Sponsor Licence Solicitors — Fixed Fee From £1,500
A sponsor licence is not a certificate. It is an ongoing compliance obligation. Get it wrong and the Home Office can suspend it — sometimes with little or no notice.
Quick answer: A sponsor licence is the permission your business needs to hire overseas workers legally. Without one, a business cannot assign the Certificate of Sponsorship that every Skilled Worker visa applicant needs.
UKVI does not suspend licences because they dislike your business. They suspend them because a box was not ticked, a report was not filed, or a record was not kept. A missed Sponsor Management System duty, a late address update, or a CoS assigned to the wrong role can trigger suspension proceedings that put your sponsored workforce and future recruitment at immediate risk.
The form asks the questions. The evidence gives the answer. A compliance visit is not an inspection of your business. It is a test of your paperwork.
KQ Solicitors helps businesses in Luton and across the UK obtain sponsor licences, build the compliance infrastructure to keep them, and defend them when the Home Office challenges them.
What is a Sponsor Licence?
A sponsor licence is the legal authority granted by UKVI that allows a UK business to sponsor overseas nationals for work in the UK. It is required before any Certificate of Sponsorship can be assigned — and without a CoS, a Skilled Worker visa application cannot be made.
Licences are held at A-rating or B-rating. An A-rating gives the sponsor full active sponsor status with their full annual CoS allocation. A B-rating is a downgraded status assigned where compliance concerns exist — the business is placed on an action plan with a restricted CoS allocation and a fixed deadline to restore A-rating.
The licence covers specific routes — Skilled Worker, Senior or Specialist Worker under Global Business Mobility, Temporary Worker, and others. A business that needs to sponsor workers on multiple routes must ensure the licence covers each one.
Knowledge Hub note: A full sponsor duties checklist, Appendix A documents guide, CoS allocation guide, and compliance visit guide can be published separately. This page is the service page for businesses ready to act.
Who can apply for a sponsor licence?
Your business must be a genuine trading entity registered and operating in the UK, have a genuine vacancy that meets the Skilled Worker route requirements, have no recent history of immigration non-compliance or relevant criminal convictions, and be able to demonstrate HR systems capable of meeting sponsor duties.
Key roles required before application
- Authorising Officer — a senior, settled person in the business responsible for the licence.
- Key Contact — the main point of contact with UKVI.
- Level 1 User — the person who operates the Sponsorship Management System day to day.
Caseworker insight: UKVI conducts pre-licence checks on the Authorising Officer and directors. County Court Judgements, disqualified director status, previous immigration non-compliance, and HMRC registration issues are all checked.
We can help if...
- Your business is ready to hire international workers and needs a sponsor licence in place before making an offer.
- You want the application prepared correctly the first time — a refusal goes on your business record and makes a second application harder.
- You need a full compliance setup alongside the licence — HR policies, record-keeping systems, and SMS training.
- Your licence has been suspended and you have received a notice from UKVI requiring a response within a fixed deadline.
- Your A-rating has been downgraded to B-rating and you need to restore it before your action plan deadline expires.
- You want a mock compliance audit before a Home Office visit.
- Your licence was revoked and you need advice on whether reapplication is possible.
- You are a fast-growing business and need priority processing to hire quickly.
Need a sponsor licence or compliance support?
We will assess your eligibility, identify any risk areas, and tell you what the application involves before you commit to anything.
Key requirements — what UKVI assesses
Genuineness of the business
UKVI does not grant licences to shell companies, newly incorporated entities with no trading history, or businesses that cannot demonstrate a genuine need to sponsor overseas workers. If your business was incorporated recently, has no UK employees, or operates from a residential address, the application needs careful structuring and explanation.
Caseworker insight: UKVI officers can conduct unannounced pre-licence visits where the genuineness of operations is in doubt. A visit request is not an automatic refusal, but it means UKVI needs more than paperwork.
The vacancy
The role must genuinely exist and be eligible under the current Skilled Worker occupation code rules. For most Skilled Worker roles, the worker must usually be paid at least £41,700 per year or the going rate for the occupation code, whichever is higher. Lower rates apply in limited circumstances.
HR systems
UKVI requires businesses to demonstrate they have the systems in place to meet sponsor duties before the licence is granted. This includes right to work check procedures, absence monitoring, record-keeping for sponsored workers, and Sponsor Management System access and training.
Ongoing compliance
Once granted, a sponsor licence carries duties that never stop. Reporting duties include notifying UKVI when a sponsored worker does not attend on their first day, is absent for ten or more days without authorisation, changes their role or salary, or leaves employment. Missing any of these can trigger a compliance visit and potentially suspension proceedings.
Sponsor Licence Fees — Updated April 2026
KQ Solicitors fixed fees
| Service | KQ Fee |
|---|---|
| Sponsor Licence Application — standard | £1,500 |
| Sponsor Licence Application — priority preparation | £2,000 |
| Sponsor Licence Application + Full Compliance Setup | £3,000 |
| Sponsor Licence Ongoing Compliance Review / SMS Support | £1,250 |
| Compliance Audit / Mock Home Office Visit | £1,500 |
| Sponsor Licence Suspension Representations | £2,500 |
Home Office application fees — from 8 April 2026
| Business size | Worker sponsor licence fee |
|---|---|
| Small or charitable sponsors | £611 |
| Medium or large sponsors | £1,682 |
A small sponsor usually means your business meets at least two of these three conditions: annual turnover of £15 million or less, total assets of £7.5 million or less, and 50 employees or fewer.
Certificate of Sponsorship and Immigration Skills Charge
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Skilled Worker Certificate of Sponsorship | £525 per worker |
| ISC — small or charitable sponsor | £480 first 12 months, then £240 per additional 6 months |
| ISC — medium or large sponsor | £1,320 first 12 months, then £660 per additional 6 months |
| Priority processing | +£750 |
Cost warning: A medium or large business sponsoring five Skilled Workers for three years pays £19,800 in Immigration Skills Charge alone — before visa fees or legal costs. Plan this before any hiring decision is made.
What Our Sponsor Licence Service Includes
Standard application — £1,500
- Initial assessment of your business eligibility and risk areas.
- Identification of Authorising Officer, Key Contact, and Level 1 User.
- Preparation of the full online sponsor licence application.
- Document checklist and review of supporting evidence.
- Submission and follow-up until a decision is received.
Application + Full Compliance Setup — £3,000
- Everything in the standard application.
- HR policy templates for right to work checks, absence monitoring, and record-keeping.
- Sponsor Management System training for your Level 1 User.
- CoS assignment guidance and internal process documentation.
- A compliance framework your business can operate independently from day one.
Suspension Representations — £2,500
- Review of the suspension notice and grounds cited.
- Preparation of written representations to UKVI within the response deadline.
- Evidence gathering and case construction.
- Submission and follow-up.
How We Work — Your Process With KQ Solicitors
- Free consultation — you explain your business and hiring needs, and we assess eligibility.
- Eligibility and risk assessment — we check Authorising Officer eligibility, business genuineness, vacancy requirements, and compliance concerns.
- Document checklist — you receive a precise list of what is needed.
- Application preparation — we prepare the application, draft supporting explanations, and review all documents.
- Submission and follow-up — we submit the application and handle UKVI queries.
- Post-grant setup — where instructed, we deliver HR templates, SMS training, and ongoing duty guidance.
Processing Times — 2026
| Service | Target Time |
|---|---|
| Standard application | Approximately 8 weeks |
| Priority processing | Approximately 10 working days (+£750 Home Office fee) |
Priority processing is worth considering where a hire is time-sensitive. Standard processing can run longer during peak periods. Where UKVI requests a pre-licence compliance visit, processing is paused until the visit is completed and assessed.
Common Mistakes That Cost Businesses Their Sponsor Licence
| Mistake | Why it causes problems | How we help |
|---|---|---|
| Authorising Officer not senior or settled | UKVI rejects the application or suspends after grant. | We identify the correct person before application. |
| No genuine vacancy or ineligible occupation code | Application refused and refusal on record makes reapplication harder. | We assess the vacancy and occupation code before submission. |
| Right to work checks not completed before start date | Compliance visit trigger and suspension ground. | We provide right to work procedures as part of compliance setup. |
| Worker absence not reported | Reporting failure and suspension risk. | We provide SMS training and reporting timetables. |
| CoS assigned to a role that does not match the licence | CoS misuse, suspension and potential worker visa curtailment. | We review CoS eligibility before assignment. |
| Defined or undefined CoS assigned incorrectly | Invalid CoS, worker visa refusal and potential compliance finding. | We confirm the correct CoS type before every assignment. |
When Should You Speak to a Solicitor?
Not every sponsor licence application needs a solicitor. If your business has a clear trading history, a straightforward vacancy, clean compliance records for all directors, and a settled senior employee available to act as Authorising Officer, a carefully self-prepared application is possible.
Speak to us before applying if your business was incorporated recently, any director has a County Court Judgement or previous immigration breach, the business operates from a residential address, you have received a pre-licence visit request, your licence has been suspended, your rating has been downgraded, or your licence was revoked.
Suspension warning: During suspension, no new Certificates of Sponsorship can be assigned. A suspension that is not successfully defended can lead to revocation. Existing sponsored workers may then have their visas curtailed, typically leaving limited time to find a new sponsor, switch routes, or leave the UK.
When This Service May Not Be Right for You
If your business is clearly eligible — established trading history, straightforward vacancy, clean director records, settled Authorising Officer — you may be able to complete the application without legal representation. GOV.UK guidance and the sponsor licence application form are detailed enough for straightforward cases.
We would rather tell you that than charge you for work you do not need. If after your free consultation we think you can handle it yourself, we will tell you.
Ready to apply? Talk to KQ Solicitors
A sponsor licence is not a formality. It is an ongoing relationship with the Home Office that carries duties, audit risk, and real consequences for your sponsored workforce if it goes wrong.
From £1,500 fixed fee. Eligibility assessment, application preparation, document review, and submission. Compliance setup available from £3,000. No hidden costs. No hourly billing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Home Office application fee from 8 April 2026 is £611 for small or charitable sponsors and £1,682 for medium or large sponsors. KQ Solicitors charges £1,500 for a standard application and £3,000 for application plus full compliance setup. Priority processing costs an additional £750.
Standard processing is approximately 8 weeks. Priority processing targets approximately 10 working days. Where UKVI requests a pre-licence visit, processing is paused until the visit is completed.
An A-rating means your business has full active sponsor status with its full annual CoS allocation. A B-rating is a downgraded status imposed where compliance concerns exist — it restricts CoS allocation and places the business on an action plan with a fixed deadline to restore A-rating.
You have a fixed period to submit written representations. During suspension you cannot assign new Certificates of Sponsorship. If the suspension is not successfully defended, the licence is revoked and existing sponsored workers typically receive limited time to find alternative immigration status. We advise on representations immediately on instruction.
Yes, in most cases — but a cooling-off period usually applies and the revocation is recorded publicly. Reapplication requires demonstrating that the failures leading to revocation have been genuinely resolved. We advise on realistic prospects before any fees are committed.
Not always. If your business is clearly eligible and your vacancy is straightforward, you can self-prepare. If your business is newly incorporated, any director has a compliance history concern, or you have received any UKVI correspondence about your licence, legal advice before submission is significantly cheaper than defending a refusal.
The Immigration Skills Charge is a levy paid when assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship. For medium and large sponsors it is £1,320 for the first 12 months and £660 for each additional 6 months per worker. For small or charitable sponsors it is £480 and £240 respectively.
Yes. We review the suspension notice, prepare written representations, gather supporting evidence, and submit within the response deadline. Our fixed fee for suspension representations is £2,500.
Fees, rules, and guidance can change. Always check the current GOV.UK position before submitting.