We all dislike processes. They are so technical and involve a lot of nitty-gritty that we would like to forget about altogether. Similarly. The application process for a sponsor licence is the same, it is even more difficult and tricky as it involves a lot of legalities. No one likes legal work except the immigration solicitors. Of course, this is their bread and butter.
Moving forward, first for those who do not exactly understand what a sponsor licence, do not worry we are here to help you with everything. A sponsor licence is a kind of permission or a pink slip from the home office for a corporation or a business that allows them to hire people from outside the UK. This allows them access to a larger talent pool and hence, a chance to create a team that will lead them to greater profits and higher success.
Now, let’s talk about the eligibility criteria for the same. Of course, if there is an application involved how can eligibility go out of the picture. Now, let’s see you are eligible to apply for a sponsor licence or not.
To be eligible for the sponsor you need to satisfy the following:
- Your organisation or company should not have had a sponsor licence revoked in the last year.
- You or your organisation should not have a criminal record.
This was about eligibility now let’s talk about the documents that you would require to apply for a sponsor licence. The documents you require are:
- VAT registration certificate
- You need to submit the rental agreement or ownership papers of your business office
- You also need to provide proof that you are registered with the HMRC as an employer
- Business Bank statement
- You should have liability insurance from an authorised insurer of about 5 million euros.
These are just the basic documents, for a more comprehensive list you can visit gov.uk or consult an immigration solicitor.
Now, further, let’s talk about the Certificate of sponsorship. As you apply for a sponsor licence, the employee you want to hire has to apply for entry clearance and visa. You will have to issue them a certificate of sponsorship as proof of job offer which they can use to make their visa application. The certificate of sponsorship still does not guarantee them the visa. They will still need to fulfil all the requirements of the visa as stipulated by the UK government.
Now, let’s talk about the application process that you need to follow when you apply for a sponsor licence.
Once you have made sure that you are eligible to apply then you can move forward to the next step and start making your application online on the government website.
The first step will ask you to register yourself on the go9vernment website by providing your name and email address and then you would have to follow the steps as mentioned. You should take help from a good immigration solicitor if possible.
Let’s talk about the duties that you would have as a sponsor licence holder. As you are hiring people from outside the UK, they become your responsibility. So, you need to do the following:
- You need to keep all records of your employee and their work
- You have to monitor and report
- Even their absences should be monitored
- If there is any change in their status in terms of employment you need to inform the Home Office.
Once you have received the sponsor licence, you will hold it for 4 years if you fulfil all your duties properly if not then your licence can be as easily revoked.
