Sponsor Licences and Sponsorship

Sponsor Licences and Sponsorship

If you want to employ a non-EU national or an EU national who would be arriving in the UK after 1 January 2021,  as a skilled worker then (unless the person has a pre-existing visa permitting work) you will need to sponsor them.  Before doing this, you will need to have a sponsor licence in place.

For employers, the process of applying for, and then managing, your sponsor licence is not straightforward.

To make a successful sponsor licence application you will need to understand the precise documentation and information required of you, something which is not immediately obvious from the Home Office guidance.  Rejections and refusals of sponsor licence applications are common.

Furthermore, when you apply for a licence you confirm you agree to the extensive sponsor duties and responsibilities attached to the licence.  This means being familiar with the various Home Office guidance documents (the main document is over 200 pages long).

Failure to comply with your sponsor duties will lead to enforcement by the Home Office and a range of possible sanctions.  This includes having your licence revoked with the effect that any sponsored migrant has their visa ‘curtailed’ (cancelled), terminating their employment and usually forcing the migrant to return to their home country.

The most common type of sponsor licence is a Skilled Worker sponsor licence. The Skilled Worker sponsor licence replaced the Tier 2 General route. Thankfully, we have written a brand new, practical legal guide for anyone looking to apply for a Skilled Worker sponsor licence.

Alternatively, if you are an employer you can just contact us for a free, no-obligation discussion about sponsorship and applying for a sponsor licence.

Support for Your Licence

The Immigration Team at Truth Legal is highly experienced in helping you to navigate this tricky area.  We can support you by:

• Helping you to apply for your licence
• Reviewing your HR systems to ensure they are compliant
• Helping the migrant to obtain their visa
• Offering training in respect of sponsor duties and Right to Work
• Helping you to prepare for a Home Office inspection
• Challenging any enforcement action by the Home Office

Find out more about a Skilled Worker sponsor licence.

At Truth Legal we have Immigration solicitor Louis MacWilliam who heads up our Immigration Team.  With over 11 years’ experience as a dedicated Immigration specialist, Louis is one of the few genuine immigration experts in the area.

Do you need help with applying for a licence or dealing with sponsorship matters?  Book a consultation with us today.