Sponsor Licences & Compliance
For UK employers hiring from overseas — getting the licence, and keeping it.
What this covers
- Sponsor licence applications
- Home Office compliance audits
- Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS)
- Right-to-work checks
- Licence suspension and revocation
Getting the licence
A sponsor licence application is assessed on whether the organisation is genuine, whether the roles are genuine and appropriately skilled, and whether you have the HR systems to meet sponsor duties. Refusals are frequently about the systems rather than the business.
Keeping it
The licence is the beginning of the obligation, not the end. Sponsors must report certain changes within set deadlines, keep specified documents for each sponsored worker, and maintain right-to-work checks. A compliance visit can be unannounced.
Suspension and revocation
Where a licence is suspended, there is a limited window to respond, and the quality of that response largely determines the outcome. Revocation affects every sponsored worker on the licence, not only the matter that triggered it.
This page is general information about a route, not advice on your case. Immigration Rules change frequently — take advice on your own circumstances before acting.