If you employ people from outside of the UK, chances are, these team members help ensure your business is successful. But in order to continue working with them, you need to hold an updated Sponsor Licence. Don't have the time or expertise to renew it yourself? It’s doesn’t have to feel difficult. That's what our expert immigration lawyers are here for. We'll provide detailed Sponsor Licence renewal guidance, so you can feel confident in securing the future of your whole team - including your non-UK employees.
At A Y & J Solicitors in London, we’ve helped many clients through the Sponsor Licence renewal process. We understand the importance of keeping your non-UK workers on your team and are here to ensure you submit a mistake-free application. We'll be there from start to finish, so you can rest easy knowing your licence will be renewed.
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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, Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), Spouse Visas, nationality 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.
Had notification of a sponsor licence visit from the Home Office? How A Y & J Solicitors can help.
Had notification of a sponsor licence visit from the Home Office? What to do next.
Everything you need to know about your sponsor licence application in one place.
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:
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"Very helpful and efficient team, the fees are a significant investment but I couldn't have done the process without them. I recommend allowing 2-3 months for applications to avoid extra fees, but I was on a very tight timeline and the team was able to wrap up everything very quickly. Really grateful for all their hard work."
"I have used A Y & J Solicitors twice now to deal with spouse visa applications. They are highly professional and each time got excellent service. Recently, Nagina Hanif helped out with our application and she was very thorough and diligent in getting all the paperwork done and kept us posted through out the process. I know A Y & J solicitors fees might be bit on the higher end when compared to others, but I think this represents the quality of service you get in return. Before signing on A Y & J solicitors, I looked at few other options few years ago but our first application, when it came to renewal time I simply went with them as I knew they were highly reliable. I would highly recommend them!"
"Fabulous assistance from start to finish. They really made my visa application a smooth experience."
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The Sponsor Licence renewal application must be submitted on the Sponsor Management System (SMS) by a Level 1 user. This can be done three months before the expiry date of the licence. The Sponsor Guidance states that the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) will write to sponsors 120 calendar days prior to the expiry date to remind them of the need to renew, and again at 30 calendar-day intervals up to the last month, and finally two weeks before the expiry date.
Often UKVI carries out a compliance visit when considering a Sponsor Licence renewal application. This visit can be announced or unannounced. A Home Office compliance officer can request a variety of information to verify that the company has been maintaining all compliance, record-keeping, and reporting duties. It is critical that your company is adequately prepared for this type of inspection visit when preparing for an application to renew your Sponsor Licence.
As experienced immigration lawyers, our team will work with you prior to renewing your Sponsor Licence to ensure all your HR policies and procedures are up-to-date and compliant and you are fully prepared for a compliance visit.
The most common reasons for UKVI to refuse a Sponsor Licence renewal application are that the employer has:
It’s important to note that these reasons frequently result in the downgrading, suspension, or revocation of a Sponsor Licence in addition to the renewal refusal. This can lead to fines, civil penalties, and, at worst, criminal charges. Sponsor Licence holders must ensure that they are always compliant with Home Office rules and regulations. Our lawyers will help you achieve compliance, so you can concentrate on meeting the commercial needs of your business.
A Y & J Solicitors provide expert legal advice, so you can achieve the best possible outcome on your Sponsor Licence renewal application (without disrupting your business activities). Our expert team will handle all aspects of the application, including providing:
Want to ensure you’re meeting all Sponsor Licence holder requirements now? Take a look at our Sponsor Licence Audit for hotel, retail, and e-commerce businesses.
Our lawyers have been working with UK businesses for years, ensuring their Sponsor Licence renewals are processed swiftly. By taking the time to get to know your business and working with your team over the four years of your initial licence, you can be confident that there will be no delays in your receiving your renewal.
The Sponsor Licence renewal fee depends on your specific type of licence.
| Type of licence | Fee for small or charitable sponsors | Fee for medium or large sponsors |
| Worker | £536 | £1,476 |
| Temporary Worker | £536 | £536 |
| Worker and Temporary Worker | £536 | £1,476 |
| Add a Worker Licence to an existing Temporary Worker Licence | No fee | £940 |
| Add a Temporary Worker Licence to an existing Worker Licence | No fee | No fee |
You will usually receive notification of a Sponsor Licence renewal within a few weeks of submitting your application through the SMS.
Yes. The Worker Sponsor Licence was previously named the Tier 2 Sponsor Licence.
You might have to pay an additional charge for each foreign worker you employ. This is called the ‘Immigration Skills Charge’. You must pay this if these foreign workers are applying for a visa to work in the UK for six months or more under either a:
The cost for medium and large businesses is £1,000 per year, per sponsored employee. Smaller organisations and charities must pay £364 per year per sponsored employee.
In most cases, you will get a partial refund on the Immigration Skills Charge if the sponsored employee has their visa application refused or withdrawn, or they go to work for another employer.
The Home Office, might, as part of a sponsor licence renewal, ask who paid the ISC. If it is discovered that this cost was either paid by the sponsored worker (up-front or later) the renewal may be refused and action may be taken against the sponsor for the breach of compliance duties.
Yes, many organisations rely on us to act as their key contact and Level 1 user. This allows them to relax, knowing that once they have informed us of the relevant changes to the organisation’s or migrant’s circumstances, their SMS will be always kept up-to-date, and they will always comply with any changes to Sponsor Licence rules and regulations.
You will need to have at least one member of staff appointed as a Level 1 user, and you must ensure they are fully trained and kept up-to-date with any immigration law changes. Our team can assist you with this.
At A Y & J Solicitors, our team has an in-depth understanding of Sponsor Licence renewal requirements and achieves an incredibly high success rate for our clients. In each case, we provide clients with excellent customer service and a transparent fee structure with no hidden charges or extra costs. We offer caring service throughout the entire process, from your initial consultation until your indefinite leave to remain decision.
We can accommodate our clients in a variety of ways, including in-house consultations at our central London office or online/telephone/Skype meetings. Our lawyers also know a handful of international languages, including Hindi & Gujarati, Romanian, Albanian and Italian.
