The Checklist

1. 1

   Confirm your organisation's eligibility

   Check that your business is operating lawfully in the UK and has a genuine vacancy or business need for sponsorship. The Home Office expects the role to be genuine and not created primarily to facilitate immigration. This means the vacancy must match your business activities, be advertised through the proper channels where required, and be fillable by a suitably skilled worker. You should be ready to explain how the role supports your current operations or growth plans.

2. 2

   Gather your organisational documents

   Prepare your certificate of incorporation, latest accounts or VAT registration, and evidence of your registered office or trading address. Acceptable evidence typically includes your certificate of incorporation, latest annual accounts, VAT registration certificate and a recent bank statement or lease in the organisation's name. Accounts should usually cover the most recent financial year and reflect the current scale of the business. Newly incorporated businesses that do not yet have filed accounts may need to provide alternative evidence such as a business bank account, funding confirmation or a detailed business plan.

3. 3

   Appoint your key personnel

   Identify your Authorising Officer, Key Contact and Level 1 User, who must each meet the Home Office's suitability requirements. The Authorising Officer, Key Contact and Level 1 User must be based in the UK and of good character. They cannot have certain unspent criminal convictions, serious immigration breaches or a history of failing to comply with sponsor duties. These roles can sometimes be filled by the same person, but each must be genuinely engaged in the management of sponsorship activities.

4. 4

   Prepare evidence of trading or premises

   Depending on your business type, gather bank statements, lease agreements, or evidence of trading activity covering the required period. Established businesses may provide recent filed accounts, bank statements and premises leases, while newer businesses can supply evidence of contracts, invoices or funding. The Home Office uses this evidence to confirm that the organisation is actively trading and has a real operational presence in the UK. Premises evidence should match the registered office or principal place of business stated in the application.

5. 5

   Complete the SMS registration

   Set up access to the Sponsorship Management System ahead of submission. The Sponsorship Management System (SMS) is the online platform used to manage the licence, assign Certificates of Sponsorship and report changes. Registering early allows your Level 1 User to become familiar with the system and ensures that access is active before the licence is granted. Delays in SMS registration can hold up the date from which you can start sponsoring workers.

6. 6

   Submit supporting HR systems evidence

   Show that you have processes in place to monitor right to work checks, absences and changes in circumstances for sponsored workers. The Home Office expects to see documented recruitment, right to work verification, attendance monitoring and reporting procedures. This includes a clear process for conducting initial right to work checks, tracking visa expiry dates, recording absences and notifying the Home Office of any changes in a sponsored worker's circumstances. These systems demonstrate that the organisation can meet its ongoing compliance duties.

7. 7

   Pay the correct licence fee

   Confirm whether your organisation qualifies as a small sponsor or medium/large sponsor, as this affects the fee payable. Sponsor size is determined by turnover, balance sheet total and average employee numbers, consistent with Companies Act thresholds for small companies. Applying under the wrong category can lead to processing delays if the Home Office asks you to pay the difference, or to complications in the application. Take care to check the current fee and size criteria at the time of submission.

Common Employer Mistakes

• Submitting outdated company documents. This can prompt the Home Office to request updated evidence, adding several weeks to the processing time.
• Failing to evidence a genuine vacancy. The Home Office may question whether the role is genuine, increasing the risk of refusal or a request for further information.
• Appointing key personnel who do not meet suitability requirements. If a nominated individual is deemed unsuitable, the application may be refused or the licence granted with restrictions on who can act.
• Incomplete HR systems for right to work monitoring. Weak systems can lead to a compliance visit or licence action once the licence is in place, as well as delays during the initial application.
• Applying under the wrong sponsor size category. Paying the incorrect fee can result in the application being held up until the correct amount is received.

Frequently Asked Questions

Visa Professionals Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) to provide immigration advice and immigration services. IAA Registration Number: F201000109. This guide provides general information only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. For advice on your specific circumstances, please contact us directly.