Sponsor Licence Application Fee: Employers’ Guide 2026
Section A: What is the sponsor licence application fee? Sponsorship is a valuable route to accessing global talent, but it requires upfront investment and a commitment to ongoing legal and regulatory duties. The headline sponsor licence application fee is a mandatory cost that UK employers must pay when applying for a licence to […]
SMS Level 1 User: Role & Responsibilities
Section A: What is an SMS Level 1 User? An SMS Level 1 User is an individual authorised by a sponsor licence holder to carry out operational sponsorship tasks through the Sponsor Management System (SMS). The role sits at the centre of day-to-day licence administration and is the mechanism through which most sponsor […]
UK Tier 2 Sponsor List Explained 2026
Section A: What is the Tier 2 Sponsor List? A sponsor licence is the permission needed for UK organisations to hire foreign national workers under specific visa categories, such as the Skilled Worker visa (formerly the Tier 2 Visa). The Home Office maintains the list of sponsors to identify all employers that have […]
UKVI Action Plan: 2026 Sponsor Guide
Section A: What is a UKVI Sponsor Action Plan? As a Home Office approved employer with a sponsor licence, your organisation will be placed on the national register of sponsors, and you’ll be given a licence rating. You’ll automatically get an A-rated licence if your application is approved. An A-rated licence will allow […]
Global Business Mobility Sponsor Licence | How to Apply 2026
Section A: What is the Global Business Mobility Sponsor Licence? Employers often refer to a “Global Business Mobility Sponsor Licence”, but there is no stand-alone licence under that name. The Home Office issues two main types of sponsor licence: the Worker sponsor licence and the Temporary Worker sponsor licence. Global Business Mobility (GBM) […]
UK Self Sponsorship Visa Guide 2026
Section A: What is a Self Sponsorship Visa? ‘Self Sponsorship visa’ in the UK is a general term used to describe an immigration route that allows foreign nationals to sponsor themselves to work through their own business, without needing a traditional employer to sponsor them. This is done by acquiring or setting up […]
Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence Guide 2026
Section A: What is a Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence? The Skilled Worker visa (previously known as the Tier 2 General) remains the main route for employing overseas skilled professionals under the UK’s points‑based system. A sponsor licence is required by a UK employer to sponsor non-UK resident workers under the Skilled Worker route. This […]
CoS Allocation Priority Service UK Guide
Section A: What is the CoS Allocation Priority Service The Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) allocation priority service is a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) facility that allows A-rated sponsor licence holders to obtain additional undefined CoS more quickly than through the standard process. Officially known as the Home Office priority change of circumstances […]
Self Sponsorship Visa UK Cost Guide
Section A: Planning for Self Sponsorship Visa Costs The self sponsorship visa route enables individuals to apply for a Skilled Worker visa by establishing or working within a UK company that holds a sponsor licence. Unlike traditional employer-led sponsorship, the applicant arranges for the sponsoring entity to be set up or controlled by […]
How to Sponsor Someone in the UK | 2026 Licence & Process
Section A: How to Sponsor Someone to Work in the UK Sponsoring a worker in the UK is not as simple as issuing a job offer. Employers must hold Home Office approval in the form of a sponsor licence before they can lawfully recruit most overseas nationals who do not already have permission […]