Sponsor Licence Application

Request a call back from one of our expert advisers

Name

EmailPhone

Enquiry

Fax

Would you like to receive updates on immigration news, legislation changes and exclusive offers from IAS?

Sponsor Licence Application

A Sponsorship Licence application is a necessary part of the process of employing certain foreign workers. If you intend to hire anyone from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) you must apply for a Sponsor Licence, including if you are a small business or charity.

There are certain employer Sponsorship Licence requirements you must meet before you can make an application. Before you can make a Tier 5 or Tier 2 Sponsorship Licence application, you must decide which company member(s) will be representing the company. Any members who represent you must be an executive/senior member of the company and not a shareholder. As part of the application process, you will be required to prove that you are a legitimate business which needs the use of migrant talent. This is called the ‘genuine business test’. Once this has been arranged, you can apply for a Tier 2 Sponsorship Licence. You can make this application online or by post – the whole process usually takes around three months in full. Once you have applied, UKVI will review your application and supporting evidence to ensure you meet the requirements for a Sponsor Licence. As part of this review, they may choose to visit your business site and meet all personnel who intend to be involved in the overseas recruitment process.

Sponsor Licence Application Help

The Sponsor Licence application process can be complex, and many employers are unsure of where to begin, particularly when it comes to assigning representative roles. As part of our service, you will be assigned a lawyer who specialises in corporate immigration law and who can closely guide you through each stage of your Sponsor Licence application process. Your lawyer will work with all company representatives, meeting with you in person, or through conference call or Skype, depending on what suits you. They will prepare you for the ‘genuine business test’ by organising your documents into a comprehensive application portfolio and writing a Letter of Representation on your behalf. Call us on 0333 363 8577 or make an enquiry to arrange your first consultation.

Sponsorship Licence FAQs

How do I get a Sponsor Licence?

There are several Sponsorship Licence requirements that you need to meet if you are an employer looking to find out how to get a Sponsor Licence and employ foreign workers.

How to get a Sponsor Licence for your business:

Check that your business is eligible: to be eligible staff members must not have any history of immigration offences, crimes or past failure to meet sponsorship duties

Decide the type of licence you require: this is determined by the type of worker you want to sponsor (this includes Tier 2 general skilled workers & relgious workers and Tier 5 temporary workers in creative, sport, youth mobility and governmental exchange)

Nominate the employees that will be responsible for managing your business’ sponsorship: these can’t be shareholders and they must be senior members of the company. You will need to choose at least two members to use the Sponsorship Management System (SMS)

Apply online and pay the Home Office fee: this varies depending on the type of visa you want to sponsor and the size of your business — £536- £1,476 for Tier 2 only, £536 for Tier 5 only, and £536 – £1,476 for both.

What is the Sponsor Licence application fee?

The Home Office Sponsor Licence application fees are as follows:

For small businesses & charities:

Tier 2 – £536

Tier 5 – £536

Tier 2 & Tier 5 – £536

Adding Tier 2 to an existing Tier 5 – free

Adding Tier 5 to an existing Tier 2 – free

For medium & large businesses

Tier 2 – £1476

Tier 5 – £536

Tier 2 & Tier 5 – £1476

Adding Tier 2 to an existing Tier 5 £940

Adding Tier 5 to an existing Tier 2 – free

To qualify as a small business, you must:

Have an annual turnover of £10.2 million maximum

Employ 50 employees maximum

What is a Sponsor Licence number?

A Sponsor Licence number is a unique reference number or code which is issued to Sponsor Licence holders.

If you are a Tier 5 or Tier 2 employee, you can find your employer’s Sponsor Licence number on your Certificate of Sponsorship.

Do I need a Sponsor Licence?

You need a Sponsor Licence before you can make a job offer to anyone from outside of the EEA.

To be eligible you must meet the following criteria:

You can prove you are a legitimate business

You can ensure your sponsored employee(s) passes a personality test

You can prove a skilled worker from outside the EEA or Switzerland is needed for the position

You do not have any unspent criminal convictions

You do not have a history of failing to carry out sponsorship duties

You can pay the appropriate rate of pay for the job(s) you are conducting.

You will need to prove that you have a legitimate business or organisation and that you have a genuine need for the migrant worker(s) you intend to employ. The Home Office may validate this by visiting your company during your application.

When do I need to apply for a Sponsor Licence?

You will need a Sponsor Licence if you want to employ anyone from outside of EEA or Switzerland who is working in the UK using:

You do not need to apply for a Sponsorship Licence if you are intending to employ someone on a Tier 1 Visa, for example, an Exceptional Talent Visa.

Please note that Tier 3 Unskilled Worker Visas have been suspended. This means that you cannot apply for a Sponsor Licence for non-EEA nationals taking on unskilled roles.

What are the Sponsor Licence requirements?

To make an application for a Sponsor Licence, you need to meet the requirements for sponsorship as an employer.

Below are the employer Sponsor Licence requirements at a glance:

You need to be a genuine organisation or business, or a sole-trader

You need to be legally operating from within the UK

Your company or any of its key personell cannot pose any sort of threat to UK immigration control and there must be no evidence of this (for example, if any staff member has a history of immigration violations)

You must be able to nominate at least three members of your staff to fulfill the roles laid out on the SMS

You must be able to keep up-to-date and organised HR systems and records

You must be able to produce all the documents required for your Sponsor Licence application

You must meet other Sponsorship Licence requirements according to the specific tier (2 or 5) which you intend to employ foriegn workers under

What happens if my Sponsorship Licence application is successful?

If your application is successful, you will be awarded a licence rating by the Home Office and placed on the UK Sponsorship Licence register.

After this, you will be able to issue Certificates of Sponsorship to any non-EEA or Swiss nationals if you have jobs that are suitable for sponsorship.

make sure your business is compliant with all Home Office standards; and

complete your application to the highest standard before submitting.

At IAS, we offer a tailor-made Sponsor Licence Application Package which encompasses these services. We also offer general Immigration Consultancy services, which are designed to assess and improve a UK company’s HR methods. With this, we provide an Immigration Audit, which allows our advisers to locate and resolve any issues or gaps in your records of sponsored employees. Contact us now by using our online form or calling 0333 363 8577 for more information.

Nasreen Ali is excellent. She helped me beyond any words can describe to get my indefinite leave to remain. My… Read More

Nasreen Ali is excellent. She helped me beyond any words can describe to get my indefinite leave to remain. My case was very complicated. Her legal knowledge, experience, professionalism, superb service and moral support was excellent throughout the process. She is my rock. She is excellent lawyer and a great human being. I will use IAS again when I apply for my British citizenship. I highly recommend Nasreen Ali's services @ IAS Leeds. Thank you very, very, very much Nasreen.

IAS took me through the whole process of getting my residence visa. Jean Paul handled my entire case and he was exceptional! He was there through the every step patiently explaining and answering the several questions I had! Their advice was so thorough that I got my residency without any problems, my paperwork was complete and all my documents I submitted were accurate. Thank you so much JP and the entire IAS team for such superb service!!

Anonymous

Applying for a visa, any kind of visa is an arduous process. IAS was recommended to me by a friend… Read More

Applying for a visa, any kind of visa is an arduous process. IAS was recommended to me by a friend and I have not been disappointed. I've taken advantage of their services twice now, and I have been suitably impressed by the patience and courtesy of the advisors I had. Both made the respective visa applications so much easier and less frustrating.

Join Our Mailing List

Immigration Advice Service will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to
provide updates and marketing. Please let us know all the ways you would like to hear from us:

EmailText Message

You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive
from us, or by contacting us at [email protected] We will treat your information with respect. For more
information about our privacy practices please visit our website. By clicking below, you agree that we may
process your information in accordance with these terms.