Sponsor Licence Applications
Sponsor licences, compliance audits and HR system support.
If you want to employ workers from outside the UK (or from the EU, EEA or Switzerland for roles starting after 31 December 2020), you will need a Home Office sponsor licence. Obtaining and maintaining a sponsor licence involves meeting strict eligibility criteria and ongoing compliance obligations. BW Solicitors provides expert advice to businesses across Ilford and London on all aspects of sponsor licence applications and compliance.
Applying for a Sponsor Licence
To obtain a sponsor licence, your business must be a genuine trading entity, not have had a licence revoked in the past year, and have appropriate HR systems and processes in place to meet your sponsor duties. The application involves submitting an online form and providing a range of supporting documents to the Home Office. In some cases, the Home Office will conduct a pre-licence visit to assess your suitability.
- Eligibility assessment for small, medium and large businesses
- Preparation of the sponsor licence application and supporting documents
- Advice on the required HR policies and record-keeping systems
- Preparation for potential Home Office pre-licence visits
- Applications for the Skilled Worker, Intra-Company Transfer and other routes
- Sponsor licence renewals
Sponsor Compliance Obligations
Once you have a sponsor licence, you have ongoing duties to the Home Office. These include recording and reporting certain changes in your sponsored workers' circumstances, carrying out right to work checks, keeping copies of relevant documents, and cooperating with Home Office audits and compliance visits. Failure to meet these obligations can result in downgrading, suspension or revocation of your licence.
- Right to work checks and document retention
- Recording and reporting obligations
- Assigning Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS)
- Advice on compliance during Home Office audits
- Assistance following licence suspension or downgrade
- CoS allocation renewal requests
Licence Revocation and Suspension
If your sponsor licence is suspended or revoked by the Home Office, your sponsored workers' leave may be curtailed and your business may face serious disruption. Our solicitors can advise on the steps to take following suspension or revocation, including making representations to the Home Office and applying for a new licence.
Why Choose BW Solicitors?
BW Solicitors works with businesses of all sizes across Ilford, East London and Greater London on sponsor licence matters. We have hands-on experience assisting organisations in the health and social care, education, technology and hospitality sectors to obtain and maintain their licences.