A sponsor licence is what a UK employer usually needs to hire someone from outside the UK. As of October 2026 that includes EU, Icelandic, Liechtenstein, Norwegian and Swiss citizens who arrived after 31 December 2020, and it covers unpaid work too. You apply online, pay the fee yourself, and most applications are decided in less than 8 weeks.
Who needs a sponsor licence, and who doesn't
GOV.UK says you'll usually need a sponsor licence to employ someone to work for you from outside the UK. Two parts of that surprise employers. First, it includes citizens of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland who arrived in the UK after 31 December 2020. Second, it includes unpaid work, such as running a charity, so volunteers aren't automatically outside the rules.
You won't need a licence for certain groups, for example Irish citizens, people with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, and people with indefinite leave to remain in the UK. And a licence is only half the picture: sponsoring someone doesn't guarantee they'll get a visa to work for you. The worker's side, from eligibility to how long the visa lasts, is in my guide to the Skilled Worker visa.
How to get a sponsor licence in six steps
This is the order GOV.UK sets out as of October 2026.
- Check your business is eligible.
- Check the job is suitable for sponsorship.
- Choose the type of licence, which depends on the kind of worker you want to sponsor: Worker, Temporary Worker, or both.
- Decide who will manage sponsorship inside your business.
- Apply for your licence online and pay the fee.
- Be ready for a visit. UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) may come to check your business is suitable.
If you're successful you'll get a licence rating, and you can then issue certificates of sponsorship for jobs that are suitable. The licence usually stays valid for as long as you keep meeting the eligibility requirements. The exception is a licence to sponsor Scale-up Workers or UK Expansion Workers, which lasts 4 years and can't be followed by another licence for those worker types.
Sending the submission sheet and documents
Finishing the online form isn't the end of the application. You then send the submission sheet from the end of the form, plus any supporting documents you're asked for, to the email address printed on that sheet. Small mistakes here slow things down, so check each file against GOV.UK's rules:
- Files must be PDF, JPEG or PNG. Scans and photos are both fine.
- Give each file a descriptive title of 25 characters or fewer.
- Make sure every page is high enough quality to read.
- Include a certified translation for any document that isn't in English or Welsh.
- Have any affidavit or statutory declaration witnessed by a qualified, independent person, such as a solicitor, Notary Public, Justice of the Peace, Commissioner for Oaths or, in Scotland only, a Councillor.
The fee rule that can lose you the licence
The fee depends on the type of licence and the size of your organisation, with one rate for small or charitable sponsors and another for medium or large ones. You're usually a small sponsor if at least 2 of these apply: your annual turnover is under the GOV.UK limit, your total assets are under the limit, and you have 50 employees or fewer. Registered charities in any part of the UK, excepted and exempt charities and ecclesiastical corporations set up for charitable purposes count as charitable sponsors.
Now the part employers miss. You must pay the licence fee yourself. GOV.UK says your licence may be revoked if you ask the sponsored worker to pay the fee or any costs linked to your application. So don't pass it on through a contract clause or a deduction from wages, however tempting that looks.
Timings to plan around
| What | Timing as of October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Standard licence decision | Most applications in less than 8 weeks |
| Faster decision (extra charge, limited places each working day) | Within 10 working days, first come, first served |
| Reporting a significant change in your business | Within 20 working days |
| Change of circumstances request in the sponsorship management system | Up to 18 weeks, or 5 working days with the priority service |
| Scale-up or UK Expansion Worker licence | Valid for 4 years |
| Reporting an offshore worker arriving in or leaving UK waters | Up to 10 working days after the date, never before |
The duties that keep your licence safe
Getting the licence is the easy bit. Keeping it means living up to your sponsor responsibilities, and GOV.UK says the licence may be downgraded, suspended or withdrawn if you don't. You must check sponsored workers have the skills, qualifications or professional accreditations for the job and keep copies of the evidence, only assign certificates of sponsorship to suitable jobs, tell UKVI if workers aren't complying with their visa conditions, and follow UK employment law.
You also need HR systems that let you monitor each worker's immigration status, keep copies of their documents including evidence of your right to work checks, track and record attendance, keep contact details up to date, and report problems, for example if a worker stops coming to work. A spreadsheet can do this for one person. For several, HR software for small businesses with document storage and absence tracking makes the audit trail far easier to show.
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Significant changes must be reported within 20 working days, including if you stop trading or become insolvent, substantially change what the business does, or are involved in a merger or takeover. If you sponsor anyone under 18, you need suitable care arrangements for their travel, arrival and living in the UK, a letter of consent from their parents, and a Disclosure and Barring Service check on any of your workers who need one, or you'll lose your licence.
My verdict on applying for a sponsor licence
If you're hiring from abroad, start the licence before you've found the person, not after. With most decisions taking up to 8 weeks and a possible visit from UKVI, the licence is usually the slow part. Get your documents named and formatted right the first time, decide early who'll manage sponsorship, and set up the HR records before your first certificate goes out. I'd treat the duties as the real commitment here, because that's where licences are lost, long after the application is forgotten.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a sponsor licence to employ EU citizens?
Usually yes, if they arrived in the UK after 31 December 2020. You won't need one for people with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, or for Irish citizens.
How long does a sponsor licence application take?
As of October 2026, GOV.UK says most applications are dealt with in less than 8 weeks. A faster decision within 10 working days is available for an extra charge, with limited places each working day.
Can the worker pay for the sponsor licence?
No. You must pay the licence fee yourself, and your licence may be revoked if you ask the sponsored worker to pay it or any costs linked to your application.
Does a sponsor licence guarantee my worker a visa?
No. GOV.UK says sponsoring someone doesn't guarantee they'll get a visa to work for you in the UK.
How long does a sponsor licence last?
It usually stays valid for as long as you keep meeting the eligibility requirements. Licences to sponsor Scale-up Workers or UK Expansion Workers last 4 years.
