Sponsor Licence Application
Preparing a new sponsor licence application — from eligibility and key personnel through to Appendix A evidence and post-licence support.
- Eligibility across Worker and Temporary Worker routes
- Key personnel identification and preparation
- HR systems and supporting documents
- Application preparation and compliance readiness
- Post-licence support
Eligibility &Appendix A
Before you apply for a sponsor licence, it helps to understand what the Home Office is checking for — and what evidence you'll need to prove it.
Genuine, lawful UK operation
Your organisation must be genuinely operating or trading lawfully in the UK — companies, partnerships, charities, public bodies, and sole traders (in respect of their own business) can all apply.
No disqualifying history
No unspent convictions for relevant offences (immigration, fraud, money laundering and similar), and no licence revoked in the last 12 months, or more than once in the last 24 months.
Suitable HR systems
Appropriate systems to monitor and track sponsored workers — right to work checks, absence monitoring, and record-keeping — must already be in place, or capable of being put in place.
Suitable people in place
You need people who meet the eligibility criteria to fill the key personnel roles that every licence requires (see Key Personnel below).
Appendix A — supporting evidence
Appendix A is the Home Office's list of documentary evidence you submit with your application to prove your organisation is genuine, lawful, and eligible. It's organised into four tables, and which one applies to you depends on your organisation type.
Table 1 — Specific bodies
Government departments, local authorities, international organisations, diplomatic missions, main-market listed companies, and Scale-up route applicants. Evidence needs are simplified because these bodies are independently verifiable on public registers.
Table 2 — Start-ups, franchises, charities & regulated bodies
Businesses trading less than 18 months, franchises, registered charities, and regulated organisations (e.g. healthcare, education, financial services) each face tailored evidence requirements — such as a business bank account, a signed franchise agreement, or a regulator's registration certificate.
Table 3 — Route-specific mandatory documents
Documents required for the specific route you're applying under (Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility, International Sportsperson, and others) — for example, endorsement letters for sportsperson sponsorship.
Table 4 — Additional supporting documents
Optional but often useful evidence: employer's liability insurance, audited accounts or financial statements, VAT registration, and evidence of business premises (lease or utility bills).
Exact document lists change periodically
Applying for a NewSponsor Licence
Applications are made online, with a fee that depends on your organisation's size and the licence type you need.
- 1
Confirm eligibility & route
Decide which licence type and visa route(s) you need — Worker, Temporary Worker, or both.
- 2
Appoint key personnel
Identify an Authorising Officer, a Key Contact, and at least one Level 1 User who meet the eligibility criteria, before you start the application.
- 3
Complete the online application
The GOV.UK online form typically takes around 20–30 minutes to complete. You'll pay the licence fee as part of this step.
- 4
Submit Appendix A evidence promptly
Supporting documents must be submitted within a short window after the online form is completed (a 5 working day deadline is cited in current guidance — verify this figure on GOV.UK, as missing it can lead to refusal without the fee being refunded).
- 5
Possible compliance visit
UKVI may carry out a pre-licence compliance visit before deciding your application.
- 6
Decision
GOV.UK states most applications are dealt with in less than 8 weeks — a typical figure, not a guarantee. An optional, subject-to-availability Priority Service exists for a faster decision; it speeds up the decision, not the outcome.
Sponsor licence fees
You generally count as a small sponsor if you meet at least 2 of: annual turnover of £15 million or less; total assets of £7.5 million or less; 50 employees or fewer. Registered charities are treated as small regardless of size against these thresholds.
| Licence type | Small / charitable sponsor | Medium / large sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| Worker licence | £611 | £1,682 |
| Temporary Worker licence | £611 | £611 |
| Worker + Temporary Worker licence | £611 | £1,682 |
| Add Worker route to an existing Temporary Worker licence | No fee | £1,071 |
| Add Temporary Worker route to an existing Worker licence | No fee | No fee |
Fees and timeframes are indicative
Talk to EuropX about your sponsor licence
If you need help with any of the following, our team is ready to talk it through with you.
- Sponsor licence applications
- Sponsor compliance & audits
- Related UK immigration & business support
No payment required — mon–sat: 10am–6pm (closed on public holidays)