How to obtain a UK Sponsor Licence and Skilled Worker Visas

In today’s competitive market, UK businesses are increasingly tapping into the global talent pool to fill specialised roles and address skill shortages within their teams. Recruiting top talent from overseas helps companies bridge these gaps and provides a significant competitive advantage by bringing diverse perspectives and innovative expertise into the workforce.

This article outlines the process for UK businesses to obtain the necessary sponsor licence and assist with overseeing the application for a work visa to recruit and employ highly skilled professionals from abroad. It also provides some practical tips to ensure the application process is as efficient as possible.

Please note that this article does not provide legal advice, and you should consult a qualified legal professional for specific legal advice tailored to your circumstances.

Step 1: Apply for a sponsor licence

The first step is to apply for a sponsor licence. This is the document which grants the company permission to sponsor overseas workers.

Sponsor licences last ten years, provided you comply with your ongoing obligations as a sponsor.

What do I need to do?

1. To apply for a sponsor licence, you must register to use the online platform. The application itself is mainly web-based.

2. Once you have registered, you must log in to complete the application. You will need to provide:

• The company’s total number of employees and a list of any under immigration control
• Information about your company, including its business description, PAYE reference, Accounts Office reference, VAT number and whether it is a member of any regulated body
• A description of the job roles to be filled
• Details of the individual you would like to sponsor – e.g. a copy of their passport, intended job role and evidence of the recruitment process used to identify them as a candidate
• Details of the individual who will be appointed as the company’s Authorising Officer – e.g. a copy of their passport, work address, contact details and National Insurance number

This is not an exhaustive list; additional information may be required depending on the specific circumstances.

3. Once you have completed the application, you must submit it and make the relevant payment.

4. You will need to send the following supporting documents to UK Visas & Immigration within 5 working days of the date you submitted your sponsor licence application:

• A hierarchy chart specifying your company’s owners, directors, and managers and where the individual you wish to sponsor will be placed within it
• If your company has 50 employees or less, a list of their names, nationalities, and job titles
• The relevant job description
• A copy of any registration your company has with a regulated body

In addition, you must send a minimum of four of the following documents:

• The company’s most recent accounts
• A copy of your Employers’ Liability Insurance certificate
• The company’s latest acknowledgement of its Corporation Tax return
• The latest company bank statement with a letter from the bank
• Proof of registration with HMRC as an employer for PAYE and National Insurance
• VAT registration certificate confirming the VAT registration number and “effective date of registration”
• Proof of ownership or lease of business

Your application will be automatically rejected if you do not send the documents by the deadline.

How much does it cost?

The cost of a sponsor licence application depends on the type of licence you require and the size of your business. To sponsor skilled workers, you will need a worker licence.

If you are a “medium or large” sponsor, the licence application costs £1,476. Small companies and charities can take advantage of a lower fee of £536.

To be classed as a small sponsor, you will need to meet at least two of the following requirements:

1. Annual turnover is less than £10.2 million
2. Total assets worth £5.1 million or less
3. 50 employees or fewer

The sponsor licence application must be prepared thoroughly and can be complex to navigate. For this reason, most businesses engage an immigration lawyer to assist them with their application. You can expect to pay around £3,000- £6,000 in legal fees on top of the application cost.

How long does it take?

Once you have submitted your application, the standard waiting time for a decision is 8 weeks. However, if your application is deemed to be complex, it may take longer.

If you need a quicker decision, a priority service is available, but spaces are limited and are usually claimed quickly. To claim a priority service, you must pay an extra £500.

If you manage to get the priority service, UK Visas & Immigration will aim to make a decision within 10 working days of your submission of the supporting documents. Please note that this is an aim and is not a guaranteed timescale.

Step 2: Apply for a certificate of sponsorship

Once your application for a sponsor licence has been approved, the next step is to apply for a certificate of sponsorship. This is a digital document that is assigned to each migrant worker to confirm that the company intends to sponsor them.

What do I need to do?

1. You must apply for the certificate using the Sponsor Management System. Your login details will be emailed to you once your sponsor licence application has been accepted.

2. To make the application, you will need to input various details such as a description of the job role, the gross annual salary, and the weekly hours that the individual will be required to work. You will also need to provide the personal details of the proposed employee, including their passport details.

3. Once the application is submitted and you have the certificate, you must then assign it to the individual so they can use it to make their visa application. This is also done online through the Sponsor Management System.

How much does it cost?

The fee for a certificate of sponsorship is the same regardless of your company’s size. For a skilled worker, this will be £239 per certificate.

In addition to the certificate fee, you must pay an Immigration Skills Charge when you assign the certificate to the individual. The amount you pay will depend on your company’s size and the length of the certificate of sponsorship.

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If you are a medium or large sponsor, you will pay £1,000 for the first 12 months and £500 after that for each additional 6 months.

If you are a small sponsor, you will pay £364 for the first 12 months and £182 after that for each additional 6 months.

How long does it take?

According to the government website, applications for a certificate of sponsorship are usually approved within 1 working day. However, backlogs can affect timings.

Step 3: Apply for a skilled worker visa

After the certificate of sponsorship has been assigned and the individual has a confirmed job offer, they can apply for a skilled worker visa.

The visa is the document which allows the individual to work in the UK and is attached to a specific job role. This means that if the individual changes jobs, they would need to apply for a new visa.

Not all jobs are eligible occupations for the purposes of a skilled worker visa, and the company should check that the job the individual will be undertaking is listed in the government’s table of eligible occupations. The job role must also meet the minimum salary requirement of £38,700 per year or the ‘going rate’ for the type of work the individual will be doing, whichever is higher.

The visa application must be made within 3 months of the certificate of sponsorship being assigned but cannot be applied for more than 3 months before the individual’s start date. The visa can last up to a maximum of 5 years, after which the individual can apply to renew it.

What does the individual need to do?

1. First, collate all the information that must be provided as part of the visa application. These include, at a minimum, the individual’s:

• passport
• job title, salary, and occupation code (which can be found in the table of eligible occupations)
• certificate of sponsorship reference number
• proof of knowledge of English
• the sponsoring company’s name and sponsor licence number

Depending on the circumstances, other documents may also need to be supplied.

2. If any documents are not in English, have them translated. This will need to be a certified translation.

3. Once the documents and translations are ready, the individual can apply for the skilled worker visa online. As part of the application, the individual will need to prove their identity, which sometimes means getting a biometric residence permit. It will be made clear during the application whether this is the case.

How much does it cost?

The application fee is generally £719 per person if the visa applied for is to last up to 3 years and £1,420 per person if the visa will last over 3 years. Please note that these fees are for applications made from outside the UK only; those applying from inside the UK will be subject to different charges.

In addition to the application fee, an Immigration Healthcare Surcharge must also be paid. This is usually £1,035 per year that the visa lasts and must be paid up front.

If a biometric information and visa centre appointment is required, this will also come at a cost, and charges vary from centre to centre.

When arriving in the UK, the individual must show they can support themselves. Usually, they must have at least £1,270 in their bank account to prove this.

If the company or individual engages a lawyer to assist with the visa application, they can expect to pay £3,000- £4,000 in legal fees. These fees also often include applying for and assigning the certificate of sponsorship prior to the visa application being made.

How long does it take?

If the visa has been applied for from outside the UK, the standard waiting time for a decision is around 3 weeks from the time the application is submitted, identity is proven, and all required documents are provided.

A priority service is also available for an additional £500, and the individual will be notified whether it can be applied for when the application is made.