Compliance with sponsorship involves the entire range of duties that must be followed by a licensed sponsor. These involve performing and recording right-to-work checks, having proper records of sponsored employees, reporting any alterations in employment to UKVI, and following all Home Office policies. Collectively, these ensure that the organisation handles its sponsor licence in a responsible and legal manner.
At A Y & J Solicitors in London, we’ve helped thousands of clients sail through their Sponsor Licence visits stress-free. We do this by conducting bi-annual ‘mock’ audits of your HR systems. In fact, we know there's a lot at stake. If the Home Office makes an unannounced visit to your business, we want to ensure you're fully prepared. As a result, we’ll equip you with the relevant information and training to satisfy their requirements. Moreover, our immigration solicitors have decades of experience in immigration audit compliance and are here to help you meet every rule and regulation.
Step 1 - Pre-audit:
Step 2 – Audit:
Step 3 - Post-Audit:
GNL
Bad advice can lead to delays and refusals you can’t afford to risk. That’s why we assign a subject matter expert - a UK immigration associate - to manage your case throughout.
It’s frustrating when you don’t know what’s going on with your case. We guarantee a reply to all messages/emails within 24 working hours or we refund 20% of your fees.
Applying for a UK Sponsor Licence can be complex without robust HRMS, but we make it simple. Maximize compliance and efficiency with our cutting-edge HRMS. In fact, you get yours absolutely free when you hire us for your sponsor licence application. Here’s what our powerful HRMS offers:
There are dozens of rules and regulations to be followed for Sponsor Licence compliance. One of the most daunting? Home Office visits. If your business fails to be prepared, you could risk immediate suspension of your Sponsor Licence. Additionally, this would put both your employees and your business reputation at risk. And with courts often reluctant to overturn Home Office revocations where there has been a clear breach, this is a risk you can’t afford to take. As a result, our team is here to ensure you minimise the chance of breaching compliance by preparing you in the event of an immigration audit. So if a Home Office compliance officer knocks, you won’t be caught off guard.
We are specialists in immigration law and have supported more than 4,000 business owners and professionals around the globe to successfully navigate the UK system. We work quickly, always responding to any queries within 24 working hours. And we work closely with the Home Office to pre-empt issues before they jeopardise sponsorship applications or breach compliance. We manage all United Kingdom immigration matters including visa applications under the new points-based immigration system, sponsor licence applications, skilled worker visa, global mobility visa, global talent visa and more. We also handle complex cases of appeal, administrative reviews, judicial reviews and the many immigration challenges involving European Union law and human rights.
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Had notification from the Home Office?
How A Y & J Solicitors can help.
Had notification from the Home Office?
What to do next.
Download our guide on how to apply
for a sponsor licence:
With a crackdown non-compliance, there is an increase in inspections in these industries.
Calculate the cost of a
sponsor licence here:
Understand the eligibility requirements
for a sponsor licence here:
A Y & J Solicitors has more than 1,200 positive client reviews across Google and Trustpilot and is listed in The Legal top 500 best UK law firms, so you can rest assured your immigration challenges are in safe hands when you take these three simple steps:
As a multi-award-winning, SRA-regulated law firm recommended by The Legal 500 with over a decade of specialised immigration experience, we create the gold standard and benchmark in expertise, authority, and credibility to get the desired results. Moreover, this result driven approach has created an overall record of 5,000+ successful immigration and visa applications, enabling the companies and individuals to be confident that their visa process is in experienced hands committed to their success.
Our commitment to excellence is backed by the best.
We take pride in being featured and officially accredited by top business, immigration, and legal platforms. Our work continuously meets the highest criteria of trust, credibility, and results, earning us major accolades and high-level media attention. These accolades are more than just badges; they serve as evidence that clients are in capable, safe hands when they choose us.
"A professional and trustworthy company. Thank you, Imad, for your attentive, prompt handling and for providing helpful advice throughout the visa application process. I will definitely use your services again in the future."
"Great experience, they helped me get my global mobility visa, it was fast, smooth and efficient. I worked with Sunny who was very helpful and responsive, can definitely recommend them."
"I'm delighted to recommend A Y & J Solicitors for their exceptional service in my successful ILR visa application. From the start, their team showed great professionalism and expertise, clearly explaining every step. Their meticulous attention to detail ensured all my documents were perfectly prepared, reviewed and submitted, greatly reducing my stress. I would like to thank their team especially Ashu Singh and Diana Todirica for their support. Communication was excellent throughout, with prompt responses and regular updates within 24hrs. This transparency built immense trust. A Y & J Solicitors provided a professional, efficient, and supportive service that led to my visa approval. They truly are the best in the UK."
"I am incredibly grateful for the outstanding service provided by Dipannita Mazumder from A Y & J Solicitor in handling my Skilled Worker (SW) visa application. From the very beginning, they demonstrated professionalism, deep knowledge of immigration law, and a genuine commitment to my case. They guided me through every step of the application process with patience and clarity, ensuring all documentation was accurate and submitted on time. They were always available to answer my questions and provide reassurance during what can be a stressful period. Thanks to their expertise and attention to detail, my visa application was successful, and I received a positive decision without any delays or issues. I truly appreciate the time and effort they dedicated to my case and would highly recommend their services to anyone seeking reliable and effective immigration support. Thank you once again for helping me achieve this important milestone! — Nishanth Reddy Pulimamidi"
"Outstanding service! Imad was incredibly helpful and professional in guiding me through the UK visa application process. His expertise and attention to detail ensured a smooth and successful experience. Highly recommended!"
"Thank you for your dedicated support and guidance throughout my immigration matter. Your clarity, responsiveness, and expertise made a complex process much easier to navigate. Truly appreciated! Special thanks to Diana and Ikra."
Since 2020, A Y & J Solicitors has handled over hundreds of successful Sponsor Licence applications, making it a renowned leader in UK immigration law. Each case that we take is handled with meticulous professionalism by our experienced team, meeting every requirement and providing the highest possible likelihood of approval.
An audit is a senior executive who sponsors and oversees the audit process within an organisation. They obtain the required resources and executive support, and facilitate that the audit team has unrestricted access to appropriate information, and monitor the implementation of any recommendations. Their sponsorship is critical to the credibility and effectiveness of the audit process.
Think of an adequacy audit as a blueprint review: it checks whether your policies and procedures are well-constructed on paper to meet all the regulatory “must-haves.” The audit team will pore over your documented framework, spotting gaps, overlaps or weak spots in how you say you’ll operate.
After a UKVI visit, you’ll generally see one of four results. If everything checks out, the audit closes with no action, and you carry on as usual. If they find a few minor slip-ups, you’ll receive an action plan and a deadline to fix those issues. For more serious or repeat breaches, UKVI can downgrade or suspend your licence, limiting your ability to sponsor new workers. In the most severe cases—when non-compliance is significant or persistent—they may move to revocation, pulling your licence altogether and preventing any future sponsorship.
To maintain full compliance, your organisation must:
Carry out robust right-to-work checks and retain evidence before any migrant worker starts employment
Keep accurate HR records for each sponsored worker (passports, contact details, attendance and leave logs)
Monitor absences and report any unauthorised absence via the SMS within 10 working days
Notify UKVI of material changes (premises, ownership, job titles, salary) promptly via the SMS
Assign CoS only to genuine skilled vacancies meeting the required skill level and salary (the RLMT was abolished with the Skilled Worker route)
Do not pass licence or application fees onto workers (cost-recoup prohibition applies from 9 April 2025)
Typical failures arise from:
Inadequate right-to-work checks or missing evidence
Poor record-keeping—outdated contact lists, incomplete attendance/leave logs
Failure to report absences via the SMS within 10 working days
Not notifying UKVI of material changes (e.g. new premises, changes in ownership, job roles, salary)
Assigning Certificates of Sponsorship to non-genuine vacancies or roles below the required skill/salary thresholds (RLMT no longer applies)
Passing licence or visa-application fees onto workers, breaching the cost-recoup rules (effective 9 April 2025)
Any organisation that holds a UK Sponsor Licence can receive an unannounced Sponsor Licence visit from a Home Office compliance officer at any time. The media often reports on hotels, retail, curry houses and care homes being visited on a regular basis, but regardless of your market sector, you should always be prepared for an unannounced visit. We can assist you with this by running bi-annual mock audits of your HR systems.
Home Office inspection visits will check that your organisation is complying fully with rules and regulations. The Home Office compliance officer will inspect your records relating to migrant workers. Make sure you can present these as quickly as possible, as it can reflect negatively if you do not appear to know the location of relevant documents. It is vital that all key personnel can demonstrate that they are familiar with internal HR procedures.
It is quite possible that a Home Office compliance officer will want to talk to your sponsored workers. This provides them with an opportunity to directly ask sponsored migrants about specific employment details such as their current salary, duties, and responsibilities.
This should not present a problem if you and your Level 1 user have entered all relevant details of the sponsored workers’ employment into the Sponsor Management System (SMS). Our immigration experts can take over Level 1 or Level 2 user roles for you, ensuring the information required is kept up-to-date, on your instruction
A Y & J Solicitors provide full support to Sponsor Licence holders seeking Home Office inspection preparation. We will conduct a Sponsor Licence compliance audit so all of your business procedures and protocols meet the strict compliance guidelines. Our document and system review services will identify any areas of concern and provide clear solutions for establishing compliance quickly.
A Y & J Solicitors takes pride in a long-standing reputation for excellent customer service. Through independent reviews and constant client recommendations, we have grown a business of expertise and trust that is widely recognised.
We are experts in providing Sponsor Licence compliance visits support and work with our clients to achieve full compliance. Our immigration law experts provide tailored services to each client and consistently exceed expectations. We are committed to helping our Sponsor Licence holder clients develop and maintain excellent systems, processes, and procedures which achieve full compliance.
With more than 5,000+ successful immigration cases behind us, A Y & J Solicitors is known for its reliable service and real results. For over ten years, we’ve supported individuals and companies through sponsor licence applications, visas, and settlement routes with care and attention to detail. While recognition from The Legal 500 matters, our real achievement is the trust our clients place in us. When you use us, you receive clear guidance, practical advice, and a team of lawyers who actually have your back.
Chief Executive Officer
The driving force behind the company, Yash has years of legal experience and an uncompromising focus on client success. His leadership is the catalyst for integrity, innovation, and results.
Head of Operations
With a keen eye for process excellence and attention to detail, Diana makes every client experience seamless, efficient, and treated with care—from initial contact to final resolution.
Chief Operating Officer
Anik combines strategic mind with operational acumen to drive scale of impact and efficiency in service delivery. His systems philosophy runs the engine smoothly.
Business Relationship Manager
Amin heads the frontlines of client interaction. He is driven by a consultative mind and profound knowledge of immigration options, matching clients with solutions that best meet their objectives.
