UK Sponsor Licence Services

A sponsor licence is the authorisation that allows a UK employer to lawfully sponsor overseas workers under routes such as Skilled Worker and certain Global Business Mobility categories, this includes both non-EU nationals and EU citizens who do not have status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

No sponsor licence is required to employ a British or Irish citizen, a person with Settled or Pre-Settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, a person with Indefinite Leave to Remain, or any other individual who has permission to work in the UK under other immigration routes, such as family or partner route.

Any UK employer, regardless of size or sector or the stage of the business, may apply for a sponsor licence if it meets the relevant business eligibility and job suitability requirements for the appropriate category.

At Angelov Solicitors, we provide tailored legal support to UK businesses seeking to sponsor and employ overseas workers. Our Sponsor Licence services cover every stage of the process, from applying for a sponsor licence to ensuring ongoing immigration compliance. Whether you are scaling your team globally, launching a UK branch, or hiring skilled workers or a temporary route, our business immigration solicitors offer strategic advice and legal representation to help you remain compliant while attracting international workers.

Our Services for UK Businesses

Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence Application

The Skilled Worker licence permits UK employers to sponsor specific roles that meet the required skill level and salary thresholds. We assess your eligibility, map proposed roles to the correct occupation codes and pay rates, review key personnel and HR systems, and compile the corporate evidence needed for a complete application. We will assist with submitting your business’s online application, uploading the required documents, preparing you for any pre-licence compliance visit, and providing clear guidance on each step.

Sponsor Licence Compliance

Holding a licence brings ongoing responsibilities. Sponsors must keep accurate right‑to‑work and HR records, report specified changes within the required timescales, and ensure roles and salaries continue to meet the relevant immigration route. We provide compliance reviews to test your processes against current expectations, and help you remedy issues before they become findings in an audit. 

SMS User Training

The Sponsor Management System is the online portal a sponsor uses to manage its licence, report changes and assign Certificates of Sponsorship. Mistakes here can have serious consequences. We train Level 1 users and relevant HR or operations staff to use the SMS correctly.

Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)

A Certificate of Sponsorship is the electronic record a sponsor assigns to a candidate when sponsoring them under a relevant route. It links the individual, the job and the sponsor, and must be accurate. We help you determine whether a defined or undefined CoS is appropriate, prepare the necessary justifications and details, and coordinate timing with the candidate’s visa application. Our support aims to reduce errors that can lead to refusals or delays, and to integrate CoS management with your recruitment timelines.

Sponsor Licence Revocations & Suspensions

If the Home Office raises concerns about your licence, swift and organised action is essential. We review the allegations, assess the strength of your position, and advise on remediation and representations. Where appropriate, we prepare urgent challenges, including pre‑action protocol correspondence and applications for judicial review, working with Advocate and Barrister when needed. Our focus is to rescue your licence position and protect business continuity while longer‑term improvements are implemented.

Global Business Mobility Sponsor Licence

International companies expanding into the UK often use Global Business Mobility routes to transfer or second staff. We advise on the appropriate sub‑route, the evidential requirements for establishing a UK presence, and how these routes interact with Skilled Worker for longer‑term hiring. Our work includes structuring the UK entity for sponsor eligibility, preparing the sponsor licence application, and setting up processes to ensure compliance in the UK.