Sponsor Licence
Sponsor Licence: A Guide by Rasel Chambers Solicitors
What Is a Sponsor Licence?
A sponsor licence grants permission for a UK business to employ workers from outside the UK to work within their organisation. You will need a sponsor licence to employ most overseas workers, including Skilled Workers and UK Expansion Workers. This requirement applies to both non-EU nationals and most citizens of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland who arrived in the UK after 31 December 2020.
However, you will not need a sponsor licence to employ:
- An Irish citizen
- A person with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
- A person with indefinite leave to remain in the UK
- A foreign national who otherwise has permission to work in the UK
To secure a sponsor licence, you must submit an application to the Home Office and pay the requisite application fee.
Businesses of all sizes and across all sectors can apply for a sponsor licence, provided they meet the business eligibility and job suitability requirements for the category of sponsor licence they are applying for.
For more information and assistance with your Self-Sponsorship Visa application, contact our team of immigration experts today. We are here to help you navigate the process and make your entrepreneurial dreams a reality in the UK
Requirements for a Sponsor Licence
General Requirements
To successfully apply for a sponsor licence, you must satisfy the Home Office that:
- Genuine Organisation: You are a genuine organisation operating lawfully in the UK.
- Honesty and Reliability: You are honest, dependable, reliable, and not engaging in behaviour contrary to the public good.
- Capability: You are capable of carrying out your sponsor duties and evidencing compliance as outlined in sponsor guidance.
You will need to submit various company-related documents to establish that you are a genuine organisation operating lawfully in the UK. The exact documents required will vary depending on the type of organisation and the routes you wish to sponsor migrants on.
The Home Office will assess your business history and background, including the backgrounds of Key Personnel and those involved in the day-to-day operations of the business. They will also evaluate your current HR and recruitment procedures to ensure you can fulfil your sponsor duties.
Route-specific Requirements
For each immigration route, you must meet additional specific requirements. For example:
- Skilled Worker Route:
- Employment must meet the skill and salary level requirements.
- The job must be genuine.
- There must be a direct employer-employee relationship, not involving third-party hire for routine roles.
- UK Expansion Worker Route:
- Employment must meet the skill and salary level requirements.
- The job must be genuine and not involve third-party work.
- There must be a qualifying link between the UK sponsor and the overseas business.
- You should have a UK ‘footprint’ but not be actively trading in the UK.
- The overseas business must be active and trading for at least three years.
- The expansion must be genuine and feasible within two years.
The UK offers various other Worker and Temporary Worker immigration routes, each with specific requirements. Failure to meet these requirements will result in the refusal of your sponsor licence application.
Documents Needed for a Sponsor Licence Application
You will need to provide at least four mandatory documents as outlined in Appendix A of the Home Office sponsor guidance. The required documents depend on your application’s circumstances.
Appointing Key Personnel
Before applying, appoint:
- Authorising Officer: A senior person involved in recruitment/HR, responsible for the licence.
- Key Contact: The primary contact for the Home Office.
- Level 1 User: Manages the sponsor licence through the Sponsorship Management System (SMS).
These roles can be filled by one person or multiple individuals. Key Personnel, unless applying for a UK Expansion Worker sponsor licence, must be based in the UK, have no unspent convictions or adverse history, and be paid members of your staff or office holders.
Application Process
Apply for your Sponsor Licence by completing an online application form, paying an application fee, and submitting all relevant supporting documents within five working days. You will also need to provide information about the Key Personnel and the documents meeting the eligibility and suitability criteria.
Fees and Processing Time
- Application Fee: £536 for small companies or charities, £1,476 for medium or large companies.
- Processing Time: Up to eight weeks, with a priority service available for £500, offering a decision within ten working days.
Duration of a Sponsor Licence
If successful, your sponsor licence will be valid for ten years. Renewal applications must be made before expiry if you wish to continue sponsoring workers. UK Expansion Worker licences cannot be renewed as you are expected to establish a UK trading presence within two years. Once established, you can add other routes to your licence and your sponsored workers can switch to these routes if eligible.
Conclusion
The sponsor licence application must be prepared meticulously as there is no right of appeal if refused, and there will be a six-month cooling-off period. For detailed guidance and assistance, contact Rasel Chambers Solicitors. Our business immigration team is here to help you navigate the process smoothly.
To discuss your sponsor licence application, call us or complete our enquiry form.
FAQs for RASEL CHAMBERS SOLICITORS
RASEL CHAMBERS SOLICITORS offers a wide range of legal services, including:
- UK immigration services (applications to the Home Office, appeals, Points Based System, etc.)
- Family law (divorce, domestic violence, etc.)
- Welfare benefits (Personal Independence Payment, Housing Benefit, etc.)
Md Rasel, is the head of the legal practice, has extensive experience in immigration law, particularly complex immigration matters such as appeals, detention cases, and British citizenship applications, family law and welfare benefits
RASEL CHAMBERS SOLICITORS is committed to keeping clients informed throughout the legal process. Clients can expect regular updates and can contact their solicitor with any questions.
The office is located at 10-12 Whitechapel Road, 2nd Floor, London E1 1EW. The FAQ document mentions the excellent location near public transportation and amenities.
The best way to reach us is by phone at +447515487822. Alternatively, you can send your enquiry to info@raselchambers.co.uk and one of our immigration specialists will get in touch with you shortly.
We charge a £80 fee for a 40-minute consultation with one of our immigration solicitors. Consultations can be conducted in person, over the phone, or via email.
Absolutely. We are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), the official regulatory body for solicitors in England and Wales. This ensures we meet the highest professional standards.
Unlike firms regulated by the Office of Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC), which are limited in the types of cases they can handle, solicitors like RASEL CHAMBERS can represent you throughout the entire immigration process, from the initial application stage all the way to appeals in the Supreme Court, if necessary.
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