Sponsorship Licence Management Service

Holding a sponsor licence brings with it a number of management duties that must be correctly fulfilled in order to maintain your licence. Failure to meet your licensing obligations could see your licence suspended, downgraded or revoked, which can have a very serious impact on your organisation.

Our immigration solicitors make managing the Sponsorship Licence process easy.  We will partner with your business, ensure we understand it and support you in not only getting your UK Sponsorship Licence, but in keeping it.

To talk to one of our award-winning immigration solicitors for sponsorship management support, please contact us on 0203 959 9123 to make an appointment.

Our services and support around Sponsorship Licences are all encompassing.  They include:

• Acting as Key Contact and Level 1 User for your organisation.
  • The Key Contact is the person responsible for liaising with the Home Office when they require documentation or require questions to be answered.
  • The Level 1 user manages the Home Office Sponsorship Management System, which collates the day-to-day activities and records of migrant workers employed by an organisation.
• Auditing your HR policies and procedures in preparation for applying for a Sponsorship Licence. We will review your HR processes and ensure you have policies and procedures in place to fulfil your sponsorship obligations. The five main areas in which sponsors need to show compliance are:
  1. monitoring immigration status and preventing illegal employment
  2. maintaining migrant contact details
  3. record keeping duties
  4. migrant tracking and monitoring
  5. recruitment practices and professional registrations and accreditations

We will ensure your HR department can manage these extra responsibilities efficiently and effectively.  They can rely on our support whenever it is required and can contact us with questions anytime.

• Issuing Certificates of Sponsorship on your behalf.
• Advising on advertising requirements if the position you need to fill is not on the Shortage Occupation List
• Ensuring that prospective employees are supported through their application process for a work visa and preparing and submitting their applications.

Let us provide you and your organisation with the support and service it needs to comply with its UK Sponsorship Licence duties through our dedicated Sponsorship Licence Management Service.

Have a question about sponsorship licence management? Take a look at our answers to questions we have been asked about sponsorship licence management, or feel free to ask our immigration lawyers a question.

Speak to our sponsorship licence lawyers in London now

We can discuss how we can assist your organisation with sponsor licence management at our offices, over the phone or online via Web Conferencing such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Cisco WebEx or Skype.

To speak to our sponsorship management lawyers in London, please call now on 0203 959 9123 or use our simple online enquiries form.

Our sponsor licence management services

Applying for a UK Sponsorship Licence

To be eligible for a UK Sponsorship Licence you must prove to the Home Office that your organisation:

• Is genuine and operating or trading lawfully in the UK
• Is based in the UK
• Has the necessary planning permission or Local Planning Authority consent for the type of work you are doing
• Is 'honest, dependable and reliable'
• Is no threat to current immigration controls
• Can and will comply with required sponsorship duties and responsibilities.

Applicants for a UK Sponsorship Licence are rigorously questioned by officials to establish whether or not they are capable of complying with relevant duties and responsibilities.

You may be asked questions about the structure of your organisation, the nature of your business, why you need to recruit migrant workers and your HR policies and procedures.

Our immigration solicitors will review your organisation and alert you to any weaknesses that could jeopardise your chances of gaining a Sponsorship Licence.

Assisting with the suitability assessment

The Home Office will consider whether an organisation is suitable to be granted a Sponsorship Licence by examining whether or not they can comply with four broad suitability categories.

These are whether the organisation:

1. Has effective human resources systems to be able to fulfil its sponsor duties
2. Or any of its associated persons have:
   1. been given a civil penalty for employing an illegal worker
   2. been given a civil penalty within the last five years under any of the legislative provisions listed in Appendix C other than in relation to illegal working
   3. have any unspent convictions for a relevant offence or any of the offences listed in Annex 7of the Points-Based System Sponsor Guidance (SG)
3. Has a previous record of non-compliance or poor compliance with the duties of sponsorship or is employing any migrants (whether sponsored or not) who are in breach of their conditions of leave
4. Is able to offer 'genuine employment' which meets the criteria on skill level and appropriate salary rate

Your organisation will also be assessed on its honesty and dependability, and compliance with the law in areas other than immigration.

Sponsor licence audit and compliance

Complying with the Home Office requirements for being a sponsor licence holder is not always easy. Our team is highly experienced in supporting organisations to achieve and maintain compliance, so can help to make this process easier.

We can independently assess your organisation’s processes and identify any potential compliance issues. You will receive clear, actionable advice on everything you need to do to ensure compliance, helping to avoid any potential issues with the Home Office.

Learn more about our expertise with sponsor licence audit and compliance.

Support for using the Sponsor Management System

As a sponsor licence holder, you will need to use the Sponsor Management System. This is a requirement for tasks such as issuing Certificates of Sponsorship and showing that you are complying with your sponsor management obligations.

We can provide training and support for using the system effectively and more general advice on sponsorship management. This can help to avoid any confusion and unnecessary stress, as well as minimising the potential for mistakes that could impact your ability to sponsor employees or even put your licence at risk.

We can also act as the Key Contact and Level 1 User for your organisation, dealing with much of the administrative burden of being a sponsor licence holder for you.

Support for Home Office visits

If the Home Office decides to visit your organisation to assess its capability of fulfilling sponsorship duties, we will be on hand to manage the process. Our immigration lawyers will work with you to prepare for the visit, ensuring that all documentation and procedures are up-to-date and easily accessible.

Our immigration solicitors will ensure the visit is stress free and successful.

Sponsor licence renewals

A sponsor licence is normally valid for four years, so will need to be renewed periodically. As the Home Office requirements for sponsors change regularly, you cannot simply assume that your licence will be renewed. You should make sure all of your processes are reviewed, so you can be sure you will comfortably meet the eligibility criteria for a renewal.

Our team can assess your organisation and its practices to give you confidence that you meet the criteria for a successful renewal. We can then guide you through the renewal application process, boosting your chances of smoothly renewing your licence.

Learn more about our expertise with sponsor licence renewals.

Support if your licence is downgraded

If your Sponsorship Licence is downgraded from an A-rating to a B-rating, we will devise a fast and effective strategy to implement any action plans set out by the Home Office. Our immigration lawyers will utilise their vast experience to ensure you re-acquire your A-rating as soon as possible.

Support for sponsor licence suspension and revocation

Should your sponsor licence be suspended or revoked, we have the expertise to help quickly resolve the situation. In many cases, it is possible to have your licence swiftly restored by showing that the areas of concern have been addressed or were not issues in the first place.

We can provide a clear, level-headed assessment of your situation, then support you through making any necessary changes, gather evidence to refute any alleged failings that you dispute and guide you through every step of restoring your licence.

Learn more about our expertise with sponsor licence suspension and revocation.

Sponsor licence management explained

What is the Sponsor Management System?

The Sponsor Management System (SMS) is a UK government system for sponsor licence holders to help them issues Certificates of Sponsorship and maintain compliance with the Home Office rules for sponsors. It is sometimes referred to as the ‘Home Office SMS’.

It is a requirement for sponsor licence holders to use the Sponsor Management System, so it is important to be confident about when it must be used and how to use it correctly. Our sponsorship management advice service can help you with this.

Who is allowed to use the Sponsor Management System?

The Sponsor Management System is for employers who are sponsoring people coming to the UK from abroad on a Worker or Temporary Worker visa, as well as institutions sponsoring students coming to the UK on a Student or Child Student visa.

What are the penalties for failure to comply with sponsorship duties?

Failing to comply with your sponsorship duties could see your sponsor licence downgraded, suspended or revoked. Depending on the issue, your organisation could also be fined and may suffer negative publicity.

How do I renew a sponsor licence?

You can renew your sponsor licence using the Sponsor Management System. You will need to complete a declaration and pay the renewal fee.

Before attempting to renew your licence, it is important to make sure your organisation is in full compliance with the latest Home Office requirements for sponsors. We will be happy to advise you on this, helping to make sure your renewal is successful.

Why choose OTS Solicitors to assist with sponsorship licence management?

Key reasons to choose our team for sponsorship licence management support include:

• We regularly support a wide range of clients with sponsor licence management and have a very high success rate for our clients
• We hold the highest Law Society Accreditation award in Immigration Law
• We have been consistently ranked as leading immigration experts by respected client guides, the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners
• Head of Department Teni Shahiean is a Legal 500 recommended Immigration Lawyer
• Managing Partner Oshin Shahiean is a Law Society accredited Immigration Supervisor and accredited Senior Level 2 Immigration Advisor OISC Level 3
• Senior Immigration Consultant Paul Gulbenkian is a former Immigration Tribunal Judge and Crown Court Recorder, a founder member of the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) and President of the European Immigration Lawyers Group
• Our team has over 85 years of combined experience and knowledge covering all areas of immigration law

Your case and the outcome of your application really matter to our team. We personally invest in our clients because we know how much your business means to you.

We are committed to keeping things as simple, smooth and seamless as possible for you. You will work directly with an experienced immigration lawyer and we will always be available to answer any questions you may have.

You can read more about our expertise and exceptional personal service on our main business immigration service page.

Speak to our sponsorship licence lawyers in London now

We can discuss how we can assist your organisation with sponsor licence management at our offices, over the phone or online via Web Conferencing such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Cisco WebEx or Skype.

To speak to our sponsor licence lawyers in London, please call now on 0203 959 9123 or use our simple online enquiries form.