Sponsorship licenses that are set to expire on or after April 6, 2024, will automatically be renewed by 10 years due to a policy change at the Home Office in 2024.
Due to the regulatory change on April 6, 2024, the opportunity to renew a sponsor licence through the SMS menu is no longer available. Instead, sponsor licenses will be automatically renewed until the sponsor requests to cancel them.
If you need any assistance in your sponsor licence renewal you can contact our immigration solicitors at 02033939272.
A UK Sponsorship Licence is necessary for British firms who want to recruit foreign nationals with advanced degrees.
The first sponsorship licence is valid for four years, but the company has the option to renew it if they want to continue sponsoring foreign nationals.
Even if you don’t intend to sponsor any new migrants, you still need to renew your licence before it expires if you have sponsored migrants working for you. The sponsor must renew their sponsorship licence on their own.
Before a sponsor’s licence expires, they should provide ample time to apply for renewal. The Home Office will need time to decide on the renewal application, therefore if the application is approved, the licence will be temporarily extended.
For detailed sponsor licence assistance you can call us at 02033939272.
Unless renewed, sponsor licenses automatically expire at the end of their 4-year validity period. Businesses may face serious consequences if their licence is denied or expires.
Your company can’t sponsor foreign workers anymore unless you get a legal licence. You are unable to recruit new sponsored workers or retain the services of current sponsored workers unless you have a valid licence.
As a result, your sponsored workers will no longer be able to lawfully work for you, and their visas may be restricted due to the fact that they are illegal workers.
Sponsoring organisations will receive renewal reminders from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) 120 days before the license expiration date, 30 days up to the last month, and 2 weeks before the expiration date. However, it is the sponsoring organisation’s responsibility to submit an application to renew their licence on time.
The UK Visas and Immigration Service (UKVII) suggests submitting your renewal application at least three months before your current permit expires. The organization’s Sponsorship Management System (SMS) allows you to view the earliest date for renewal application submission.
An individual’s sponsor licence remains active for four years unless it is revoked or abandoned. However, you can usually submit an application to renew your licence just before it expires. Your sponsor licence will be renewed for an additional four years if your renewal application is approved.
The ‘Licence summary’ section of your sponsorship management system (SMS) account is where you can find information about your licence, including when it expires and when it may be renewed. Typically, a sponsor has three months prior to the license’s expiration date to submit an application to renew it.
To have your licence renewed, all you have to do is submit your request using the Home Office’s SMS system; approval is not required until the expiration date has passed.
One way to keep hiring foreign workers for your firm is to renew your sponsor licence.
Renewing your Sponsorship Licence requires sending an SMS request. Your company’s size will determine the renewal fee.
Before you send in your application, double-check that the details you supplied in the SMS are accurate. Verifying the accuracy of the ‘Authorising Officer’ and ‘Level 1/2 Users’ details for the SMS users is part of this.
These responsibilities may evolve while you’re a sponsor, so check that your sponsor licence is updated. It is important to keep all personnel information current and to add any new firm sites to the SMS. Renewal may be denied if any of the following information is incorrect or missing.
Upon submitting your application and the required fee to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), an SMS will be generated with a “submission sheet” following the licence renewal declaration page. Please complete and sign this document before sending it to the Sponsor Licensing Unit.
There may be a delay of several weeks before you receive an SMS letting you know whether your application to renew your sponsor licence has been approved, after you have completed the application and any supplementary documents required by UKVI. Organisations seeking renewal should be ready for the Home Office to conduct a comprehensive review of their sponsorship compliance and the organisation itself.
The duration may potentially increase if UKVI chooses to conduct a compliance inspection prior to renewal.
Make sure the renewal submission and all accompanying papers are accurate and complete to avoid processing delays. Also, make sure that HR and personnel records and systems are fully compliant.
Typically, you can anticipate a decision in 8 weeks if your application to renew your sponsor licence is free of issues.
It is important to note that if you have applied to renew your sponsor licence before your current one expires, your licence will be temporarily extended while your application is being reviewed.
The “Applications and renewals tracking” menu choice in your SMS account lets you keep an eye on the progress of your application to renew your sponsor code.
The cost to renew your sponsor licence will change based on whether your group is a small or charity sponsor, a medium or large sponsor, or a large or medium-sized sponsor.
Sponsor licence type | Small or charitable sponsors licence renewal fee | Medium or large sponsors licence renewal fee |
Worker | £536 | £1,476 |
Temporary Worker | £536 | £536 |
Worker and Temporary Worker | £536 | £ 1,476 |
As per the guidelines provided by the Home Office, a group is considered a small business if any of the following hold:
The caseworker from the Home Office may occasionally ask the sponsor to provide some extra proof related to the organisation. This might be any document pertaining to the organisation, or it could be one of the forms specified in Appendix A of the sponsor guidelines.
As part of the organization’s continuous procedures for sponsor compliance, these papers should be easily accessible.
At the time of renewal, sponsors operating in certain sectors and licensed for specific routes are required to submit new copies of specific papers. As an example, in order to sponsor an employee through the International Sportsperson route, an approval from a sports governing body is required.
Similarly, in order to continue sponsoring workers under the International Agreement route, a letter signed by the head of the mission, consulate, or international organisation in the UK is required for sponsors of temporary workers from diplomatic or consular missions or international organisations. This letter confirms that the sponsor agrees with the licence renewal application.
Along with confirming acceptance of the sponsorship requirements, this letter must also state that the recipient agrees to allow the Home Office to enter their premises and carry out any relevant compliance activities as outlined in the published guidelines, as well as to waive certain diplomatic immunity and privileges.
Your sponsor licence renewal may be denied if UKVI does not receive any supplementary documentation within 5 business days. Your licence could be degraded, suspended, or revoked in such a case.
In order to renew their sponsor licenses more quickly, some businesses may be eligible for the “streamlined” method.
If the organisation has successfully renewed their sponsor licence at least twice before, the Home Office caseworker can skip some of the tests and decide to grant the renewal application.
There is no need to perform the following checks:
A Home Office Compliance Officer may pay you a visit as they renew your sponsor licence.
In order to determine if you are eligible to renew your sponsor licence, these visits will verify the following:
Also, you should be aware that a Compliance Officer may wish to speak with the sponsored personnel to confirm their identity and make sure that all proper processes are in place about their working conditions and sponsorship.
If your processes, information, and paperwork are not in order and you are not appropriately prepared for your compliance visit, your sponsor licence renewal application may be declined.
The Home Office will begin checking the company’s continued compliance with the licence requirements (i.e., its legal operation in the UK, suitability as a sponsor, and ability to fulfil its responsibilities to the required standards) as soon as the renewal application is received. Data maintained by other entities, such Companies House, and the Home Office will be cross-referenced with the information provided by UKVI.
Furthermore, the company’s ongoing requirement for a sponsor licence and all sponsorship certificates granted by the organisation are examined during the renewal application process.
If your request to renew your sponsor licence has been denied, you should find out why before deciding what to do next.
The following are examples of possible grounds for rejection:
If you think that your application to renew your sponsor licence was turned down because of a mistake or because your supporting documents were not looked at carefully enough, you might want to ask for a review.
You should be absolutely confident that you have valid reasons to request a review before going this route.
If you do not renew your sponsor licence, you will not be able to give sponsorship certificates to foreign workers. If you do, make sure you’ve addressed the underlying concerns or problems that caused your licence renewal to be denied.
Your ability to serve as a sponsor will be immediately suspended upon the specified expiration date unless you renew your license in a timely manner.
After that, you won’t be able to give new certificates of sponsorship to foreign workers, and you won’t be able to keep sponsoring present employees either.
This could mean that your present employees’ leave time is reduced.
The UK government’s management information team will notify the Home Office if it is noted that you are still sponsoring foreign workers after your sponsor licence expires, and your permission will be restricted. After that, you might have to pay a fine for hiring foreign workers without a valid licence.
You may still be eligible to apply for a sponsor licence renewal if you still require continuous permission to sponsor foreign workers after your licence expires.
However, this cannot be assured. If your eligibility for a renewal application is not met, you may be required to start the process of applying for a new sponsor licence all over again.
If uncertain or facing difficulties, consult a legal sponsor license solicitor for guidance.
Many companies make the mistake of underestimating the complexity of renewing their sponsorship licence. They often assume the process is simpler than it is, leading to avoidable errors.
While there’s no limit to the number of times a sponsor licence can be renewed, each renewal comes with new costs. This makes it crucial to get the process right from the start.
If you need assistance with any part of the renewal, our team of corporate immigration attorneys at Rees Clayton is here to assist you.
With our service, you’ll be assigned a dedicated business immigration law expert who will guide you through the renewal process. They’ll assist you in collecting and organising the required documents and ensure your application is completed accurately using the Sponsorship Management System (SMS).
For a free consultation, call us at 02033939272 or fill out our online form.
The expiry date of your sponsor licence can be found on the Sponsorship Management System (SMS). It’s recommended to schedule and share this date with key personnel to ensure you don’t miss it.
A sponsor licence typically expires every 4 years. If not renewed by the due date, it will automatically expire, and you will lose the ability to act as a qualified sponsor.
To renew your sponsor licence, log in to your SMS account, complete the application, and pay the required fee. You can usually apply for renewal up to three months before the licence expires.
After submitting your renewal application and supporting documents, it may take several weeks to receive a decision. If this is your second renewal, the process may be expedited.
A UK sponsor licence is typically valid for 4 years. To maintain your status as a sponsor, you must apply for renewal before the licence expires.
A CoS expires within three months unless the sponsor requests its renewal.
The typical processing time for sponsor licence renewal is 8 weeks, assuming no issues with the application and no onsite compliance checks from the Home Office.
