FOR ALL YOUR IMMIGRATION MATTERS

Sponsor Licence Solicitors

Recruiting skilled people from overseas starts with a sponsor licence, and the Home Office expects far more than a completed online form.

At Garth Coates Solicitors, our sponsor licence solicitors help UK employers show that the business is genuine, that the roles qualify and that the HR systems behind the licence can stand up to scrutiny.

From your first consultation to the day you assign your first Certificate of Sponsorship, we provide clear, practical advice and a carefully prepared application.

Why employers choose Garth Coates Solicitors

Our firm was established in 2008 by principal partner William Garth Coates. Before qualifying as a solicitor, he worked within the Home Office as an immigration officer. That insight into how applications are assessed shapes the way we prepare every sponsor licence case.

As a boutique immigration law firm based in Holborn, central London, we act for multinational companies, financial institutions, SMEs, charities and entrepreneurs.

All client work is managed and supervised by the firm’s partners. Our multilingual team can often speak with directors and HR staff in their own language. For clients in other time zones, we can arrange consultations outside our normal office hours.

Garth Coates Solicitors is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA number 491304).
  • Specialist Expertise
  • High Success Rate
  • Outstanding Client Care
  • Proactive and Diligent Approach
  • Extensive Experience and Reliability
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6,500 +

Successful Applications and Still Counting

31

Years of Experience in the UK Immigration Law

18

British Lawyers and Supporting Staff

25k +

Consultancy Services Provided and Still Counting
Our Sponsor Licence Application Service

Every organisation is different, so our support is shaped around your structure, your sector and your recruitment plans. When we assist with a sponsor licence application, our work can include:

  • Assessing your eligibility and advising on the right licence type for your hiring needs
  • Checking that your proposed roles meet the current skill and salary rules for routes such as the Skilled Worker visa
  • Reviewing whether your authorising officer, key contact and level 1 user are suitable
  • Visiting your premises to evaluate your HR systems, right to work checks and record keeping
  • Selecting the correct Appendix A evidence and preparing detailed legal representations
  • Submitting the application and responding to any Home Office requests for further information
  • Preparing your team for a possible compliance visit before the licence is granted

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Support that continues after your licence is granted

A sponsor licence is an ongoing relationship with the Home Office, not a one time approval. Once your licence is in place, we can help you assign Certificates of Sponsorship, report changes through the Sponsorship Management System and keep your records ready for an unannounced audit. Through our sponsor licence compliance service, we can also administer key personnel roles on your behalf and keep you informed of changes in immigration law and policy. This leaves you free to focus on running and growing your business.

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FAQs

Garth Coates Solicitors combines specialist UK immigration expertise with direct insight into the Home Office. Our principal partner previously worked as a Home Office immigration officer, the firm is regulated by the SRA, and every sponsor licence matter is supervised by a partner. Employers receive careful, practical advice at every stage.

Since 2008, we have advised organisations ranging from multinational companies and financial institutions to SMEs and entrepreneurs. As a boutique firm, we can give each client a tailored service instead of a standard template. We take time to understand how your business operates, why you need to recruit from overseas and where the Home Office may raise questions.

Our business immigration team handles the whole sponsorship journey. That includes the licence application, compliance support, Skilled Worker visa applications for your new employees and advice if problems arise later. Because one team handles all of this, your advice stays consistent from start to finish.

Our multilingual solicitors and caseworkers are also used to working with directors and HR teams based overseas. You can learn more about the people who will handle your matter on our meet the team page.

Most organisations operating lawfully in the UK can apply, including limited companies, partnerships, charities and sole traders. You must show that the business is genuine, that your key personnel are honest and dependable, and that you can meet your sponsor duties. New businesses and overseas companies face some additional considerations.

The Home Office looks at your trading presence, any registrations your sector requires and the background of the people who will manage the licence. An application may be refused if a key person has unspent convictions for relevant offences, if the business has received certain civil penalties, or if someone involved was linked to a sponsor whose licence was revoked. A licence also cannot be used in a personal capacity, for example to employ domestic staff.

Newer businesses usually need to provide extra evidence, such as a UK business bank account with a regulated bank.

If your company is based overseas and has no UK operation yet, the UK Expansion Worker route may be a better starting point. If you are a founder hoping to be employed through your own UK company, we can advise on self sponsorship and whether it suits your circumstances.

Under the Home Office fee table in force from 8 April 2026, a Worker licence costs £611 for small or charitable sponsors and £1,682 for medium or large sponsors. Once you are licensed, each Skilled Worker Certificate of Sponsorship costs £525, and the Immigration Skills Charge usually applies. Our professional fees are quoted separately.

The Immigration Skills Charge is £480 for the first 12 months for small or charitable sponsors, and £1,320 for medium or large sponsors, with further charges for each additional six months. Whether you count as a small sponsor depends on criteria including turnover, assets and number of employees. We confirm your category before you pay.

If you need a faster decision, a priority service is available for an additional fee, subject to daily availability. Employers must not pass the Certificate of Sponsorship fee or the Immigration Skills Charge on to the worker. The worker normally pays their own visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Because Home Office fees change regularly, we check the current amounts before every submission. For our own work, we propose fixed fees for immigration matters, confirmed once we understand the complexity of your case, so you can budget with clarity.

Partly. Your authorising officer must be a senior person within your organisation, and at least one level 1 user must be your employee, owner or director. However, a qualified legal representative can be appointed as your key contact or as an additional level 1 user. This allows Garth Coates to support the day to day running of your licence.

Every person you nominate must normally be based in the UK and will face suitability checks, including criminal record checks. Anyone with relevant unspent convictions or a history of immigration breaches can put the whole application at risk. Choosing the right people is therefore one of the most important early decisions.

When we administer key personnel roles on your behalf, we help make sure your Sponsorship Management System is maintained correctly. That includes reporting changes on time and responding promptly to Home Office messages. Your authorising officer remains accountable for how the licence is used, so we work closely with them throughout.

For practical guidance on this decision, read our article on choosing your authorising officer and level 1 user for a sponsor licence application.

We start with a consultation to understand your business and your hiring plans. We then review your eligibility, key personnel, proposed roles and HR systems, prepare the evidence and legal representations, and submit the application. After submission, we send the supporting documents on time and handle Home Office questions until a decision is made.

Preparation is where most of the value lies. We can visit your premises to see how your HR processes work in practice. We then recommend proportionate improvements before anything is submitted. We also help you choose documents that are current, consistent and clearly linked to the organisation named in the application.

After the online form is completed, the authorising officer must sign the submission sheet. The supporting documents must then be sent to the Home Office within five working days. If mandatory documents are missing, the application can be rejected as invalid, so we manage this deadline closely for you.

Where your business has an unusual structure, several trading names or recent ownership changes, we explain the context in a covering letter. This reduces the risk of misunderstanding. Throughout, we keep you informed of progress at every stage.

Since July 2025, most new Skilled Worker roles must be at graduate level, known as RQF level 6. They must also pay at least the general salary threshold or the going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher. Some roles below graduate level may still qualify through the Temporary Shortage List or transitional arrangements.

These changes mean that roles which were sponsorable only a few years ago may no longer qualify, however attractive the salary. The Temporary Shortage List allows certain roles at RQF levels 3 to 5 to be sponsored for now, but it is under review and may carry conditions. New overseas recruitment into care worker roles has also closed.

Choosing the correct occupation code is critical. If a role is placed under the wrong code, the salary can appear compliant when it is not, and this can create problems during a compliance visit years later. The Home Office can also check that sponsored workers are actually paid correctly through payroll.

Before you apply, our sponsor licence solicitors check each role you plan to fill so that the licence fits your real recruitment plans. For more detail, read our guide to UK Skilled Worker visa changes in 2026.

The Home Office aims to decide most sponsor licence applications within eight weeks. A priority service can reduce this to around 10 working days for an additional fee, but places are limited each day. Decisions can take longer if the Home Office requests further documents or arranges a compliance visit.

You should also allow time before submission to gather evidence, confirm your roles and appoint suitable key personnel. The more complete the application is on day one, the less likely it is that the Home Office will pause its assessment to ask for more information.

Priority processing speeds up consideration, but it does not lower the evidence requirements or guarantee approval. Submitting an incomplete application to get a faster decision can backfire and lead to a refusal.

After approval, your team receives access to the Sponsorship Management System. You can then assign Certificates of Sponsorship, and your new employee applies for their visa, which has its own processing time.

We help you plan the whole timetable around your intended start dates. That way, recruitment decisions are not held up by avoidable delays at any stage.

There is no right of appeal against a sponsor licence refusal. Depending on the reasons given, you may be able to request an error correction or bring a judicial review challenge. Alternatively, you can prepare a stronger application once the waiting period ends, which in most cases is six months from the refusal.

An error correction request is appropriate where the Home Office has made a caseworking mistake or overlooked evidence you submitted with the original application. It cannot be used to introduce new documents that were not provided at the time. A judicial review is only available on limited legal grounds and must be brought promptly.

A refusal is different from an invalid application. If mandatory documents were missing, the application is rejected rather than refused, and the fee is normally refunded.

Our sponsor licence solicitors review the refusal letter carefully to find the real cause, whether that was weak evidence, unsuitable key personnel or gaps in your HR systems. We then advise on the most effective way forward. Where a legal challenge is justified, our appeals and judicial review team can represent you.

Garth Coates, Immigration Law Firm
Garth Coates

Principal Partner

A Message from Our Principal

At Garth Coates Solicitors, we provide expert legal advice and unwavering support across the full spectrum of UK immigration matters. Before qualifying as a solicitor, I worked within the UK Home Office (UKVI) as an Immigration Officer — a role that gave me valuable insight into the inner workings of the immigration system. Since then, I have gone on to represent clients at several of the UK’s most prominent immigration law firms, and later established this firm to deliver a more focused and client-centred approach.

Together with my senior legal team, we bring over 30 years of combined experience in the UK immigration sector. This depth of expertise enables us to successfully handle even the most complex and challenging cases — from visa refusals and judicial review proceedings to corporate sponsorships, family reunifications, and permanent settlement applications.

We are proud of our high success rate, earned through strategic thinking, meticulous preparation, and a commitment to delivering results. Our multilingual team of solicitors, caseworkers, and support professionals is well-equipped to serve a global clientele with care, professionalism, and cultural understanding.

At Garth Coates Solicitors, we fight for our clients’ rights and treat each case with the attention and seriousness it deserves. Whether you’re applying for the first time, facing an appeal, or unsure of your options, we are here to guide you with clarity and confidence.

Warm regards,

Contact us for a Sponsor Licence Application consultation

(Typical response time 2 business hours)