Since Brexit more and more employers have started to apply for a Sponsor licence in order to employ foreign workers. Partly because, sponsorship became a bit easier as qualification threshold for foreign employees lowered, thereby opening a wide range of professions available for sponsorship.

In order to apply for a Sponsor Licence employer will need to gather at least 4 documents specified in the guidance, complete online application, pay licence fee and email supporting documents together with a submission sheet for the consideration.

There is a possibility to use a 10-day priority service for additional fee, however, a number of accepted applications per day is limited.

Start-up companies, self-employed people are also eligible to apply for a Sponsor licence.

When you, employer, apply for the licence you will need to specify one or several types of licence you require.

Categories of ‘Workers’ licence below allow sponsoring foreign employees for short or long-term:

  • Skilled Worker; migrants will be issued with a Skilled Worker visa
  • Senior or Specialist Worker (Global Business Mobility)
  • Minister of Religion
  • International Sportsperson

Categories of ‘Temporary Workers’ licence below allow only short-term sponsorship:

  • Scale-up Worker
  • Creative Worker
  • Charity Worker
  • Religious Worker
  • Government Authorised Exchange
  • International Agreement
  • Graduate Trainee (Global Business Mobility)
  • Service Supplier (Global Business Mobility)
  • UK Expansion Worker (Global Business Mobility)
  • Secondment Worker (Global Business Mobility)
  • Seasonal Worker

When the licence is granted you will be given access to online system – Sponsorship Management System (SMS) through which you will be making majority of necessary applications to the Home Office as employer, such as amending key personnel, Assigning a Certificate of Sponsorshop (CoS), application for annual renewal of CoS, etc.

This is just an overview of the Sponsor licence application process. UK immigration law is complicated and often confusing to those unfamiliar with the rules, regulations and procedures. Alrose Legal Immigration Services is on hand to translate technical issues into plain English and to provide you with superior solutions, whatever your immigration needs. Please feel free to contact our London Immigration lawyer in Chelsea for professional advice.