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SPONSOR LICENSE (TIER 2)

If you have a business based in the UK, and need to hire a person from outside the UK or someone who requires Skilled Worker Visa, then you must obtain a Sponsorship License.
Before you can hire a selected individual for the job, your company needs to receive the necessary authorisation from the Home Office.

Overview

You will generally require a sponsor licence to employ an individual from outside the UK.
This applies to nationals of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland who entered the UK after 31 December 2020.
It also covers unpaid roles, such as managing a charitable organisation.
A licence is not required to sponsor certain categories, such as:

  1. Confirm that your business meets the required eligibility criteria.

  2. Ensure the job role you are offering qualifies for sponsorship.

  3. Select the appropriate type of licence based on the kind of worker you intend to sponsor.

  4. Appoint designated individuals to manage sponsorship responsibilities within your organisation.

  5. Submit the application online and pay the applicable fee.

  6. Be prepared for a possible inspection by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to verify your business’s suitability.

  1. If your application is approved, you will be assigned a licence rating.

  2. You may issue certificates of sponsorship for roles that qualify for sponsorship.

  3. The licence remains valid for four years; failure to meet your sponsor duties may result in its revocation.

  4. You must return your biometric residence permit (BRP) to the Home Office within five working days of receiving your certificate of British citizenship.

  5. Cut the BRP into four pieces and place it in an envelope with no window.

  6. Enclose a note explaining that the permit is being returned due to your acquisition of British citizenship. The note must include your full name, date of birth, and the document number shown on the front of the card.

  7. Send it to the following address:
      Naturalisation BRP Returns
      PO Box 195
      Bristol
      BS20 1BT

  8. Failure to return your BRP within five working days may result in a fine of up to £1,000.

  1. After obtaining a British passport, you are required to use it when entering the UK.

  2. If you choose not to obtain a British passport, you may apply for a certificate of entitlement as an alternative.

  3. Entry into the UK is not permitted using a biometric residence permit (BRP) or a certificate of British citizenship.

  1. To qualify for a sponsor licence as an employer, you must not have:
    • Unspent criminal convictions related to immigration violations or specific offences such as fraud or money laundering.
    • Had a sponsor licence revoked within the past 12 months

  2. You must have effective systems in place to monitor sponsored employees, along with designated personnel to oversee sponsorship duties within your organisation.

  3. UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) will assess your application and supporting documents, and may conduct a site visit to ensure you are reliable and capable of fulfilling your responsibilities as a sponsor.

  1. You may sponsor a worker if the role offered meets the required salary threshold and skill level, or satisfies the specific eligibility criteria for the relevant visa category.

  2. Learn more about job suitability if you are sponsoring individuals under one of the following categories:
      • A Skilled Worker
      • A Health or Care Worker
      • A worker on any Global Business Mobility visa, including:
       – Senior or Specialist Worker
       – Graduate Trainee
       – Secondment Worker
       – UK Expansion Worker
       – Service Supplier
      • A Scale-up Worker
      • A participant in a Government Authorised Exchange
      • A Seasonal Worker
      • An International Sportsperson visa holder
      • A worker under an International Agreement
      • A Creative Worker
      • A Charity Worker
      • A Minister of Religion or Religious Worker

  1. In most cases, you are required to advertise any role offered to an applicant under the Religious Worker visa, unless the position is non-essential or involves residing within a religious order (such as a monk or nun).

  2. You must maintain records in situations where advertising the role is not necessary, and be able to demonstrate that no suitable candidate is available who does not require sponsorship.

  3. Specific rules must be followed regarding how roles for religious workers are advertised.

  1. Creative roles include:
     • Ballet dancers and other professional dancers
     • Film and television performers
     • Theatre and opera artists
     • Film and TV production staff
     • Models

  2. For creative positions, you must ensure that:
     • You follow the relevant code of practice for creative workers (if one exists for that occupation), 
     • The role is listed on the shortage occupations list

  3. If the job is not listed as a shortage occupation and no code of practice applies, you must verify that the role cannot be filled by someone who does not require sponsorship.

  4. When sponsoring a creative worker under the age of 16:
      • You may be required to obtain a child performance licence if the child is participating in:
      Films, stage plays, concerts, or other public performances held on licensed premises or for paying audiences
      Paid modelling work

  5. The event organiser must ensure that the child performance licence is applied for at least 21 days before the scheduled event.

For roles in sport filled under the International Sportsperson visa, you must obtain an endorsement letter from the appropriate governing body.

  1. You may only sponsor a foreign worker under the age of 18 under the following visa categories:
      • International Sportsperson visa – the individual must be at least 16 years old
      • Creative Worker visa – there is no minimum age requirement
      • Government Authorised Exchange visa – there is no minimum age requirement

  2. You are not permitted to sponsor a foreign worker under 18 on any other type of visa.

  3. Learn more about your obligations when sponsoring individuals under the age of 18.

  1. The type of licence required depends on whether the roles you intend to fill are for:
      • ‘Workers’ – involving skilled or long-term employment
      • ‘Temporary workers’ – involving specific forms of temporary work

  2. You may apply for a licence that covers either or both categories of worker.

  1. A ‘Worker’ licence enables you to sponsor individuals across various types of skilled employment.
      • The duration of employment—short-term, long-term, or permanent—depends on the worker’s visa conditions.

  2. The licence is divided into the following categories:
      • Skilled Worker – the position must satisfy the job suitability criteria
      • Senior or Specialist Worker (Global Business Mobility) – for multinational firms transferring established staff to the UK (formerly the Intra-company Transfer visa)
      • Minister of Religion – for those employed by religious organisations
      • International Sportsperson – for elite athletes and coaches based in the UK

  1. A ‘Temporary Worker’ licence allows you to sponsor individuals for short-term roles, including volunteering and job-shadowing.
      • This licence applies only to specific employment types and visa categories.

  2. The licence includes the following categories:
      • Scale-up Worker – for individuals joining rapidly growing UK businesses
      • Creative Worker – to work in the creative sector, such as entertainers or artists (up to 2 years)
      • Charity Worker – for unpaid roles within charitable organisations (up to 1 year)
      • Religious Worker – for individuals serving in religious organisations or orders (2 years)
      • Government Authorised Exchange – for short-term work experience (1 year), research, or training projects (2 years), such as practical medical or scientific training
      • International Agreement – for jobs covered by international law, such as staff of foreign governments
      • Graduate Trainee (Global Business Mobility) – for staff transferring to a UK branch as part of a graduate training programme
      • Service Supplier (Global Business Mobility) – for contract-based services provided to UK companies (6 or 12 months)
      • UK Expansion Worker (Global Business Mobility) – for individuals setting up a new branch or subsidiary of an international business
      • Secondment Worker (Global Business Mobility) – for staff seconded to a UK company under a high-value contract
      • Seasonal Worker – for employment in horticulture (up to 6 months) or poultry work from 18 October to 31 December annually

  3. Existing sponsorships for pork butchery workers under the Seasonal Worker visa remain valid.
      • However, new applications for this role are now closed and will not reopen.

  4. For Scale-up Workers:
      • Your sponsorship duties end six months after the worker receives permission to enter or stay in the UK.
      • After that, the individual may:
       – Continue working for you without a new certificate of sponsorship
       – Change employers without requiring a new sponsor

You need to appoint people within your business to manage the sponsorship process when you apply for a licence.

The main tool they’ll use is the Sponsorship Management System (SMS).

The roles are:

Authorising officer – a senior and competent person responsible for the actions of staff and representatives who use the SMS

Key contact – your main point of contact with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)

Level 1 user – responsible for all day-to-day management of your licence using the SMS

These roles can be filled by the same person or different people.

You can also appoint an optional Level 2 user once you have your licence. This is an SMS user with more restricted access than a Level 1 user, for example, they cannot withdraw a certificate of sponsorship.

You need to pay a fee when you apply. The fee depends on the type of licence you’re applying for and the type of organisation you are.

Type of LicenceFee for Small or Charitable SponsorsFee for Medium or Large Sponsors
Worker£536£1,476
Temporary Worker£536£536
Worker and Temporary Worker£536£1,476
Add a Worker licence to an existing Temporary Worker licenceNo fee£940
Add a Temporary Worker licence to an existing Worker licenceNo feeNo fee

How to Tell if You’re a Small or Charitable Sponsor

You’re usually a small sponsor if at least 2 of the following apply:

  • Your annual turnover is £10.2 million or less
  • Your total assets are worth £5.1 million or less
  • You have 50 employees or fewer

You’re a charitable sponsor if you’re:

If you’re not sure which category your business fits into, contact the Business Helpdesk:

Email: businesshelpdesk@homeoffice.gov.uk

Most applications are processed in less than 8 weeks. UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) may carry out a visit to your business.

You may also have the option to pay an additional £500 to receive a decision within 10 working days. However, this priority service is limited to a small number of applications each working day and is offered on a first come, first served basis.

Instructions on how to request a faster decision will be provided after you apply.

  • You can apply to request a review of your application if you believe it was refused due to a mistake made by the caseworker processing your application, or if your supporting documents were not taken into account. However, you cannot request a review simply because you disagree with the decision.
  • You’ll need to request a review if you are sponsoring a worker under any of the following visa categories:
  • Skilled Worker visa
  • Senior or Specialist Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
  • Graduate Trainee visa (Global Business Mobility)
  • UK Expansion Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
  • Service Supplier visa (Global Business Mobility)
  • Secondment Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
  • Scale-up Worker visa
  • Government Authorised Exchange visa
  • International Agr eement visa
  • If you are sponsoring a worker under any other visa type, no further action is required.

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