Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence
The Skilled Worker visa has been recently introduced as a new UK visa category. In order to apply for this visa, you need a sponsorship from a UK-based employer. However, such an employer is only capable of offering a sponsorship when holding a Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence.
The Skilled Worker Licence allows an employer to issue “Certificates of Sponsorship” (CoS), which is offered to potential applicants. In absence of CoS, it is not possible to apply for the Skilled Worker visa. you can also apply for scale-up visa UK.
If you need Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence guidance, you can count on this comprehensive guide.
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What is a Sponsor Licence?
A sponsor licence makes it possible for UK-based organisations and companies to sponsor overseas workers to enter the UK. Sponsor licence UK is valid for four years and it can be renewed.
This type of licence is only offered to organisations and not to individuals. The basic purpose of issuing a sponsor licence is to deal with the misuse of the immigration system and discourage illegal working in the UK.
The business or organisation is duly scrutinized by the Home Office. This is done to ensure that the holder of a sponsor licence should meet the compliance-related responsibilities.
Here are the key aspects that the Home Office takes into account when issuing any type of sponsor licence:
- The organisation or business is capable of fulfilling the responsibilities of sponsoring the overseas workers.
- The holder of the sponsor licence offers such roles that are in accordance with the required skill level i.e. genuineness and salary.
- The workers sponsored by the organisation must meet the requirements of the ‘Points System’. In addition, such workers should also have relevant skills and qualifications.
If an organisation fails to meet the above responsibilities when sponsoring overseas workers, it may face fines. Besides, constant irregularities may also result in the revocation of a sponsor licence by the Home Office.
In an event of revocation, the sponsored workers would not only lose their jobs but also have to leave the country.
How to Apply for a Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence?
The Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence application is made online. You can apply for a Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence by choosing the desired category from the options mentioned on the application form. You need to be careful, as you can only issue a Certificate of Sponsorship regarding those categories that are mentioned in the sponsor licence UK.
To obtain Skilled Worker Licence, you must provide specific documents and evidence to prove your eligibility. In addition, you are also required to provide information about the appointment of key personnel within the organisation.
What are the Eligibility Requirements for a Sponsor Licence?
There are various requirements for a skilled worker sponsor licence. Being a sponsor, the organisation should provide relevant evidence. This is essential to prove that the applicant is a genuine employer and is currently operating in the UK. With a view to fulfilling the eligibility requirements, a business should submit not less than four pieces of evidence.
For instance, if you are applying for a sponsor licence, make sure to choose among the types of evidence listed in Appendix A (Supporting Documents for Sponsor Licence Application) available on UKVI’s Website.
Appendix A is further divided into four tables. These include:
Table 1: This covers the companies that are listed on the London Stock Exchange. Such companies don’t need to prove that they are legal entities. On the contrary, they only need to provide documents that are associated with the sponsor licence.
Table 2: It relates to start-ups, franchises and charities that have been functional in the UK for the past 18 months.
Table 3: This table contains various pieces of evidence that a company can provide for a specific tier.
Table 4: All other documents or pieces of evidence are listed on this table.
Apart from the eligibility requirements, the applicant for a sponsor licence must also meet the suitability criteria. This helps to conduct a more intense assessment.
For instance, the Home Office will analyze whether a particular company is reliable, honest, and capable of meeting sponsorship responsibilities.
Listed below are the things that the Home Office usually checks:
- The business has a strong and functional HR/recruitment system, which enables it to fulfil its sponsorship duties. Usually, the Home Office judges this aspect by paying a visit to the business facility.
- The sponsor is in a position to provide a legitimate vacancy in a particular category for which the sponsor licence is issued.
- The Home Office checks for any instance of the previous non-compliance by the holder of the sponsor licence.
How much does a Sponsor Licence Application Cost?
The cost of a sponsor licence UK varies depending on the type and actual size of an organisation or business. The application fee is also payable upon renewal of the skilled worker licence.
Generally, Home Office annually reviews the application fees. The most recent fees for various types of businesses and organisations are published on the Home Office’s official website.
To apply for a sponsor skilled worker sponsor licence, medium and large organisations must pay a fee of £1,476. However, opting for a ‘Priority Service’ requires paying an additional fee of £500.
Organisations that don’t meet the criteria for a small business are considered large or medium. Registered Charities are referred to as “Small” sponsors. Small organisations can obtain a skilled worker licence by paying a fee of £536.
In order to qualify as a small sponsor, the organisation should meet at least two of these requirements:
- The annual turnover of a business is equal to or less than £10.2 million
- The total assets of a business are £5.1 million or less in worth
- The company is currently offering jobs to 50 or fewer employees
What Documents you will Need to Apply for a Sponsor Licence?
Since there are various types of sponsor licences, each variant has different requirements when it comes to the submission of supporting documents. Talking about the Documents for Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence, you are required to submit the four main types of documents.
In addition, some other documents are also submitted with the application depending on the type of organisation i.e. start-up, public body, SME or franchise.
Below are some of the most prominent documents that are necessary to accompany a Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence application:
- VAT Registration Certificate
- Official bank statement of a business or organisation
- Liability insurance of employer (Minimum £5 million)
- A document showing the employer’s registration HMRC such as PAYE
- Must also attach “Accounts Office Reference Number”
- The organisation or business must offer proof of ownership, rental agreement or lease documents, as the case may be.
- Recently audited or unaudited accounts (A company must provide audited accounts if it is legally bound to do so).
- If necessary, the business should show proof of its registration with a regulatory body.
If the requirements for the sponsor licence are met and relevant evidence has been provided, you are eligible to apply for the multiple subcategories simultaneously.
What are the ‘Worker’ Licence Categories?
Here are the four major categories of ‘Worker Licence’”
- Skilled worker sponsor licence
- Intra-company Transfer
- Sportsperson
- Ministers of Religion
Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence
This type of sponsor licence allows an employer to sponsor an overseas employee to enter the UK. The skilled worker visa is a popular route for skilled people residing outside the UK. However, an organisation can only sponsor an employee if it holds a sponsor licence.
Intra-company Transfer
This is another category of Sponsor Licence, which allows an overseas company to transfer an employee to its UK-based branch.
Sportsperson
Qualified coached and professional sportspersons can obtain sponsorship through Worker's Licence. On the other hand, this sports person are sponsored under a separate Sportsperson visa (T2).
Ministers of Religion
With this licence, a UK based religious organisation can sponsor an overseas person under the Minister of Religion route. However, the offered job should relate to the propagation of faith/religion.
How Long will my Sponsor Licence be valid?
A Skilled Worker's Licence is issued for four years. However, you can extend Sponsor Licence UK by simply applying for an extension before the expiry of your existing skilled worker licence.
On the contrary, if the skilled worker sponsor licence application is refused, you can’t exercise the right of appeal. You can reapply for the skilled worker licence after the cooling-off period (6 months).
What is the Processing Time for a Sponsor Licence Application?
The decision regarding your skilled worker sponsor licence may take up to 8 weeks. However, you can also take advantage of ‘Priority Service’ by paying an additional fee (£500.00). By doing so, you can get a decision within just 10 working days.
