Sponsorship License Application
Employers not currently approved by the Home Office to be a sponsor should consider applying now if they think they will want to sponsor skilled migrants, including from the EU, from early 2021.
The standard processing time for an application is usually 8 weeks from the day the Home Office receives your application, it may be longer if further documentations are needed and there are delay in sending the same.
You will need to:
1. Check your business is eligible.
To get a licence, you cannot have unspent criminal convictions for immigration offences or certain other crimes, such as fraud or money laundering.
2. Choose the type of licence you want to apply for.
This will depend on what type of worker you want to sponsor:
- Tier 2 – skilled workers with long-term job offers
- Tier 5 – skilled temporary workers
You can apply for a licence covering either tier or both
3. Decide who will manage sponsorship within your business.
You need to appoint people within your business to manage the sponsorship process when you apply for a license. 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. We at Worldwide Law can assist you to achieve your goal of being an approved Sponsor and we can manage the process on your behalf. Call us for no obligation discussion if you are interested in joining the Home Office approved list.
