Sponsor Licence application fee
A valid UK Sponsor Licence is required by any UK-based company that wishes to sponsor an overseas worker on a visa. The cost of applying for and maintaining a Sponsor Licence depends on the size and scale of your company.
If you require assistance with your Sponsor Licence application, call our team today on 0121 667 6530 for further guidance.
Page Contents
- Sponsor Licence applications
- Cost of a Sponsor Licence
- What size sponsor am I?
- Immigration Skills Charge
- Cost to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship
- Priority service for Sponsor Licence
- Ratings for Sponsor Licence
- Visa application fees for Sponsor licence
- How we can help with your Sponsor Licence
Sponsor Licence applications
Under the new Skilled Worker visa, amongst other visas too, applicants must be able to prove they have a Certificate of Sponsorship from a UK employer.
In order to Sponsor migrant workers, a UK business must hold a valid Sponsor Licence endorsed by the Home Office. Without a Sponsor Licence, a company has no grounds to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship.
The cost of a Sponsor Licence depends on the scale of your company. Typically you will fit into one of the following categories:
- Small or Charitable sponsor
- Medium or Large sponsor
In addition to the Sponsor Licence application fee, there are other costs involved with holding a Sponsor Licence, which includes costs of issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship and Immigration Skills Charge fees.
If you require assistance with your Sponsor Licence application, call our team today on 0121 667 6530 for further guidance.
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How much does a Sponsor Licence application cost?
The price you pay for your Sponsor Licence will depend on the size and type of your UK business.
| Licence type | Small or Charitable sponsor | Medium or large sponsor |
| Worker | £536 | £1,476 |
| Temporary Worker | £536 | £536 |
| Worker and Temporary Worker | £536 | £1,467 |
The fee is payable every four years, should you choose to submit a renewal application for your Sponsor Licence, meaning the application fee for a renewal is the same as the initial Sponsor Licence application fee.
Am I a Small or Charitable Sponsor?
Your business will qualify as a Small sponsor if two of the following scenarios apply:
- Your annual turnover is £10.2 million or less
- Your total assets are worth £5.1 million or less
- You have 50 employees or less
If you surpass these guidelines then it is likely you will fit into the medium or large sponsor category. This means you will be subjected to a higher fee as part of the Sponsor Licence application process.
The Sponsor Licence costs are reviewed by the Home Office annually and updated accordingly.
What is Immigration Skills Charge?
The Immigration Skills Charge is one of the additional fees made payable if you wish to use your Sponsor Licence to sponsor an overseas worker on a Skilled Worker visa or a Senior or Specialist worker visa. The fee becomes payable when you issue a Certificate of Sponsorship.
You do not need to pay the Immigration Skills charge if you are sponsoring a worker from the following occupations:
- Sportsperson
- Chemical Scientist
- Clergy
- Research and Development Managers
- Higher Education Teaching Professionals
- Physical Scientists
- Social and Humanities Scientists
How much does it cost to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)?
The price of a Certificate of Sponsorship depends on the type of Sponsor Licence you have. The typical guidelines on the cost of assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship are as follows:
Worker Licence- £199 per CoS
Temporary Worker Licence- £21 per CoS
International Sportsperson (more than 12 months)- £199 per CoS
International Sportsperson (less than 12 months)- £21 per Cos
As mentioned above, assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship to a Skilled Worker visa applicant may also incur the Immigration Skills Charge.
Sponsor Licence priority service
The current turnaround time on Sponsor Licence applications is 8 weeks in total. However, those who wish for a faster decision to be made can opt for the priority service.
The priority service comes at an additional cost of £500 on top of the Sponsor Licence application fee. This will then allow your Sponsor Licence application to be processed within 10 working days.
You must act promptly if you with to use the priority service, as slots are limited daily and offered on a first come, first served basis.
Sponsor Licence ratings
Sponsor Licence holders will have one of two ratings- an A rating or a B rating.
The Home Office will automatically issue your business with an A-rated Sponsor Licence if you are approved. This means the Home Office believes you are in a good position to meet your Sponsor Licence duties and is satisfied you are offering genuine vacancies to a sponsored worker.
If the Home Office perform a compliance visit and discovers that you are not adhering to your sponsor duties, your Sponsor Licence could be downgraded to a B-rated licence. If this happens, your company will be subjected to a time-limited action plan. This will result in additional fees and costs as you must pay for the action plan to be implemented at the cost of £1,476 (the price of a full worker Sponsor Licence).
If you fail to stick to your action plan, your licence could be revoked fully and you will no longer be able to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship.
Do I have to pay the Sponsor Licence visa application fee?
It is usually the responsibility of the worker visa applicant to pay the visa application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge.
If for any reason the sponsoring employer plans to pay these fees for the sponsored worker, it must be detailed clearly on the Sponsor Management System (SMS)
How can Birmingham Immigration Lawyers help?
Birmingham Immigration Lawyers have a proven track record of helping clients with a broad range of immigration queries.
Whether you’re in need of expert guidance for the successful application of a new Sponsor Licence or require professional support to navigate the intricacies of your existing licence, our seasoned team is readily available to provide you with the highest level of assistance.
When it comes to your Sponsor Licence application, we understand the complexities involved, and our dedicated team is committed to simplifying the process for you. By entrusting your immigration needs to Birmingham Immigration Lawyers, you can be confident that you’re choosing a team with a proven history of delivering results. Reach out to our experts today on 0121 667 6530 for further guidance.
Last modified on October 19th, 2023 at 2:28 pm
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Related pages for your continued reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your employer will pay for your Sponsor Licence.
Exploitation risk, bias and favouritism, professional reputation concerns, misunderstood professional relationships.
Yes, if the applicant does not meet the intended requirements. Sponsorships can also be withdrawn, and are not always considered to be stable.