HomeWork & Business ImmigrationSponsor Licence
Sponsor licence solicitors
A sponsor licence lets a UK business employ workers from overseas - and commits it to duties the Home Office actively polices. We handle applications, run mock audits and act fast when a licence is suspended. Fixed-fee stages from £81 + VAT.
Written by Georgette Thomas, Principal Solicitor · Last reviewed 12 July 2026
At a glance
Home Office fee
Small vs medium/large sponsor fee bands
Decision time
Priority service available for a fee
Rating on grant
Downgrade only on compliance findings
Licence duration
Renewable
Home Office fees and thresholds change - check gov.uk for the current figures. We confirm them in writing when we quote you.
What a licence involves
A sponsor licence permits a UK business to employ overseas workers, including workers from Europe since 1 January 2021. With it, you can assign certificates of sponsorship to the people you hire - and you take on continuing duties: reporting changes through the Sponsor Management System, keeping detailed records on every sponsored worker and staying within your authorised allocation.
The licence is run online by named key personnel in your business:
A senior figure, ideally in recruitment or HR - responsible for the licence
The main point of contact with the Home Office
Day-to-day management of the licence through the SMS
Key personnel should be primarily based in the UK and must be free from unspent criminal convictions. Getting these appointments right at the start avoids most early problems.
The application: eligibility and suitability
The application is made online by someone with a decision-making role, with a fee based on the size of the business - check gov.uk for the current figure. Supporting documents must follow within five working days of submission, which is a tight window if they are not ready in advance.
The Home Office tests two things:
- Eligibility - you are a genuine employer with a lawful trading presence in the UK, evidenced by documents from a specified list: corporate bank statements, employers' liability insurance, HMRC PAYE registration, Companies House registration.
- Suitability - you have fair and open HR and recruitment systems capable of meeting sponsor duties, a genuine vacancy at the required skill and salary level and key personnel who pass the checks.
We prepare the evidence against both tests before submission, because a refused licence application usually means a cooling-off period before you can try again.
Compliance and mock audits
The Home Office can visit any sponsor, announced or unannounced, and test whether the systems described in the application actually operate. Right-to-work checks, reporting deadlines, record keeping and genuine-vacancy evidence are the usual pressure points.
Our mock audit inspects your business the way the Home Office would - same documents, same questions - and gives you a written list of what to fix before a real visit finds it. For care providers, who are audited more often than any other sector, we run this alongside care worker sponsorship work as standard.
Suspension and revocation
If the Home Office finds problems it can downgrade your rating, suspend the licence or revoke it. Revocation stops you sponsoring anyone - and your existing sponsored workers normally have 60 days to find a new sponsor or leave the UK, so the stakes reach well beyond the business.
If you receive a suspension letter. There is a fixed window to respond, and the response is usually your one chance to save the licence. Send us the letter the day it arrives - we review the allegations, gather the evidence and draft the representations within the deadline.
What it costs
| Service | Our fixed fee |
|---|---|
Sponsorship services Licence applications, defined certificates, monthly maintenance, mock audits and compliance - staged fixed fees, scoped to your business | £81–£2,952 + VAT |
Business consultation A plain view of what the licence involves before you commit | from £50 + VAT |
Six tips for a sponsor licence application
Sponsor licence questions
The Home Office publishes a processing time, and a priority service is sometimes available. We tell you the current position when you instruct us.
Insufficient HR systems, no genuine vacancy, an unsuitable authorising officer, or errors in the supporting evidence. Most refusals are avoidable.
You cannot assign new certificates and you have a limited window to respond. The written response is the whole case, so get advice the day you receive the letter.
The licence covers the routes you apply for. Add routes by making a further application.
A rehearsal of a Home Office compliance visit against your real files and systems, with a written report of the gaps and how to close them.
Thinking about sponsoring overseas workers?
Book a business consultation, from £50 + VAT. We will tell you what the licence involves, what it costs and how long it takes - before you commit to anything.