Sponsor Licence Renewals

Sponsor Licence Renewal:

Sponsor Licences are initially granted for a duration of 4 years. In order to continue sponsoring migrants, it is necessary to renew your licence prior to its expiration. If your sponsor licence renewal application is approved, your sponsor licence will be extended for an additional 4 years.

 Main Eligibility Requirements for Sponsor Licence Renewal:

 To renew your sponsor licence, the following key eligibility requirements must be met:

1.  Online Application: Sponsor licence renewal applications should be submitted online through the Sponsor Management System (SMS).

2.  Additional Business Documents: After submitting a valid renewal application, you may be requested to provide additional business-related documents to UKVI. These documents must be sent to the Home Office within 5 working days.

3. Compliance with Document Requests: Failure to provide requested documents may result in UKVI reducing or removing your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) allocation, or downgrading, suspending, or revoking your licence as a sponsoring company.

4. Business Premises Visit: During the renewal process, UKVI may conduct a visit to your business premises. This is more likely to occur if you haven't had a Home Office compliance visit in the past 4 years.

5. Compliance Concerns: If UKVI compliance officers have any concerns regarding your activities as a sponsor, they have the authority to downgrade or revoke your licence.

It is crucial to meet these requirements and ensure compliance with the renewal process to maintain a valid sponsor licence.

Important Points to Note about Sponsor Licence Renewals:

Here are some additional key details to consider regarding sponsor licence renewals:

 1.     Renewal Timing: As a sponsor company, you can apply to renew your licence up to 90 days before the expiry date of your current licence.

 2.     Impact on Sponsored Migrants: If you have sponsored migrants working for you and you wish them to continue their employment, it is essential to renew your licence before it expires. This requirement applies even if you have no plans to sponsor new migrants

 3.     Verification and Compliance: Before submitting a renewal application, it is crucial to conduct thorough checks to ensure the accuracy of sponsor licence details and compliance with all sponsor duties.

 4.     Consequences of Failing to Renew: Failure to renew your sponsor licence will result in the inability to assign any further Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS), and your company details will be removed from the online public register of licensed sponsors.

 5.     Impact on Sponsored Migrants' Leave: If your licence renewal is not completed, but you continue to employ sponsored migrants, their leave will be curtailed. This means their visa will be shortened to 60 days, after which they will be required to switch to a different immigration category, leave the UK, or potentially face removal.

It is crucial to adhere to the renewal process and timelines to avoid any disruptions in sponsoring migrants and maintain compliance with the immigration regulations.

How Our Immigration Lawyers Can Assist You:

Our team of experienced business immigration lawyers comprehends the significance of renewing your sponsor licence to ensure smooth business operations. We are here to support you throughout the process and help you successfully extend your sponsor licence.

Prior to submitting your application for sponsor licence renewal to UKVI, our lawyers can assist your organisation in conducting a comprehensive review to ensure the accuracy of all details on your current licence. We will work with you to make any necessary changes and updates. Furthermore, we will ensure that all sponsorship duties related to your migrant workers, such as record-keeping, reporting, and compliance checks, have been fully met. In the event that it has been a while since the Home Office conducted an audit, we can conduct a mock Immigration Audit of your business in preparation for any potential Home Office visit.

We take pride in our approachability and proactivity when it comes to understanding and meeting the specific needs of our business clients. Our dedicated team is committed to delivering clear and reliable immigration advice directly to UK employers, providing a professional and friendly service that you can rely on.