UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has confirmed that the Premium Customer Service for employers has been withdrawn, with the service no longer available from 11 November 2025.
This change affects all organisations that hold a sponsor licence and previously relied on enhanced Home Office support to manage their immigration processes, including assigning Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) and maintaining ongoing sponsor licence compliance.
What was the UKVI Premium Customer Service?
The Premium Customer Service was a paid Home Office service available to Worker and Temporary Worker sponsors. It was commonly used by employers sponsoring workers under routes such as the skilled worker visa and health and care worker visa.
Sponsors using the service managed their sponsorship activity through the sponsor management system (SMS), with direct access to a dedicated UKVI account manager to resolve issues relating to CoS, visa applications, and sponsor duties.
When was the Premium Customer Service withdrawn?
UKVI formally withdrew the guidance on 11 November 2025, confirming that the Premium Customer Service is no longer available.
From this date, employers can no longer apply for or renew the service, even if they hold an A rating sponsor licence.
What did the Premium Customer Service cost?
Before it was withdrawn, the Premium Customer Service cost:
- £25,000 per year for medium or large sponsors
- £8,000 per year for small or charitable sponsors
This sat alongside other immigration costs, including sponsor licence fees, visa application charges, and additional government fees such as the Immigration Skills Charge. Many employers relied on a visa fees calculator to understand their total sponsorship spend.
Why does this change matter for sponsor licence holders?
With the Premium Customer Service withdrawn, all sponsors must now rely solely on standard UKVI channels, including the SMS and published Home Office guidance.
This increases the importance of complying with all Sponsor Licence Duties, as failures can lead to enforcement action such as sponsor licence revocation.
Employers must ensure they fully understand:
- How to correctly assign a certificate of sponsorship
- Their ongoing sponsor licence compliance obligations
- When to report changes through the sponsor management system
What support is available now?
Although UKVI no longer provides a Premium Customer Service, employers remain legally responsible for all sponsorship requirements, including:
- Managing CoS allocations and usage
- Reporting updates via SMS
- Carrying out compliant right to work checks
- Ensuring salaries meet the immigration salary list
Failing to meet these requirements can result in audits, penalties, or full sponsor licence revoked action.
Managing sponsorship without Premium UKVI support
Without direct access to a UKVI account manager, employers now need strong systems in place to manage:
- Sponsor licence application and renewals
- Sponsor licence change of circumstances
- CoS allocation requests
- Ongoing compliance and reporting
This is especially important for organisations applying for a sponsor licence for care home businesses or scaling overseas hiring quickly.
Key takeaway for employers
- The UKVI Premium Customer Service ended on 11 November 2025
- Employers can no longer apply for or renew the service
- Sponsors must rely on SMS and standard Home Office guidance
- Strong sponsor licence compliance, CoS management, and right to work processes are now critical
If you need support managing sponsorship without Premium UKVI services, get in touch with Borderless.
Automate Home Office Audits with Borderless
The Borderless platform provides a centralized system for all sponsorships, automating reminders for key tasks and ensuring best practices across your organization, simplifying audit preparation and ongoing compliance.
