A sponsor licence lets UK employers recruit overseas workers into eligible roles. For HR teams and growing businesses, the key issue is not just applying but proving the organisation can meet ongoing sponsor duties.
Reviewed by the Morgan Smith Immigration team — IAA-regulated UK immigration specialists. Last reviewed 2026-07-07.
TL;DR
A Sponsor Licence is Home Office permission for a UK organisation to sponsor overseas workers in eligible roles. The application fee is £611 for small or charitable sponsors and £1,682 for medium or large Worker sponsors; there is no worker maximum stay attached to the licence itself, and standard decisions are usually up to 8 weeks.
£611 / £1,682
Worker licence fee
Ongoing
Licence validity if compliant
Up to 8 weeks
Typical decision
What is the Sponsor Licence?
A Sponsor Licence is the permission a UK organisation needs before it can sponsor many overseas workers under the Worker or Temporary Worker routes. The licence is granted to the organisation, not to an individual worker.
For employers, the licence is a compliance framework as well as a recruitment tool. UKVI expects the business to have suitable HR systems, eligible roles, reliable key personnel and the ability to report changes through the Sponsorship Management System.
Once granted, an A-rated licence allows the sponsor to assign Certificates of Sponsorship where the role and worker meet the relevant route requirements. The licence usually continues while the sponsor keeps meeting the eligibility and compliance requirements, although Scale-up and UK Expansion Worker licences have specific limits.
Eligibility Requirements
You must satisfy all three conditions to qualify for the Sponsor Licence.
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Business Eligibility
The sponsor must be a genuine organisation operating lawfully in the UK, with no relevant unspent convictions or recent serious sponsor history. UKVI can check documents and may visit before or after granting the licence.
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Sponsor Systems
The organisation needs HR systems that can monitor immigration status, attendance, contact details and reportable changes. The Authorising Officer, Key Contact and Level 1 User must be suitable and normally UK-based.
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Suitable Sponsored Roles
Sponsored work must meet the relevant route requirements, including minimum wage, working time and any route-specific salary or skill rules. A sponsor must only assign a Certificate of Sponsorship where the role is genuinely eligible.
What You Can and Cannot Do
What a licensed sponsor can — and cannot — do.
✓ You Can
- Sponsor eligible workers under Worker and Temporary Worker routes once the correct licence route is granted.
- Assign Certificates of Sponsorship for genuine eligible roles through the Sponsorship Management System.
- Add further licence routes where the business later needs a different sponsorship category.
- Request undefined CoS allocations and extra undefined CoS through SMS where justified by business need.
- Use priority services where available for eligible applications or certain post-licence requests.
✗ You Cannot
- Recover prohibited sponsor fees from sponsored workers, including specified licence, CoS and Immigration Skills Charge costs.
- Sponsor unsuitable jobs that fail the relevant skill, salary, employment-law or route-specific requirements.
- Ignore sponsor duties such as monitoring attendance, keeping records and reporting changes to UKVI.
- Use sponsored workers as third-party labour where the arrangement is really labour supply rather than a genuine sponsored role.
- Treat the licence as settlement for the business or worker; settlement depends on the worker’s individual immigration route.
Costs & Fees
Current fees as of 2026. Set by the Home Office — subject to change.
Fees set by the Home Office and subject to change. Last reviewed: July 2026.
| Item | Cost (2026) |
|---|---|
| Worker licence – small | £611 |
| Worker licence – large | £1,682 |
| Temporary Worker licence | £611 |
| Add Worker route | £1,071 large sponsor |
| CoS – Skilled Worker | £525 |
| Priority licence service | £750 |
How to Apply
Five steps from licence assessment to decision.
Choose the Licence Category
Decide between a Worker licence, a Temporary Worker licence or both, based on the roles the business needs to fill.
Get the Organisation Ready
Confirm the business is eligible, appoint suitable key personnel and make sure HR systems can meet sponsor duties.
Apply and Pay
Complete the online sponsor application and pay £611 or £1,682 depending on sponsor size and category.
Evidence and Checks
Provide the submission sheet and Appendix A documents; UKVI may visit the business before deciding.
Receive Your Decision
Usually within 8 weeks, or 10 working days via the pre-licence priority service (£750) where accepted.
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Sources
Legal information on this page is based on guidance from GOV.UK, the UK Home Office / UK Visas and Immigration, legislation.gov.uk, and Free Movement. Rules change frequently — speak to our team to confirm current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about sponsor licences from UK employers.
What is a sponsor licence UK?
A sponsor licence is Home Office permission for a UK organisation to employ overseas workers under the Worker and Temporary Worker routes. It is granted to the organisation rather than to any individual worker, and it usually continues for as long as the sponsor remains eligible and compliant.
How much does a sponsor licence cost in 2026?
A Worker licence costs £611 for small or charitable sponsors and £1,682 for medium or large sponsors. A Temporary Worker licence is £611 for all sponsor sizes, and each Skilled Worker Certificate of Sponsorship costs a further £525.
How long does a sponsor licence application take?
Standard applications are usually decided within 8 weeks. Where available, UKVI’s pre-licence priority service considers eligible applications within 10 working days for a £750 fee, though priority consideration does not guarantee approval.
Which employers need a sponsor licence?
Any UK organisation that wants to employ someone who does not already have permission to do the proposed work normally needs a sponsor licence first. This includes hiring many EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who arrived in the UK after 31 December 2020.
How long does a sponsor licence last?
Most Worker and Temporary Worker licences now continue for as long as the sponsor keeps meeting the eligibility and compliance requirements. Some routes, such as Scale-up and UK Expansion Worker, carry route-specific licence limits.
What is an A-rated sponsor licence?
Successful applicants are normally granted an A-rated licence, which allows the sponsor to assign Certificates of Sponsorship. UKVI can downgrade a licence to a B-rating where duties are not met, and the sponsor must then pay £1,579 for an action plan to restore the rating.
Can UKVI visit the business?
Yes. UKVI may visit before deciding an application or at any time after a licence is granted, checking HR systems, worker records, key personnel and whether sponsored roles are genuine.
What HR systems does a sponsor need?
UKVI expects systems that can monitor each sponsored worker’s immigration status, attendance and contact details, and that support accurate, timely reporting of changes through the Sponsorship Management System (SMS).
Can sponsor licence fees be charged to workers?
Not for the prohibited categories listed in sponsor guidance. UKVI says it will normally revoke a licence if a sponsor recoups, or attempts to recoup, specified licence, CoS or Immigration Skills Charge fees from sponsored workers.
Can Morgan Smith Immigration help with a sponsor licence?
Yes. Our IAA-regulated immigration advisers help employers choose the right licence category, prepare the evidence and HR systems UKVI expects, submit the application and manage ongoing compliance. We cannot guarantee Home Office approval, but we make sure every requirement is properly evidenced.
Need Help With Your Sponsor Licence?
Our immigration specialists handle everything from sponsor licence checks to visa approval — for employers and applicants alike.