refusal, suspension, or revocation of a sponsor licence.

Please get in touch for our advice in obtaining a Sponsor License, we will be happy to help.

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