ENTITY Business Imm DEF

Section D: UK work visa routes for businesses

The UK immigration system provides a range of work routes for overseas nationals. The appropriate route depends on the nature of the work, the worker’s circumstances, the relationship with the UK organisation and whether employer sponsorship is required.

For many employers recruiting someone into a permanent or long-term UK role, the Skilled Worker route will be the main option. Other routes serve different purposes, including healthcare recruitment, multinational transfers, temporary work and individuals who qualify to work without employer sponsorship.

Employers should consider the available routes before deciding that Skilled Worker sponsorship is necessarily the correct solution.

1. Skilled Worker visa

The Skilled Worker visa is the principal sponsored immigration route for overseas nationals taking eligible employment in the UK.

To use the route, the employer must hold a sponsor licence authorised for Skilled Worker sponsorship and offer employment that satisfies the relevant immigration requirements.

For Certificates of Sponsorship assigned from 22 July 2025, the role generally needs to be at RQF level 6 or above, unless an applicable exception or transitional provision allows sponsorship at a lower skill level. The requirement relates to the occupation, not whether the worker personally has a degree.

Salary must also satisfy the option under which the worker is being sponsored. Under the standard post-22 July 2025 Skilled Worker option, the usual general salary threshold is £41,700 and the worker must also meet the applicable going rate. Lower general thresholds can apply under specified salary options and transitional arrangements, so the individual case has to be assessed against the current Rules.

The employer assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship and the worker then applies to the Home Office for immigration permission.

The worker also has to satisfy the individual requirements of the route, including the applicable English language requirement.

For employers, a Skilled Worker assessment will typically involve:

• confirming that the organisation can sponsor under the route
• identifying the correct occupation code
• establishing that the job is eligible
• checking the applicable skill-level provisions
• checking the applicable salary requirements
• considering the going rate for the occupation
• confirming the worker’s eligibility
• assigning the correct Certificate of Sponsorship
• coordinating the visa application and proposed start date
• completing the required right to work check
• complying with sponsor duties during employment

Skilled Worker permission can be granted for a period linked to the sponsored employment and the route can lead to settlement where the relevant requirements are met.

This makes Skilled Worker particularly important for employers recruiting people into substantive UK roles rather than temporary international assignments.

2. Health and Care Worker visa

The Health and Care Worker route operates within the Skilled Worker framework for eligible healthcare and related roles.

It is available only where the requirements of the route are met, including requirements relating to the employer and occupation.

Eligible applicants benefit from specific immigration arrangements, including exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge and reduced visa application fees compared with the standard Skilled Worker route.

Employers should not assume that working within the health or care sector automatically makes a role eligible for the Health and Care Worker route. Eligibility needs to be established by reference to the sponsoring organisation, occupation and current Immigration Rules.

Additional restrictions can also apply to particular occupations, including rules affecting dependant family members.

3. Scale-up Worker route

The Scale-up route is designed to support qualifying high-growth UK businesses recruiting highly skilled workers.

An eligible Scale-up business can sponsor a worker for the initial stage of the route. The immigration framework then provides the worker with greater employment flexibility than conventional Skilled Worker sponsorship.

For employers, the route can be attractive where the organisation satisfies the Scale-up requirements and wants to recruit internationally without maintaining the same sponsorship relationship throughout the worker’s entire period of permission.

The availability of the route is, however, more limited than Skilled Worker because the business and proposed employment must satisfy the specific Scale-up requirements.

Employers should therefore assess whether they qualify to use the route rather than treating Scale-up as a general alternative to Skilled Worker sponsorship.

4. Global Business Mobility routes

Global Business Mobility provides sponsored immigration routes for specific types of temporary business movement into the UK.

The routes are primarily relevant to international businesses moving personnel into the UK or undertaking defined cross-border business activities.

The Global Business Mobility routes include:

• Senior or Specialist Worker
• Graduate Trainee
• UK Expansion Worker
• Service Supplier
• Secondment Worker

Each route serves a different commercial purpose and has its own eligibility and sponsorship requirements.

Unlike Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility is generally concerned with temporary business mobility rather than long-term UK recruitment leading directly to settlement.

The distinction is important when an international business is deciding how to structure an employee’s move to the UK.

5. Senior or Specialist Worker

The Senior or Specialist Worker route is used by multinational organisations transferring qualifying senior managers or specialist employees to a connected UK business.

It replaced the previous Intra-company Transfer route.

The route can be relevant where an employee already works for an overseas group company and is being assigned to a UK entity within the same corporate group.

Requirements apply to matters including:

• the relationship between the overseas and UK businesses
• the worker’s overseas employment
• the proposed UK occupation
• salary
• sponsorship
• the duration of the assignment

The route does not provide the same direct settlement pathway as Skilled Worker.

Businesses considering a long-term transfer should therefore compare Senior or Specialist Worker with Skilled Worker rather than choosing solely on the basis that the individual is already employed within the group.

6. Graduate Trainee

The Graduate Trainee route supports structured graduate training programmes involving a UK placement.

It is intended for workers employed by an overseas business who are undertaking a graduate training programme leading towards a senior management or specialist position and who need to complete part of that programme in the UK.

The route is not a general visa for recruiting recent graduates.

The overseas employment, training programme, UK placement, occupation and salary must satisfy the relevant requirements.

For multinational employers, Graduate Trainee can form part of a wider international talent development programme where UK experience is a defined component of the employee’s training.

7. UK Expansion Worker

The UK Expansion Worker route is designed for overseas businesses establishing a presence in the UK where the business has not yet begun trading in the UK.

It allows eligible senior managers and specialist employees to come to the UK to undertake work connected with establishing the UK operation.

The route is therefore relevant to business expansion rather than conventional recruitment by an established UK employer.

The sponsorship arrangements also differ because the organisation is at an earlier stage of establishing its UK presence.

Once the UK business becomes established, the organisation may need to consider its longer-term sponsor licensing and immigration strategy for recruiting and retaining workers.

8. Service Supplier

The Service Supplier route allows qualifying overseas service suppliers to undertake temporary assignments in the UK where the work falls within the scope of an eligible international trade agreement.

The individual may be an employee of an overseas service provider or, in qualifying circumstances, a self-employed professional.

The route is specialised and depends on the underlying contractual and trade-agreement arrangements.

Businesses should therefore establish that the commercial relationship itself falls within the route before considering the worker’s individual eligibility.

9. Secondment Worker

The Secondment Worker route is intended for workers being seconded to the UK as part of a qualifying high-value contract or investment.

It is not a general route for seconding employees between unrelated businesses.

The relevant business relationship, contract and sponsorship arrangements need to satisfy the requirements of the route.

As with the other Global Business Mobility categories, the immigration assessment should begin with the underlying commercial arrangement rather than simply the individual’s proposed activities in the UK.

10. Temporary Worker routes

The UK’s sponsored immigration system also includes Temporary Worker routes for particular categories of short-term work and activity.

Depending on the organisation and proposed activity, these can include routes for:

• creative workers
• charity workers
• religious workers
• government authorised exchange
• international agreement workers
• seasonal workers

These routes have specific purposes and should not be treated as alternatives to Skilled Worker simply because the proposed employment is temporary.

Employers need to establish whether the work falls within the scope of the particular route and whether the relevant sponsorship arrangements are available.

11. International Sportsperson

The International Sportsperson route applies to elite sportspeople and qualified sports coaches whose employment in the UK is considered capable of developing their sport at the highest level.

The route involves requirements that are specific to professional sport, including endorsement by the relevant governing body.

Sports organisations recruiting internationally should therefore consider the immigration requirements alongside governing-body rules and the proposed employment arrangements.

12. Unsponsored work routes

Not every international recruit needs an employer-sponsored work visa.

Some immigration routes allow qualifying individuals to work in the UK without their employer acting as sponsor.

Depending on the individual’s circumstances, relevant routes or statuses can include:

• Global Talent
• High Potential Individual
• Graduate
• family and dependant routes
• UK Ancestry
• British National (Overseas)
• Youth Mobility Scheme
• other forms of immigration permission carrying employment rights

The employer’s role in these cases is different.

It does not normally assign a Certificate of Sponsorship or assume sponsor duties in relation to the worker, but it must still establish the individual’s right to undertake the proposed employment.

Where permission is time limited, the employer should also understand when the right to work expires and what further immigration action may be required.

13. Which UK work visa should an employer use?

There is no single work visa that is suitable for every international recruit.

The appropriate route depends on the facts.

An employer should consider:

• whether the worker already has permission to work
• whether sponsorship is actually required
• whether the role is permanent or temporary
• whether the individual is being recruited or transferred
• whether an overseas employment relationship needs to continue
• whether the UK and overseas organisations are connected
• the occupation and salary
• how long the worker needs to be in the UK
• whether the worker wants a route capable of leading to settlement
• whether dependants need to accompany the worker
• the immigration and sponsorship costs
• the employer’s sponsor licence position

For a new long-term hire into an eligible UK role, Skilled Worker will often be the starting point.

For an employee transferring temporarily within an international group, Global Business Mobility may be more appropriate.

For a person who already holds immigration permission allowing the proposed employment, no employer-sponsored work route may be required at all.

The correct business immigration strategy therefore starts with the commercial purpose of the move, the proposed employment and the worker’s existing immigration position, rather than with the name of a visa.

 
 
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Section E: Sponsor licences

A sponsor licence is the Home Office authorisation that allows a UK organisation to sponsor eligible overseas workers under specified immigration routes.

For many employers, obtaining a sponsor licence is the point at which international recruitment moves from an occasional immigration issue into an ongoing regulatory responsibility. The licence enables sponsorship, but it also places continuing duties on the organisation.

Not every business employing an overseas national needs a sponsor licence. The requirement arises where the organisation intends to employ someone who needs sponsorship under the immigration route being used.

1. What is a sponsor licence?

A sponsor licence gives an organisation permission to sponsor qualifying workers under the immigration routes covered by its licence.

The licence belongs to the sponsoring organisation. It is separate from the immigration permission granted to an individual worker.

Once licensed, an employer can use the sponsorship system to assign Certificates of Sponsorship to qualifying workers for eligible roles.

The basic relationship is:

Sponsor licence -> Certificate of Sponsorship -> worker visa application

These are separate stages.

A sponsor licence does not give an employer unrestricted permission to recruit anyone from overseas. Each proposed sponsorship still has to satisfy the requirements of the relevant immigration route.

Likewise, a Certificate of Sponsorship does not itself constitute a visa or guarantee that the worker’s immigration application will be successful.

2. When does a business need a sponsor licence?

A business will generally need a sponsor licence where it wants to employ an individual who requires sponsorship under a sponsored work route.

This commonly arises when recruiting under the Skilled Worker route or using one of the sponsored business mobility or temporary work categories.

A sponsor licence will not usually be required merely because an employee is not British.

For example, sponsorship may not be required where the individual already has immigration status that independently permits the proposed employment.

The employer should therefore establish the worker’s immigration status before deciding that a sponsor licence application is necessary.

Where sponsorship is required and the organisation does not already hold the appropriate licence, sufficient time should be allowed for the sponsor licence process before the worker can be sponsored.

3. Which organisations can apply for a sponsor licence?

Sponsor licences are available to organisations capable of satisfying the Home Office requirements for the sponsorship routes they want to use.

The Home Office will consider whether the organisation is genuine and operating lawfully in the UK and whether it is capable of meeting the responsibilities associated with sponsorship.

The application process requires the organisation to provide prescribed supporting documentation and information about its business, proposed sponsorship and internal arrangements.

The Home Office can also examine the organisation’s suitability to become a sponsor.

This can include consideration of:

• previous immigration compliance
• illegal working issues
• relevant criminal convictions
• previous sponsor licence history
• the organisation’s HR systems
• the people responsible for sponsorship
• whether the organisation can comply with its sponsor duties

The assessment is therefore not limited to whether the business has a vacancy it wants to fill.

The Home Office is deciding whether the organisation should be entrusted with access to the sponsorship system.

4. Applying for a sponsor licence

A sponsor licence application generally involves several connected stages.

The organisation needs to determine:

• which sponsorship routes it requires
• which entity should hold the licence
• who will perform the required sponsor management roles
• whether its systems can support sponsor compliance
• which supporting documents are required
• what information needs to be provided about the organisation and proposed sponsorship

The application is made online, with supporting evidence and information then provided in accordance with the applicable process.

Depending on the application, the Home Office may request further evidence or carry out a compliance visit before making its decision.

Employers should prepare for the application as a regulatory assessment rather than treating it as a form-filling exercise.

Information supplied to the Home Office should be consistent with the organisation’s corporate records, workforce arrangements and the roles it intends to sponsor.

5. Sponsor licence key personnel

Licensed sponsors are required to nominate people to undertake defined sponsorship responsibilities.

These roles include the:

• Authorising Officer
• Key Contact
• Level 1 User

Additional users can be appointed to the Sponsor Management System where appropriate.

The Authorising Officer has senior responsibility for the organisation’s sponsorship arrangements, while the Sponsor Management System is used to carry out many of the practical functions associated with the licence.

Choosing key personnel should therefore be considered carefully.

Sponsorship should not depend entirely on one individual who is unavailable, insufficiently trained or disconnected from the organisation’s recruitment and HR processes.

Larger sponsors may need a wider governance structure defining how HR, recruitment teams, managers and sponsor licence users communicate changes affecting sponsored workers.

6. What is the Sponsor Management System?

The Sponsor Management System, commonly referred to as the SMS, is the online system used by licensed sponsors to administer their sponsor licence.

Depending on the organisation and sponsorship route, the SMS is used for functions including:

• managing licence information
• assigning Certificates of Sponsorship
• requesting CoS allocations
• reporting certain changes affecting sponsored workers
• reporting changes affecting the organisation
• managing sponsor licence users

The information held within the sponsorship system should remain consistent with the organisation’s actual circumstances.

Changes to the business or sponsored workforce can therefore create reporting obligations.

Failure to update information where required can become a sponsor compliance issue even where the underlying employment arrangement is otherwise lawful.

7. Sponsor duties

A sponsor licence carries ongoing compliance responsibilities.

The Home Office relies on sponsors to perform functions that support the immigration system, including monitoring sponsored workers and reporting specified changes.

Sponsor duties can include requirements relating to:

• record keeping
• reporting
• monitoring sponsored workers
• maintaining accurate contact information
• tracking attendance or engagement where relevant
• reporting changes to sponsored employment
• reporting certain organisational changes
• preventing illegal working
• cooperating with the Home Office
• complying with wider UK law

These responsibilities continue for as long as the organisation remains licensed and sponsors workers.

Compliance should therefore be integrated into ordinary HR and workforce processes.

For example, a manager agreeing a change to a sponsored employee’s duties, salary or working arrangements may create an immigration issue even if the manager has no direct responsibility for the sponsor licence.

8. Sponsor licence compliance visits

The Home Office can assess sponsor compliance both during the licence application process and after a licence has been granted.

Compliance checks and visits may be announced or unannounced. Sponsors are expected to cooperate with Home Office compliance activity and provide access to relevant records, personnel and, where applicable, arrangements involving sponsored workers at third-party premises.

A compliance visit can involve examination of the organisation’s systems, records and sponsored workers.

The Home Office may consider whether:

• sponsored roles are genuine
• sponsored workers are undertaking the work recorded
• salaries and working arrangements are consistent with sponsorship
• required records are maintained
• reportable changes have been reported
• right to work procedures are effective
• key personnel understand their responsibilities
• the organisation is capable of meeting its sponsor duties

Employers should therefore operate the licence on the basis that their records and practices may be examined.

Preparing for compliance only after a visit has been announced can expose discrepancies that have accumulated over time.

9. What happens if a sponsor breaches its duties?

The Home Office has a range of powers where it considers that a sponsor is not meeting the requirements of the sponsorship system.

Depending on the circumstances, action can include:

• requiring remedial action
• downgrading the sponsor licence
• suspending the licence
• revoking the licence

The consequences can extend to the organisation’s sponsored workforce.

If an employer loses its ability to sponsor workers, employees whose immigration permission depends on that sponsorship can also be affected.

Sponsor licence compliance is therefore not simply an administrative issue. For organisations dependent on international recruitment, the licence can be an important operational asset.

10. Sponsor licence and business immigration strategy

Employers expecting to recruit internationally should consider sponsorship capability as part of workforce planning.

Waiting until a preferred candidate has been identified before considering whether the organisation can sponsor can create unnecessary delays.

Questions to consider include:

• Does the organisation already hold the correct sponsor licence?
• Which immigration routes does the licence cover?
• Is the sponsor licence information current?
• Does the organisation have sufficient CoS capacity?
• Are key personnel properly trained?
• Are recruitment and HR teams able to identify sponsorship issues?
• Are systems in place to monitor sponsored workers?
• Can the organisation demonstrate compliance if the Home Office carries out a visit?

A sponsor licence can provide access to international recruitment, but it also creates an ongoing relationship between the employer and the Home Office.

Businesses using sponsorship should therefore treat the licence as part of their wider immigration and workforce governance rather than simply as permission obtained for an individual hire.

 
 
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Section F: Sponsoring an overseas worker

Once an employer has established that a worker requires sponsorship, the next question is whether the proposed role and individual can satisfy the requirements of the relevant sponsored work route.

Sponsorship is not simply a matter of holding a sponsor licence and issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. The employer has to assess the role, identify the correct occupation code, apply the relevant salary requirements and ensure the information used for sponsorship accurately reflects the employment being offered.

For most employers recruiting under the Skilled Worker route, this assessment is one of the most important stages of the business immigration process.

1. Is the job eligible for sponsorship?

Not every job can be sponsored.

Eligibility depends on the immigration route being used and the requirements applying to the proposed employment.

Under the Skilled Worker route, the employer needs to establish that the role falls within an occupation that is eligible for sponsorship and satisfies the applicable requirements.

For Certificates of Sponsorship assigned from 22 July 2025, the general Skilled Worker skill threshold is RQF level 6, subject to specified exceptions and transitional arrangements. Employers should therefore check both the occupation code and the current basis on which the occupation is eligible.

The assessment should be based on the substance of the job rather than its title alone.

Employers should consider:

• the worker’s main duties
• the level of responsibility
• the skills required
• the proposed salary
• contracted working hours
• where and how the work will be undertaken
• how the role fits within the organisation
• whether the vacancy reflects a genuine business requirement

A role should not be redesigned artificially simply to bring it within an occupation that appears easier to sponsor.

The Home Office can examine whether the sponsored role is genuine and whether the worker is actually undertaking the employment described in the sponsorship records.

2. Occupation codes

Sponsored roles are classified using occupation codes.

Selecting the correct occupation code is important because the code can determine whether the role is eligible for sponsorship and which salary requirements apply.

Employers should identify the code that most accurately reflects the work the employee will actually perform.

Relevant factors can include:

• the job description
• principal duties
• seniority
• required skills and experience
• responsibilities
• the organisation’s structure
• comparable roles within the business

The job title is relevant but is not necessarily determinative.

A generic title such as “manager”, “consultant” or “analyst” can describe substantially different occupations depending on the actual work involved.

Using an incorrect occupation code can create problems at the visa application stage and during subsequent sponsor compliance activity.

The employer should therefore be able to explain why the selected code accurately represents the role.

3. Salary requirements and going rates

Salary is a central part of sponsored worker eligibility.

The amount that needs to be paid depends on the immigration route, occupation and worker’s circumstances.

For Skilled Worker sponsorship, employers may need to consider both a general salary requirement and the relevant going rate for the occupation. Under the standard post-22 July 2025 Skilled Worker option, the usual general threshold is £41,700, but lower thresholds can apply under specified salary options and transitional arrangements.

The salary assessment should therefore be completed for the individual sponsorship rather than by applying a single headline figure across every sponsored role.

Employers may need to establish:

• the applicable general salary threshold
• the going rate for the occupation
• the worker’s contracted weekly hours
• whether the going rate needs to be adjusted
• whether the worker qualifies under a permitted salary provision
• which elements of remuneration can be counted
• whether the proposed working pattern affects the calculation

Only remuneration permitted under the Immigration Rules should be relied on when assessing eligibility.

Benefits that form part of an employee’s wider remuneration package do not necessarily count towards the immigration salary requirement.

4. Why salary calculations require care

Salary errors can arise even where the employer is paying what appears to be a sufficiently high annual salary.

The immigration calculation may be affected by factors such as working hours, the occupation-specific going rate and the basis on which the worker qualifies.

Problems can also arise where the salary recorded on the Certificate of Sponsorship differs from:

• the employment contract
• payroll records
• the worker’s actual pay
• information provided in the visa application
• the working hours recorded elsewhere

The immigration and employment documentation should therefore be checked for consistency before sponsorship proceeds.

Employers should also consider the immigration implications before reducing a sponsored worker’s salary or changing their hours after employment has started.

5. Genuine vacancies

Sponsored employment must reflect a genuine role.

The Home Office can examine whether a vacancy exists and whether the role has been created or structured primarily to facilitate an immigration application.

Questions may arise where, for example:

• the role appears inconsistent with the sponsor’s business
• the duties do not correspond with the occupation code
• the level of seniority appears implausible
• the organisation cannot explain why the position is required
• the worker is performing materially different duties from those stated
• the role appears to have been exaggerated to satisfy sponsorship requirements

Employers should therefore be able to explain the commercial basis for the role and show how it fits within the organisation.

A genuine vacancy does not mean that the employer has to prove that no resident worker could perform the job. Rather, the sponsored employment itself must be real and satisfy the requirements of the immigration route.

6. What is a Certificate of Sponsorship?

A Certificate of Sponsorship, commonly referred to as a CoS, is an electronic sponsorship record assigned by a licensed sponsor to a worker.

Despite its name, it is not normally a physical certificate.

The CoS contains information about the worker and proposed employment, which can include:

• the sponsoring organisation
• immigration route
• occupation code
• job title
• duties
• salary
• working hours
• work location
• proposed employment dates

Once assigned, the worker receives a Certificate of Sponsorship reference number for use in their immigration application.

The information entered on the CoS should be accurate at the point of assignment.

Errors should not simply be ignored on the assumption that they can be explained later. Depending on the nature of the issue, corrective action may be needed before the visa application proceeds.

7. Defined and Undefined Certificates of Sponsorship

Under the Skilled Worker sponsorship system, employers may need either a Defined or Undefined Certificate of Sponsorship depending on the circumstances of the application.

Broadly, Defined Certificates of Sponsorship are used for qualifying Skilled Worker applications made from outside the UK.

Undefined Certificates of Sponsorship are generally used for eligible applications made from within the UK and for other sponsorship circumstances covered by the sponsor’s annual allocation.

The employer needs to use the correct type of CoS.

A Defined CoS normally has to be requested through the Sponsor Management System before it can be assigned. The request requires information about the proposed role and sponsorship.

Undefined CoS are generally managed through the sponsor’s allocation.

Employers recruiting regularly should monitor their CoS position rather than waiting until an urgent recruitment case arises.

8. CoS allocation and planning

Sponsors can require access to an allocation of Undefined Certificates of Sponsorship to support relevant recruitment.

The organisation should consider likely sponsorship demand and ensure that its allocation planning reflects anticipated recruitment.

If insufficient CoS are available when a worker needs to be sponsored, the employer may need to request an additional allocation.

This can affect recruitment timescales.

CoS planning is particularly relevant to employers with:

• regular international recruitment
• seasonal recruitment peaks
• graduate recruitment programmes
• significant workforce growth
• multiple business units using the same sponsor licence
• frequent extensions or changes involving sponsored workers

Responsibility for monitoring CoS availability should be clearly allocated within the sponsor’s immigration governance arrangements.

9. Assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship

A CoS should only be assigned once the employer is satisfied that the sponsorship is appropriate and the information being entered is accurate.

Before assignment, the sponsor should normally have established:

• the correct immigration route
• the correct CoS type
• the correct occupation code
• eligibility of the role
• applicable salary requirements
• the worker’s proposed salary and hours
• the proposed work location
• relevant employment dates
• the worker’s eligibility for the sponsorship being offered

The sponsor should also ensure that the person assigning the CoS has the necessary authority and understands the significance of the information being submitted.

Assigning a CoS is a formal sponsorship action carried out under the sponsor licence. It should not be treated as routine data entry.

10. Does a Certificate of Sponsorship guarantee a visa?

No.

A Certificate of Sponsorship confirms that the employer is sponsoring the worker for the employment described. It does not amount to immigration permission and does not guarantee that the Home Office will approve the worker’s application.

The worker still has to make a valid application and satisfy the requirements applying to the immigration route.

Depending on the route and circumstances, these can include requirements relating to:

• sponsorship
• the job
• salary
• English language
• financial maintenance
• immigration history
• identity
• suitability
• other route-specific criteria

The Home Office can refuse an application even where a CoS has been assigned.

Employers should therefore avoid treating CoS assignment as confirmation that the candidate can start employment.

11. From sponsorship to the visa application

Once the correct CoS has been assigned, the worker can generally use the sponsorship reference to make the relevant immigration application.

The employer and worker should ensure that the information used across the application is consistent.

Particular attention should be paid to:

• employer details
• job title
• occupation code
• salary
• working hours
• work location
• employment dates
• sponsorship information

Where the Home Office identifies inconsistencies, it may request further information or examine whether the application satisfies the route requirements.

Employers should also remain available during the application process in case the Home Office contacts the sponsor about the proposed employment.

12. Sponsorship continues after the visa is granted

The employer’s sponsorship responsibilities do not end when the worker receives their visa.

Once employment begins, the sponsor may have continuing duties relating to the worker and the sponsored role.

These can include:

• retaining required records
• monitoring relevant information
• reporting specified changes
• maintaining accurate contact details
• reporting certain absences or changes in employment
• ensuring the worker continues to undertake the sponsored role
• responding appropriately when employment ends

Changes that appear routine from an HR perspective can have immigration consequences.

A promotion, change in duties, reduction in salary, change of work location or restructuring of the employing entity may require immigration consideration before the change is implemented.

Sponsorship should therefore be viewed as an ongoing employer responsibility rather than a one-off step used to obtain the worker’s visa.

 
 
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