How do you become a licensed sponsor in the UK?

From 2021 onwards any employer wishing to hire foreign, skilled workers to work for them in the UK will need a Sponsor license. The skilled foreign nations will be assessed based on this new points-based system and each worker will have to show credibility based on these points. Once the candidate earns a minimum of points on the scale, only then the visa is guaranteed.

Sponsor license guidance

 From January 2021 the Home Office issued guidelines reflect the current changes in immigration. Every Business in the UK must have a UKVI sponsor license to continue hiring skilled overseas workers through a skilled route.

Only those citizens who are already staying in the UK with pre-settled status can be hired without a sponsor license.

 Sponsor license

The sponsor license is a mandatory license under the new immigration rules to hire skilled workers from overseas.

Once the UKVI sponsor license application is successful, the employer gets a sponsor license. Its validity is for 4 years and needs to be renewed eventually.

The employer must fulfill all the requirements and comply with Home office rules and regulations on the latest sponsor license guidance.

Checklist of Documents

There are four mandatory documents with the skilled worker license application.

1.     Last audited account details.

1. Latest business bank statement.
2. Insurance of liabilities of up to £5 million.
3. Proof of ownership
4. If you are required to be registered and monitored by a regulatory body to operate lawfully in the UK

• Proof of the employer registration number.
• Certificate of VAT registration.

In the case of an Intra-company transfer sponsor license, the document of ownership is required between the parent company in the UK and the overseas

At times, different types of sponsor license application demands different documents to be submitted which could be quite tolling. It is best to hire a UK immigration lawyer who can represent the employer and get the work done smoothly.

Steps involved in the application process

1. Firstly the employer should choose the type of license they need.
2. Show proof that the company is genuine, fully functional in the UK.
3. The company needs an authorizing officer, who will manage the sponsorship of the company.
4. The authorizing officer could be an HR manager or a senior recruitment officer.

The authorizing officer is responsible for overseeing the sponsorship management system.

1. The employer must also have a level 1 user to access the sponsorship management system.
2. Fill the online application form and pay the fee.
3. The fee depends upon the size of your organization. Smaller organizations need to pay £536, while medium to large organizations needs to pay £1476.

What are the ratings?

There are 2 types of ratings given to the employer

1. Once you have a UKVI sponsor license then the employer gets ‘A rating’
2. This means the employer can now hire skilled foreign nationals through a skilled route.
3. The employer must maintain their sponsor license system or sponsorship management system to continue with ‘A rating’’
4. ‘B rating’ is given when the Home Office revokes or discontinues the license.
5. At all times the employers must ensure that they comply with the Home Office.
6. Home Office also has the liberty to re-examine the license, and if they find any breach or violation of the sponsorship duties, the license can be canceled.