How to get a UK Sponsor Licence to Sponsor Skilled Worker Visas
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Looking to hire talent from overseas? Under UK immigration rules, your business may need a sponsor licence for skilled workers in the UK. Get started with Fragomen.
In a world increasingly shaped by war, pandemic, political turmoil and climate change, countless individuals seek safety in the United States. As these crises impact U.S. employer workforces, the demand for comprehensive immigration support has never been more critical for these valuable employees.
For decades, Fragomen has helped individual and corporate clients grapple with the effects of humanitarian crises. From large-scale, crisis-specific programs that help employees and their extended families to actionable advice about a single imperiled worker—we’ve developed a flexible, cost-conscious approach that responds effectively to the complexities that arise in humanitarian crises.
How Fragomen can help
What are the sponsor's responsibilities?
When to apply for a sponsor licence?
Can any business apply for a sponsor licence?
What is a sponsor licence?
Why choose Fragomen for your sponsor licence application?
What are the sponsor's responsibilities?
When to apply for a sponsor licence?
Can any business apply for a sponsor licence?
What is a sponsor licence?
How Fragomen can help
Get started with Fragomen
Can any business apply for a sponsor licence?
To become a sponsor, a business must:
Have a genuine UK trading presence
Provide the required corporate documents and information
Demonstrate strong compliance system and processes to maintain the UK sponsor licence
Appoint key personnel who will be responsible for the sponsor licence
The most common visa types that businesses apply to be licenced to sponsor are:
Skilled Worker
Global Business Mobility - Senior or Specialist Worker
There are also several other routes available, including the Global Business Mobility – Expansion Worker visa type for overseas businesses who are considering expanding to the UK.
What is a sponsor licence?
All UK employers that want to sponsor skilled migrants from overseas to work in the UK will need a sponsor licence. This grants your organisation permission to issue certificates of sponsorship (CoS), which are required for migrant workers applying for a sponsored work visa.
To obtain and manage your sponsor licence, you will need to successfully complete the Home Office’s sponsor licence application process.
When to apply for a sponsor licence?
A sponsor licence must be in place in order to issue the CoS and for the employee to apply for immigration permission.
So if you think that your business may need to sponsor employees in the future, you may want to consider making that application now. Having a sponsor licence in place will help to prevent delays in the employee on-boarding process.
Why choose Fragomen for your sponsor licence application?
Navigating the Home Office’s sponsor licence requirements can be difficult—but it doesn’t have to be.
Staffed by UK qualified solicitors, immigration professionals and paralegals across Fragomen’s London and Sheffield offices, our friendly team is highly exerienced in UK immigration law.
We have helped over a thousand employers, from the smallest start-ups to the largest corporations, apply for and successfully maintain their sponsor licences across a variety of industries, including construction, education, finance, healthcare, hospitality and many others. We have the knowledge and experience to help you navigate the complex legal requirements to ensure you remain compliant—so that you can continue to focus on doing what you do best and growing your business.
What are the sponsor's responsibilities?
There are certain obligations of being a sponsor. Your business will be required to implement an HR system and processes that demonstrate how you are going to comply with these obligations as part of the sponsor licence application.
These requirements are ongoing and may be reviewed by the Home Office before issuing a sponsor licence, or at any time after the licence has been granted.
How long does it take to get a sponsor licence?
On average, it takes around six weeks for most businesses to gather the information and documentation required to prepare a sponsor licence application.
Once the application is filed, the Home Office processing standard is eight weeks, although a limited number of paid priority slots are available which reduce the processing to 10 working days.
How long does it take to get one?
Why choose Fragomen for your sponsor licence application?
Tailored advice on the structure of your sponsor licence
End-to-end support through the application process
Comprehensive application guides
Training on the UK immigration system and compliance requirements for UK sponsors
About Fragomen
Fragomen is the leading single-focus provider of immigration services and support in the UK and around the world. We have strong and long-established relationships with the Home Office and other government authorities allowing us to provide tailored compliance advice and best practices. Fragomen has over 6,000 immigration-focused professionals and staff spanning more than 60 offices worldwide.
How Fragomen can help
We offer a variety of sponsor licence services to cater to businesses of all needs and sizes:
We can assess your business’ requirements and existing processes and advise you on process improvements to ensure compliance, or design a totally bespoke offering from the ground up.
Once the licence is in place, you will likely want to start sponsoring employees or potential hires. We provide flexible support to match your business needs at any stage of the visa application process.
How long does it take to get one?
