FOR ALL YOUR IMMIGRATION MATTERS

Sponsor Licence Application

The Brexit transition period ended on 31 December 2020, so, from 2021, employers who wish to employ a foreign national, whether from the EU/EEA or from outside the bloc, will need to hold a Sponsor Licence.  Our immigration solicitors have the experience and knowledge required not only to support you in applying for a Sponsor Licence but also to comply with Home Office duties and responsibilities.

At Garth Coates, we are businesspeople as well as lawyers.  We take the necessary time required to understand the commercial realities facing our clients and make certain we grasp your objectives.  This strategy ensures that the advice we provide is in line with your commercial ambitions.

Before you apply for a Sponsor Licence, our team will personally visit your premises and undertake an audit of your HR systems.  To ensure ongoing compliance, these must be capable of undertaking the required record-keeping and reporting duties.  We will then discuss the eligibility requirements for a Sponsor Licence, so you fully understand the commitment required.

  • Specialist Expertise
  • High Success Rate
  • Outstanding Client Care
  • Proactive and Diligent Approach
  • Extensive Experience and Reliability
Contact us for a Sponsor Licence Application consultation

(Typical response time 2 business hours)

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
Established in 2008, Garth Coates Solicitors is a leading Law Firm in Immigration who can provide professional legal advice to ensure that your Application satisfies the strict requirements of the Immigration Rules. Our team of legal professionals offer comprehensive and considered advice to enable our clients to make informed choices. We strongly believe that our clients deserve the best; we take our responsibilities very seriously to ensure that client satisfaction is achieved by providing a professional yet friendly legal service. We aim to resolve all immigration matters brought to us by working diligently and together with the client, keeping them informed of the progress of their case at all stages. Our outstanding success rate is maintained thanks to the high standard of our work. If you would like us to assist you with your Immigration Matter, kindly click here to leave us an Enquiry. Alternatively, we can be reached via telephone at (00 44) (0)20 7799 1600 from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (UTC+00.00 London) every Monday to Friday.
Contact us

FAQs

A UK sponsor licence application is the process a business or organisation follows to become approved by the Home Office to sponsor overseas workers on eligible immigration routes. Without a valid sponsor licence, an employer cannot usually assign a Certificate of Sponsorship for routes such as Skilled Worker or certain Global Business Mobility visas. This makes the sponsor licence the starting point for many UK business immigration plans.

The application is not just a form-filling exercise. The Home Office checks whether the organisation is genuine, operating lawfully, and capable of meeting its sponsorship duties. That includes record-keeping, reporting and broader compliance obligations. Garth Coates advises employers on sponsor licence applications and related compliance issues, which can be especially useful where a business is applying for the first time or wants to reduce the risk of refusal.

A wide range of organisations can apply for a sponsor licence, including companies, charities and other lawful organisations that want to employ overseas workers in eligible roles. The key point is that the organisation must be genuine, operating lawfully in the UK, and suitable to hold a licence under the Home Office rules. It must also be able to meet the ongoing sponsorship duties once the licence is granted.

In practice, this means the employer should already have the right internal systems in place before applying. The Home Office may look at the business structure, HR systems, key personnel, and whether the employer understands its immigration responsibilities. Garth Coates also highlights that some businesses benefit from a pre-licence audit, especially where compliance systems need strengthening before the application is submitted. That kind of preparation can make a sponsor licence application much more robust.

A sponsor licence application usually requires a submission sheet and supporting documents. GOV.UK states that after completing the online application, the sponsor must send the submission sheet and any supporting documents requested. The exact evidence depends on the organisation and the route being applied for, but the Home Office guidance includes detailed document requirements in Appendix A of the sponsor guidance.

Typical supporting documents may include:

  • proof of a corporate bank account
  • employer’s liability insurance
  • evidence that the business is trading lawfully
  • sector-specific regulatory evidence where relevant

Garth Coates notes that some industries may need additional evidence, such as Food Standards Agency approval for food-based businesses. Because missing or weak documents can cause refusals, it is important to prepare the evidence carefully and make sure it matches the business structure shown in the application.

The Home Office fee depends on the type of licence and the size of the sponsor. GOV.UK says that from 8 April 2026, a Worker sponsor licence costs £611 for a small or charitable sponsor and £1,682 for a medium or large sponsor. A Temporary Worker sponsor licence costs £611, and adding a Worker licence to an existing Temporary Worker licence costs £1,005 for a medium or large sponsor.

These are only the application fees. Employers may also face other costs later, depending on which immigration route they use, such as legal fees, priority processing fees, or the immigration skills charge when assigning sponsorship for certain workers. Garth Coates publishes guidance on sponsor licence costs and can help employers understand the likely full cost of sponsorship before they commit to the process.

Sponsor licence processing times can vary, but GOV.UK offers a priority service for expedited processing of sponsor licence applications for £750, which confirms that faster processing may be available in some cases. The Home Office also charges £350 for expedited processing of certain sponsorship management requests. Standard processing times can vary depending on the application volume, document quality and whether the Home Office decides to carry out further checks.

In practice, businesses should allow time not only for the Home Office decision itself, but also for gathering documents and preparing internal systems before applying. Delays are more likely where the evidence is incomplete or where the Home Office wants to look more closely at compliance arrangements. Garth Coates offers pre-application support and compliance audits, which can help businesses reduce avoidable delays and submit a better-organised application from the outset.

Getting a sponsor licence is only the beginning. Once licensed, the sponsor must meet ongoing duties set out in the sponsor guidance. These include keeping the required records, reporting certain changes to the Home Office, and making sure sponsored workers are employed in line with the immigration rules. The Home Office can suspend, downgrade or revoke a licence if these duties are breached.

Common sponsor duties include:

  • keeping accurate HR and immigration records
  • reporting relevant changes through the sponsorship management system
  • assigning Certificates of Sponsorship correctly
  • ensuring the sponsored role remains genuine and compliant

These responsibilities are taken seriously, which is why employers should think about compliance before they apply rather than afterwards. Garth Coates also offers sponsor licence compliance support, which can be useful for businesses that want ongoing guidance after the licence is granted.

A refused sponsor licence application can be a serious setback because there is no general right of appeal against the refusal. Garth Coates explains that where the refusal was caused by an administrative error, such as the decision maker misreading a supporting document, it may be possible to request a pre-licence error correction. That makes careful preparation especially important from the start.

Refusals often happen because the Home Office is not satisfied about the genuineness of the organisation, the quality of the evidence, or the sponsor’s ability to meet its duties. In some cases, businesses may need to wait before reapplying, depending on the reason for refusal. Because there is little room to correct mistakes afterwards, many employers choose to get legal advice before applying. Garth Coates assists with refused sponsor licence applications as well as fresh submissions.

Garth Coates is a specialist UK immigration law firm that advises on sponsor licence applications, sponsor compliance, Skilled Worker sponsorship and related business immigration matters. Its sponsor licence service focuses on helping employers prepare the required documentation, understand eligibility, and reduce the risk of problems before the Home Office assesses the case.

The firm also states that it can help with pre-licence audits, compliance preparation and refused applications. That can be especially valuable where a business is new to sponsorship, has a complex structure, or wants to sponsor workers as part of a larger growth strategy. A strong sponsor licence application usually depends on both good documents and good systems, and Garth Coates can support employers with both parts of that process.

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)