Sponsor Talent By Securing A Sponsor Licence – SEOLP
Secure a sponsor licence with Nation.better
Discover how you can obtain a sponsor licence and hire the best international talent for your business.
A sponsor licence gives UK employers the opportunity to sponsor international talent for their businesses.
Businesses that are looking to hire international talent for vacancies in their respective organisations must obtain a sponsor licence from the Home Office to be eligible to recruit from outside the UK.
The type of licence you need for your business will depend on whether you require skilled workers or temporary workers.
If you’re hiring both types of workers, you can look into securing a sponsor licence that covers both.
Are you eligible to become a sponsor?
To become a sponsor, you must meet the following eligibility requirements.
- Your business must have a legal presence in the UK
- You must not have had a sponsor licence revoked in the last 12 months
- You must prove that you’re hiring for a genuine vacancy that's eligible for sponsorship
- You must prove that you have the required processes in place to manage sponsorship activities
- You must not have any unspent criminal convictions for immigration offences or crimes such as money laundering or fraud
What jobs are eligible for sponsorship?
Businesses can sponsor workers for jobs that have a suitable pay rate and skill level for the Skilled or Temporary worker visas.
In addition, the Home Office website has a list of eligible occupations and codes that you can review to check the eligibility of your job vacancy.
You can also use the ONS occupation coding tool to search for eligible job types.
What supporting documents are needed to secure a sponsor licence?
If you’re applying for a sponsor licence, you must submit certain documents that support your application as defined by the Home Office.
Depending on your business and the job type for which you’re planning to sponsor, the supporting documents will differ.
Business-specific supporting documents
Startups must submit the following documents when applying for a sponsorship licence.
- A VAT registration certificate
- A letter from your corporate banking provider outlining the dealings with your business, including the nature and duration of those dealings
- Any general documents required by the Home Office
You must provide proof of registration and a signed franchise agreement if you’re operating a franchise or food business.
Route-specific supporting documents
If you’re applying for a sponsor licence under any of the following visa routes, you must provide supporting documents as required by the corresponding pathways.
- Student
- T2 (Minister of Religion)
- International Sportsperson
- Temporary Work—Seasonal Worker
- Temporary Work—Religious Worker
- Temporary Work—International Agreement
- Temporary Worker—Government Authorised Exchange
General supporting documents
If you’re operating a business that's not exempted by the Home Office irrespective of the type of your business or the route you’re applying for, you must provide the following documents to secure your sponsor licence.
- VAT registration certificate
- Proof of listing on the LSE AIM market
- Evidence of submitting returns to HMRC
- Proof of listing as an overseas company on LSE
- Proof of registration with HMRC as an employer
- Proof of registration with HMRC as self-employed
- Proof of ownership or lease of business premises
- Licence to serve alcoholic beverages on-premises
- Completed CT600 tax returns and the CT603 notice
- Proof of listing on the FCA approved international stock exchanges
- Evidence that you hold an employers liability insurance cover for at least £5m
- Current or audited financial statements with the name of the accountant, who is a member of accredited accounting bodies
How long does it take to process my sponsor licence application?
The Home Office may take 8 weeks to review your application and supporting documents. During this time, they may visit your business premises to ensure that you’re capable of carrying out your duties as a sponsor.
You may be able to pay £500 to get a decision in 10 working days; however, these applications are considered on a first-come-first-served basis, and only a limited number of applications are reviewed under this service.
In the event that your application has been rejected, you can request a review of your application if:
- Your support documents were not considered
- Your caseworker processing your application has made an error
Keep in mind that you can’t request a review if you simply do not agree with the decision.
How Nation.better helps you with securing a sponsor licence
At Nation.better, our immigration experts understand that the process of securing a sponsor licence can be complex. That’s why our consultants are ready to help you navigate through this process with our end-to-end immigration and sponsorship services. Here’s how Nation.better helps simplify your sponsorship journey.
Find out if you qualify for a sponsor licence
Before we start the application process, we will guide you through the necessary steps to determine your eligibility to obtain a sponsor licence—completely free of charge.
A step-by-step guide to building your case
Our immigration consultants will provide step-by-step guidance and help you navigate through the sponsor licence application process with ease and clarity.
We will review your case
Our experts will review your case to ensure it meets all the requirements. We will also prepare a professional cover letter to increase your chances of approval.
Submit your application to the Home Office
Once your application has been completed and reviewed by our team of consultants, you can go ahead and submit it to the Home Office and await their decision.
Frequently asked questions
The licence fee depends on the scale of your business and the type of licence that you’re applying for.
Consult our team to get a detailed report of all the Home Office fees you need to pay to get your licence.
Yes. Your sponsor licence can be completed and submitted online along with all the relevant supporting documents.
The submission sheet and supporting documents must be in PDF, JPEG, or PNG format.
Nation.better provides end-to-end guidance and support for businesses looking to obtain a sponsor licence. Our immigration experts provide you with a clear path to obtaining your licence with ease at an affordable rate.
For a fixed fee of £800 + VAT (excluding Home Office fees), we provide you with:
- A cost forecast
- Step-by-step guidance
- An eligibility assessment
- A list of all supporting documents
- A cover letter to support the application
- A case review by a qualified immigration adviser
- Assistance with the online Home Office application
- Representation and communication with the Home Office
Get in touch with us
Reach out and find out about our sponsor licence services and how we can help you become a licensed sponsor.
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