A sponsor licence is what lets a UK employer hire someone from outside the UK, and most applications are decided in around eight weeks. Get the documents or the key personnel wrong, though, and you are looking at a refusal and a cooling-off period before you can apply again. This guide walks through how to apply for a sponsor licence in 2026, step by step: who can apply, the key personnel you need to name, the documents to gather, the fees, the timeline, and how to keep the application clean.
What a sponsor licence is
A sponsor licence is permission from the Home Office to employ workers from outside the UK. Since the end of free movement it covers hires from the EU too, not just the rest of the world. Without one, you cannot legally sponsor someone on the Skilled Worker visa or most other work routes. With one, you can issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to each worker you hire, which is what they need to apply for their visa.
Types of sponsor licence
There are two main licences, and you apply for the one that matches the roles you are filling.
The Worker licence covers longer-term skilled roles:
- Skilled Worker: the main route for skilled hires that meet the salary and skill thresholds. It replaced the old Tier 2 (General) licence.
- Senior or Specialist Worker: for transferring senior managers or specialists into a UK branch of an overseas business.
The Temporary Worker licence covers shorter-term and specific routes, such as seasonal work, creative roles, charity work, and religious workers.
Applying for the wrong licence is a common cause of delay, so match it to the role before you start.
Who can apply: eligibility and suitability
The Home Office checks two things: that your organisation is eligible, and that it is suitable to hold a licence.
Eligibility means:
- You are a genuine organisation operating lawfully in the UK.
- You and your key personnel have no unspent convictions for relevant offences, such as immigration breaches, fraud, or money laundering.
- You have HR systems that can track and monitor sponsored workers and report to the Home Office.
Suitability means you can show a genuine need to sponsor the role, and that you can meet the ongoing sponsor duties. The Home Office may visit to check before it decides. Our sponsor licence eligibility guide covers this in full.
Key personnel you need to name
Every licence needs people assigned to run it through the Sponsor Management System (SMS):
- Authorising Officer: a senior person responsible for everyone who uses the SMS. UK-based, and must pass the suitability checks.
- Key Contact: your main point of contact with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
- Level 1 User: handles the day-to-day running of the licence in the SMS. Must be an employee and UK-based.
These roles carry real accountability, so choose people who can own them. Before you start the form, it helps to have the documents and people lined up. Our Sponsor Licence Application Guide and Document Checklist lays out exactly what you need.
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How to apply for a sponsor licence, step by step
The application runs in four steps.
- Prepare your business and documents. Confirm you are eligible, decide your key personnel, and gather your supporting documents. This is where most delays start, so it is worth getting right.
- Complete the online application. Fill in the form on the UKVI system, choose the licence type, give your contact details, and name your key personnel.
- Submit your supporting documents. Complete and sign the submission sheet, then send it with your documents to the Home Office within five working days, scanned as PDF, JPEG, or PNG.
- Be ready for a compliance visit. UKVI may inspect your premises and systems before deciding. A clean, complete application reduces the chance of one.
Documents you need
The Home Office sets out the required documents in Appendix A of its guidance. Most applications need:
- Proof the organisation is genuine and trading, such as a VAT registration certificate, bank statements, or audited accounts.
- Evidence your HR and recruitment processes can monitor sponsored workers and keep records.
- Employer's liability insurance and proof of your business premises.
Which documents apply depends on your sector and structure. Our guide to the documents required for a sponsor licence breaks it down by organisation type, and the document checklist gives you a version to work from.
What it costs
The application fee is £611 for small or charitable sponsors and £1,682 for medium or large sponsors. That is before the per-worker costs, such as the £525 Certificate of Sponsorship fee and the Immigration Skills Charge. For the full picture, see our guide to sponsor licence fees.
How long it takes
Most applications are decided in around eight weeks on the standard service. A pre-licence compliance visit or a busy period can push that to two or three months, and a priority service can shorten it where you are eligible. Our guide to how long a sponsor licence takes breaks the timeline down stage by stage.
After approval: assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship
Once your licence is granted, you can assign a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to each worker through the SMS. It carries a reference number the worker uses to apply for their visa. There are two types: a defined CoS for workers applying from outside the UK, and an undefined CoS for those already here or switching visa. The CoS fee is £525 per certificate on the Worker routes.
If your application is rejected or refused
There is a difference between the two. A rejection is usually a procedural slip, like a missing document or an underpaid fee, and you can fix it and reapply straight away. A refusal is more serious, on substantive grounds, and can mean a non-refundable fee and a cooling-off period before you can try again. Either way, read the reasons carefully, fix the cause, and strengthen the evidence before you resubmit.
Staying compliant after you are licensed
The licence is the start, not the finish. You then have to keep records, report changes such as a worker leaving or a change of job title, salary, or site, and monitor visa expiry dates, all through the SMS. Getting this wrong can cost you the licence. Our guide to sponsor licence duties and compliance covers what is expected.
Do sponsor licences need renewing?
No. The Home Office removed the renewal requirement in April 2024 and extended existing licences by 10 years, so once you are granted a licence it runs without a renewal fee. Staying compliant is what keeps it, not renewing it.
How Borderless helps
Borderless has helped 600+ employers secure a sponsor licence and stay compliant as the rules keep changing. We handle the application end to end, from the documents to the key personnel to the compliance that follows, so it is one less thing to get wrong. Book a demo to see how it works.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get a sponsor licence?
Around eight weeks on the standard service, longer if there is a compliance visit or a busy period. A priority service can shorten it where you qualify.
What documents do I need for a sponsor licence application?
The Home Office lists them in Appendix A. Most applications need proof the business is genuine and trading, evidence of your HR and monitoring systems, employer's liability insurance, and proof of premises.
How much does a sponsor licence cost?
£611 for small or charitable sponsors and £1,682 for medium or large sponsors, plus per-worker costs such as the £525 CoS fee and the Immigration Skills Charge.
Is there a sponsor licence application form?
Yes. The application is an online form on the UKVI system. You complete it, choose your licence type, name your key personnel, and then send your supporting documents within five working days.
How do I check my sponsor licence application status?
There is no public status tracker. The Home Office contacts your named Key Contact and Authorising Officer with the decision, and updates appear in the Sponsor Management System. On the priority service you should hear within about 10 working days.
Do I need to renew a sponsor licence?
No. Since April 2024 there is no renewal requirement, and existing licences were extended by 10 years. You keep the licence by staying compliant.
Can I change the key personnel later?
Yes. You can appoint a new Authorising Officer, Key Contact, or Level 1 User by updating the SMS, as long as the new people meet the suitability checks.
