We sincerely appreciate Natalie Payne and Jessica Harwood's help with our "Spouse" family visa application. This is not the first time Natalie has offered her experience with a track record of success; with Natalie Payne's help from Ward Hadaway, we were able to complete a spouse visa application successfully in 2021 despite its complexity and a subsequent successful extension in 2023. While we were pressuring her for submission, some of her email responses on the advice were sent late at night and on the weekends. She has been quite professional and timely in examining and offering her conclusions and recommendations. We are grateful for all of her insightful immigration counsel and her diligent work on each of our visa applications.
Ward Hadaway is also highly well-liked by my peers and the community when it comes to getting successful sponsorship licenses for their limited company or exceptional talent visa.
Our specialist immigration lawyers offer a full sponsorship management service, acting as registered legal representatives and Level 1 Users, as well as providing compliance audits and training for ongoing licence management and duties.
What is a sponsor licence?
One immigration process that we regularly manage for clients is the sponsor licence application process.
A sponsor licence is required in order for employers to recruit individuals from outside the UK who do not otherwise have the right to work in the UK.
Employers can obtain a sponsor licence to sponsor a Skilled Worker to be a UK based employee or to transfer workers to the UK for a short term contract under the Global Business Mobility routes. Sponsor licences are also needed to sponsor workers temporarily under a Temporary Worker licence.
An employer with a valid sponsor licence agrees to sponsor an individual that is working for them and will have strict compliance conditions that they must adhere to whilst they remain a registered sponsor.
Who do I need a sponsor licence for?
An employer must have a sponsor licence to sponsor any individual who is not a “settled worker” or who does not otherwise have the appropriate immigration permission to work in the UK.
A settled worker is a person who is:
- A British citizen
- A person with pre-settled status or settled status granted under the EU Settlement Scheme
- A British overseas territories citizen (except for those from sovereign base areas in Cyprus)
- A Commonwealth citizen with a UK Ancestry route visa or with the right of abode in the UK
- Anyone who has indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK or is otherwise settled within the meaning of section 33(2A) of the Immigration Act 1971)
- An Irish citizen
An individual will have appropriate immigration permission which allows them to work in the UK if they have:
- Permission as the partner of a British citizen or a settled person
- Permission as a dependent of someone who is in the UK with a valid visa
- Permission under a student visa and their conditions of stay permit them to work for a certain number of hours per week during term-time
This list is not exhaustive. If you are unsure whether an individual has appropriate immigration permission to work for you in the UK, please contact us to discuss this further.
Anyone who does not fall into one of the above categories will require a visa to live and work in the UK.
How do I apply for a sponsor licence?
To become a registered sponsor, you must complete a detailed and extensive online application process, provide supporting documents and a covering letter, all of which must satisfy UK Visa’s and Immigration’s (UKVI) exact criteria.
When assessing your suitability to become a sponsor, UKVI will consider:
- Whether you are a genuine business operating lawfully in the UK
- Whether you are honest, dependable and reliable (UKVI will look at the business’ background as well as key personnel who will be involved in managing your licence)
- Whether you are capable of carrying out your sponsor duties
- Whether you are able to offer genuine employment that meets the required skill level and any applicable salary requirements.
For further information on how you apply for a sponsor licence, visit our Visa Guidelines Hub here.
How can we help?
With our extensive experience and specialist immigration skill set, our team of highly qualified solicitors has a 100% success rate with sponsor licence applications and can provide a range of services to assist businesses with the process. Further details can be found on our Visa Guidelines Hub or alternatively, please contact one our immigration lawyers to discuss further.
Free visa guidelines resource
We have recently launched a dedicated visa guidelines hub which is full of clear, useful guidance to help those wishing to live, work and recruit into the UK navigate the complex legal territory that is immigration law.
Applying for a visa is a complex process. On this dedicated website, our immigration experts have cut through the mountains of regulation. We present clear answers to the frequently asked questions of those who want to move to the UK to work or study, and of businesses wishing to recruit individuals from overseas.
Pricing
For details in relation to certain immigration applications, please click here.