Sponsor Licence
A sponsor licence is required by UK employers who wish to employ overseas workers under most work visa routes, including the Skilled Worker visa. Employers must apply to the Home Office, meet eligibility requirements, and demonstrate that they have systems in place to fulfil their sponsor duties (such as record-keeping and right to work checks). Sponsors can have their licence suspended or revoked for non-compliance.
A sponsor licence authorises a UK employer to hire workers from outside the UK under most work visa routes, including Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker. The application is made online to the Home Office; fees are £536 (small or charitable sponsors) or £1,476 (medium or large employers). Employers must demonstrate adequate HR systems for compliance monitoring: right to work checks, absence tracking, and record-keeping. Once granted, a licence is valid for 4 years and can be renewed. Sponsors are assigned Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) which they assign to individual workers. Failure to meet sponsor duties — such as reporting a worker who stops attending work within 10 working days — can result in suspension, downgrading, or revocation of the licence. Revocation of a licence triggers curtailment of visas held by sponsored workers, putting them out of status. UKVI conducts unannounced compliance visits.