The Home Office expects every licensed sponsor to maintain accurate records, meet strict reporting deadlines and demonstrate strong internal governance. For UK employers, this means sponsorship can no longer sit in isolation within HR; it has to operate as a cross-functional system involving legal, finance and operations. With increased digital oversight and unannounced audits now routine, proactive compliance is essential for protecting both your licence and your workforce.
A sponsor licence permits an organisation to hire overseas nationals under the UK’s points-based immigration system, but with that permission comes an ongoing duty to maintain full compliance with immigration law and Home Office guidance. Employers must monitor workers, record all changes and retain evidence under Appendix D to remain in good standing.
This guide sets out practical steps to build a resilient framework that supports consistent A-rating performance, robust record-keeping and confident decision-making across the sponsored worker lifecycle. It also highlights unsponsored options that can reduce cost and pressure on your licence without compromising compliance.
Sponsored versus unsponsored work routes
Before designing your internal processes, confirm which UK work visas fall within the sponsorship regime and which do not. Sponsorship routes require a valid licence and a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). Other routes allow work without sponsorship, provided right-to-work checks are satisfied.
Work routes that require sponsorship
Most employer-led routes require a licence and an assigned CoS before the visa can be granted, including:
- Senior or Specialist Worker visa
- Graduate Trainee visa
- Secondment Worker visa
- Service Supplier visa
- UK Expansion Worker visa
- Seasonal Worker visa uk
- Government Authorised Exchange visa
- Creative Worker visa uk
- Religious Work visa uk
- Charity visa uk
- International Agreement visa
- International Sportsperson visa
- Minister of religion visa uk
- Scale up visa (sponsorship applies for the initial 6 months)
Work routes that do not require sponsorship
Some visas grant permission to work without a sponsoring employer. You can hire under these visas if right-to-work checks are satisfied:
In practice, sponsors should document how the role fits the chosen route and, where sponsorship is required, retain all evidence listed in Appendix D and the applicable guidance (including the skilled worker visa guidance or student sponsor guidance as relevant).
Operating your licence day-to-day
Effective licence operation starts with disciplined records and evidence. Use Appendix D as a live checklist covering recruitment files, right-to-work verification, absence tracking and payroll data, and aim for contemporaneous records that are inspection-ready at any time.
Competence across the organisation is just as important. Upskill managers on how to sponsor someone, making sure they understand SOC selection, salary tests and time-bound reporting, and build shared ownership across HR, legal and payroll so sponsorship is managed consistently rather than in silos.
Accuracy at the certificate stage reduces downstream risk. Teach Level 1 Users the differences between defined and undefined certificates of sponsorship, apply a maker-checker review before any CoS assignment, and reconcile monthly allocations so operational records match the SMS.
Plan ahead for structural change. A corporate transaction can alter your licence duties, and a merger will affect sponsor licence obligations, so build immigration workstreams into deal timelines and line up any new applications in parallel to protect worker status.
Governance over key personnel underpins the whole system. Screen senior roles and proactively manage sponsor licence criminal record risk, keeping clear audit trails for appointments, removals and all notifications to UKVI.
Throughout employment, treat change events as reportable checkpoints. Capture promotions, pay adjustments, location moves and long absences, and retain supporting evidence for each update, including scenarios such as a sponsored worker on long term sick leave.
Select the visa route that matches the role and duration. Long-term hires typically sit under the Skilled worker visa, while short-term or project-based engagements are covered by the Temporary Work visa uk via your temporary worker sponsor licence and sub-routes such as the Government Authorised Exchange visa and the International Agreement visa; faith-based roles should use the Minister of Religion visa, and education providers should confirm teacher visa sponsorship uk requirements before assigning a CoS.
Finally, operate as if an audit could happen today. Expect digital cross-checking against HMRC and routine unannounced visits, keep a centralised audit log of activity and communications, and ensure decision-making is evidenced so you can demonstrate full compliance on demand.
Ratings, findings and remediation
Your rating reflects compliance performance. An A-rating signals full compliance; a downgrade restricts CoS activity until issues are resolved.
Keeping an A-rating
Schedule internal audits and governance reviews tied to the A rating sponsor licence standard.
Addressing issues
If UKVI issues a UKVI action plan, assign owners, track deadlines and evidence completion.
Serious non-compliance
Where breaches are material, a sponsor licence revoked decision ends sponsored employment following curtailment. Prevention and early remediation are critical.
Lawful recruiting without sponsorship
Unsponsored routes can fill gaps, reduce cost and ease timing pressures while preserving compliance.
Graduate talent
The Graduate visa (see Appendix Graduate) enables post-study work via a Graduate visa application. Eligible dependants use the Graduate dependent visa. Track expiries to plan transitions to sponsorship or to the Global talent visa.
Global Talent
What is a Global Talent visa? Under Appendix Global Talent, many applicants need a global talent visa endorsement. Family members apply as global talent visa dependants. Note the limited global talent work restrictions; use clear contracts for exclusivity and confidentiality. Some cases undergo global talent visa peer review, and many candidates switching to the global talent visa do so from within the UK. The global talent visa success rate reflects the threshold for endorsement. For continuity, plan for global talent visa extension and eventual Global talent visa ILR, and weigh global talent vs skilled worker visa trade-offs.
BN(O) status holders
The BNO visa allows unsponsored work. Fees are set out at BNO visa fee. Settlement follows via BNO visa indefinite leave to remain. There is a BNO visa English test exemption at entry. Family apply under the BNO dependent visa. The BNO passport is not, by itself, residence permission; manage continuity with the BNO visa extension where needed.
Ancestry
The UK Ancestry visa grants open employment. See Ancestry visa guidance and the Ancestry visa application process. Plan for Ancestry visa indefinite leave to remain or a later UK Ancestry visa renewal.
Business and legacy categories
The Innovator Founder visa is now the principal entrepreneur route. The historic entrepreneur visa, investor visa/Tier 1 Investor visa and start up visa are closed. Transitional tier 1 entrepreneur visa holders follow the tier 1 entrepreneur guidance and, where eligible, a tier 1 entrepreneur extension. Turkish nationals may continue under the Turkish Businessperson visa or Turkish Worker visa via the ECAA extension. Beware the generic business visa label — confirm the underlying permission.
Specialist permissions
The Representative of an Overseas Business visa now covers media employees; the sole representative visa is closed and replaced by the Expansion Worker route under Global Business Mobility. You may also encounter the Swiss service providers visa (pre-2021 contracts) or a Frontier Worker permit. Private households can rely on the Domestic Worker visa. Some officials hold an exempt vignette.
Skilled Worker Visa: roles, pay and transitions
For sponsored hires, align every decision with Appendix Skilled Occupations, the correct SOC code and the applicable Skilled Worker going rate. Pay the higher of the going rate or the Skilled Worker visa minimum salary. Since July 2025, the shortage occupation list has been superseded by the immigration salary list and temporary shortage list, as referenced in Appendix Skilled Worker.
Points are assessed under the Skilled Worker visa points framework, including the Skilled Worker English language requirement. English can be met by nationality, an English-taught degree or an approved SELT, such as the threshold set out at minimum IELTS score for UK work visa.
Understand distinctions across sectors, such as the difference between Skilled Worker visa and Health Care visa, and where the health and care visa applies (see also health and care visa fees). Standard costs are outlined at Skilled Worker visa fees, with family considerations under the Skilled Worker dependant visa. Note also there is no distinct care worker visa for the UK.
For in-role changes, assess whether a Skilled Worker change of employment is required before the change takes effect. Manage renewals via a timely Skilled Worker visa extension and log updates through the Skilled Worker change of circumstances process in the SMS. Check each update to the Skilled Worker visa before recruiting in sensitive sectors.
Switching from other categories is routine: switch to the Skilled Worker visa, including graduate visa to Skilled Worker visa and student to Skilled Worker visa pathways, with some legacy cases covered by Tier 5 to Tier 2. Secondary work is controlled under Skilled Worker visa additional work rules and the 20 hours limit.
While new Tier 2 visa applications are closed, some individuals still hold legacy Tier 2 visa permission, including Tier 2 dependant status, with historic references such as Tier 2 to ILR requirements and Tier 2 sponsorship remaining relevant for limited cases.
Salary assurance, extensions & settlement
Salary is a live compliance test. Use the SOC codes with salary and document how the role meets the Skilled Worker going rate. Where eligible, the new entrant Skilled Worker visa permits lower thresholds initially, with uplift before a Skilled Worker visa extension.
At five years, assess eligibility for Skilled Worker visa to ILR and apply the UK ILR rules for Skilled Worker visa. For legacy cases, the Tier 2 to ILR requirements may still be relevant. Keep policy alignment through the official Skilled Worker guidance and each update Skilled Worker visa revision.
Consequences of non-compliance
Downgrades trigger remediation under a UKVI action plan; persistent or serious failures can lead to suspension or a sponsor licence revoked decision with curtailment of worker permission. Separate from sponsor-licence outcomes, illegal working exposes employers to civil penalties and reputational risk. Key personnel may be removed from roles where accountability failures are identified. Regular audits, timely reporting and transparent engagement with UKVI remain the best protection.
Takeaway for employers
Treat sponsorship as a governance discipline, not an admin task. Use the right route for the job, evidence every decision, and keep your Appendix D file inspection-ready. Balance sponsored hiring with unsponsored options like the Graduate, Global Talent, BN(O) and Ancestry routes to maintain agility. With clear ownership, consistent training and documented controls, you can protect your rating, your workforce and your growth plans, while staying aligned with today’s rules.
