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Which employees do I need a sponsor licence for?

An employer must have a sponsor licence to sponsor anyone who is not a “settled worker”.

Generally speaking, a settled worker is a person who is:

a British citizen
an EEA national or Swiss national who arrived in the UK before 11 pm on 31 December 2020 (and their eligible family members), provided they apply for status under the EU Settlement Scheme by 30 June 2021 and that application is granted
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

Anyone who does not fall into the above category will require a visa to live and work in the UK.

Read more about this and other questions in our

Sponsor licences section.

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Disclaimer

Given the fast pace of change, we would stress that this information is designed to be informative, not advisory and represents our understanding of English law and practice as at the date indicated. We would always recommend that you should seek specific guidance on any particular legal issue.

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