Sponsor Licence Application

UK Sponsor Licence: A Key Step for Hiring Skilled Workers

UK employers need to complete a sponsor licence application if they want to employ a skilled worker from overseas. This is a crucial step to ensure legal compliance and gain the ability to recruit international talent.

Today’s global market means that sometimes the essential skills you need for your business come from abroad. This means you’ll need a Sponsor Licence before you can hire a foreign worker as your employee in the UK.

Choosing the Right Sponsor Licence: Worker vs. Temporary Worker

Typically, sponsor licences fall under two main categories: a Worker Licence and a Temporary Worker Licence. The type of job the organization is hiring for will determine which sponsor licence application the employer needs to submit. A clear understanding of the role and its requirements is essential to choose the correct sponsor licence application category.

 

Employers will need to fulfila number of duties and obligations as the sponsor of a foreign worker, both before and during the employment period. This includes deciding which company member(s) will be representing the organization in the sponsor licence application process. These representatives must be executive or senior members of the company and cannot be shareholders, ensuring they have the necessary authority and responsibility.

Get Expert Guidance to Navigate the Sponsor Licence Process with Stellar Immigration

As part of the sponsor licence application process, businesses are required to prove that they are legitimate entities that need to utilize migrant talent. This involves providing substantial evidence and documentation. To increase the chances of a successful sponsor licence application, organizations can seek assistance from professional services like stellar immigration.

For those looking for expert guidance, call Stellar Immigration at +44(0)333 577 8800 to speak with our team about your sponsor licence application. Our experienced advisors can help navigate the complexities of the sponsor licence application, ensuring all requirements are met and the process is as smooth as possible.

What is a Sponsor Licence?

A Sponsor Licence is a certification issued by the UK Home Office to organizations that wish to recruit and employ non-UK nationals. This licence is essential for employers who need to hire skilled workers from outside the United Kingdom, allowing them to sponsor individuals under various visa categories, including the Skilled Worker visa and the Intra-Company Transfer visa.

Holding a Sponsor Licence signifies that the organization is recognized by the UK government as a legitimate business that can fulfil specific responsibilities and obligations associated with employing migrant workers.

These responsibilities include:

Verifying Eligibility: Ensuring that the migrant workers they intend to sponsor meet the necessary criteria for the visa category they are applying under.

The company applying for the sponsor licence must be a genuine business which trades according to UK law, be headquartered in the UK, resent no threat to immigration control and the company is managed by honest and dependable officers.

Maintaining Compliance: Adhering to UK immigration laws and regulations, which involve keeping accurate records of sponsored employees and reporting any changes in their circumstances to the Home Office. Operating a HR system which enables compliance with a sponsor’s obligations under Sponsorship Management.

Preventing Illegal Working: Implementing measures to prevent illegal employment, such as conducting right-to-work checks.

To obtain a Sponsor Licence, an organization must complete an application process that includes providing detailed information about the business, proving the necessity of hiring foreign talent, and demonstrating the ability to meet the sponsorship duties. The application process can be complex, and seeking professional assistance can help ensure a successful outcome. Essentially the sponsor licence application must satisfy the Home Office that sponsored workers have the qualifying skills and the right to work in the UK.

Types of Sponsor Licences:

There are two main types of Sponsor Licences.

Worker Licence: This licence is for organizations seeking to hire individuals under long-term visa categories such as the Skilled Worker visa.There are several specific categories of skilled workers, the most important of which are those who meet the skills and salary requirements of the job and those who are existing employees at an overseas location of the business, which the employer wishes to transfer to the UK operation. The relevant categories must be specified in the application.

Temporary Worker Licence: This licence is for organizations intending to employ individuals under temporary visa categories, such asthe Creativeindustriessuch as artists and entertainers, Sporting visa or the Charity Worker visa, graduate trainees and service suppliers coming to the UK on a contract.

How to Apply

An employer needs to decide which categories of the worker to include, verify their company’s eligibility and audit their HR system to ensure it meets the Home Office criteria. In addition, they must appoint appropriate key personnel as the authorising officer and the level 1 and 2 users of the Sponsor Management System. Several documents are required to accompany the application, and it may be necessary to enable a site visit by Home Office personnel to verify the information supplied.

Fees

There are two sponsor levels: small or charitable and medium or large. For the first category, all licences attract a fee of £536. For the second category, the same sum applies to a Temporary Worker. Still, for the broader Worker licence, the amount payable is £1,476, while upgrading from Temporary to Worker costs an additional £940.

Refusals

Even if an employer believes that they have fulfilled the criteria and submitted the relevant documentation, there’s no guarantee that a Sponsor Licence will be granted. The Home Office retains the discretion to refuse on several grounds, chief amongst which are that the employer:

–         has not met all the compliance requirements

–         has taken too long to respond to enquiries

–         has been judged not to have made a genuine application

–         has unspent criminal convictions

–         has supplied false or incorrect information

–         is still in the cooling-off period following a previous refusal

Appeals

There is no right to appeal against a decision to refuse a Sponsor Licence. If the employer believes the refusal is based upon a clerical error within the Home Office, they can ask for the error to be corrected, but this does not constitute a full reconsideration of the decision, only an amendment of the specific mistake.

How We Can Help

Stellar Immigration Services offers flexible consulting and legal advice on all issues regarding the UK’s immigration laws and procedures. Instead of taking a chance, why not ensure your application is professionally prepared?

Please contact us today..