Everything You Need To Know About Employer Sponsorship Licence

Most businesses often prosper with a diverse workforce and access to international talent. That said, many companies and employers try to employ foreign workers in their teams in an attempt to fill skills gaps, expand to new markets, and share knowledge. But how does this work?

You’d need an employer sponsorship licence to hire skilled workers overseas. Generally, sponsor licences are classified under the Temporary Worker Licence and Worker Licence categories. The job type that your organization or company is hiring for will help determine what kind of sponsor licence you’ll be needing to apply for as an employer.

For this, the organizations will need to comply with several obligations and duties as the employer of an overseas worker before and during the process of employment. You will have to decide the company members who will be representing the company; granted, these representatives should at least be senior or executive company members and not mere shareholders. 

Moreover, the application process also involves requiring proof of your company’s legitimacy that needs the use of foreign talent. This article will delve deeper into everything you need to know about an employer sponsorship licence, eligibility requirements, and other essential information about the application process.

Eligibility Requirements

The first thing you’d need to consider before applying for a sponsor licence is if your business is eligible for one. UK employers typically need to accomplish an application for a sponsorship licence if they want to hire foreign talent into their team. 

To be qualified for an employer sponsor licence, you should:

• Have no history of neglecting sponsorship duties
• Not possess any unspent criminal convictions for crimes or immigration offenses

The application process for sponsor licences can be quite complex and usually needs employers to fill in detailed information regarding their organizations. The new immigration system in the UK no longer mandates sponsors to perform a Resident Labour Market Test; however, the Home Market would still expect employers to turn inadequate evidence to prove their company’s need for overseas talent.

That said, employers can accomplish a sponsor licence application to sponsor temporary workers or regular workers. It’s worth noting that the licence which you will need largely depends on the job description that the employee will be assigned to. 

Once your application for a sponsorship licence has been accepted, the employer should then provide each overseas worker with a Certificate of Sponsorship. Beyond this, your organization is duly obliged to fulfill a slew of responsibilities and duties as the employer of a foreign worker. 

Types of Sponsorship Licence

1. Temporary Worker Sponsor Licence

The Temporary UK work Visa is for skilled workers who will only be employed under your organization temporarily. Moreover, it’s divided into several subcategories, including:

• Religious worker – Eligible for up to 2 years
• Creative Worker – Eligible for up to 2 years
• Charity Worker – Eligible for one year
• International Sportsperson – Sportspersons are eligible for one year, while artists or entertainers can be employed for up to two years
• International agreement employee – Eligible for when work is carried out, which is under international law
• Government-Authorized Exchange

2. Worker Sponsor Licence

On the other hand, a Skilled Worker Visa is designated for qualified, long-term skilled employees who possess the right to work in the company for at least three to five years. It also includes subcategories such as:

• Intra-company transfer visa
• Sportsperson visa
• Minister of Religion Visa – Employees are eligible to work for three years under this category.

Required Documents for Application

You will need to send sufficient supporting documents in order to argue your case. Most often require at least four supporting documents. Additionally, the specific documents are also different depending on the vacancy you’re looking to fill and the nature of your company. 

For instance, if you’re accomplishing a sponsorship licence application for a Temporary Worker (i.e. Creative Worker Visa) or Skilled Worker Visa, you will need to enclose a document that highlights the endorsement from the sport’s governing body.

All the needed documentation must be sent within at least five business days of your online application and must be in its original form. The Home Office might, however, still accept certain certified documents.

Sponsor’s Responsibilities 

As a sponsor of an overseas worker, you’ll need to fulfill many responsibilities prior the employment and during its course. 

As the employer of a foreign worker, you should:

• Notify the UKVI if the employee is not adhering to the Visa’s terms and conditions.
• Only provide Certificates of Sponsorship to employees when the work is appropriate for sponsorship.
• Make sure that your overseas employees possess the necessary qualifications and skills for the job, alongside sufficient documents to prove this.

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