Our highly regarded team assists individuals and organisations in developing and implementing strategic and workable solutions to their immigration matters. We understand the pressures of managing both businesses’ and employees’ needs in navigating the Home Office’s requirements and processes.

Being able to recruit the best candidates allows organisations to grow effectively and compete in the international marketplace. Obtaining a sponsor’s licence from the Home Office enables organisations to do just that. We provide comprehensive, bespoke advice and assistance to organisations in applying for a sponsor’s licence, as well as continued advice on, and assistance with, complying with their sponsorship duties and obligations.

We advise organisations based all around the world, at all stages of growth, from start-ups, to SMEs, to multinationals, across a wide range of sectors and industries. We are best placed to deliver first-class advice to organisations on all aspects of sponsorship and employment of their staff in the UK.

Our expertise encompasses assisting employers and individuals with all long-term visa routes to the UK, including:

• Skilled Worker visas, including those being sponsored in specified sectors, such as Health and Care workers and Ministers of Religion
• Global Business Mobility visas
• Global Talent Visas
• Start-up and Innovator visas
• International Sportsperson visas
• UK Ancestry visas

Our Business Immigration team also specialises in assisting clients – both employers and individuals – with short-term work visa applications, and we are known for our deep and broad experience in the wide range of such visa routes, including:

• Creative Worker visas
• Youth Mobility Scheme
• High Potential Individual visas
• Graduate visas
• Graduate Trainee visas
• Seasonal Workers

Our team is fully conversant with the investment and, business development visa categories, and can also assist with extensions and settlement applications under the routes that are now closed to new applicants (such as the Investor and Entrepreneur routes).

We also provide tailored advice to individuals and their accompanying family members who are seeking to relocate to the UK for work or business reasons. We are well equipped to deliver comprehensive advice and guidance on the entire application process as a whole, from first entry to the UK, to settlement. We recognise and appreciate the importance of ensuring clients have a clear understanding of the requirements from the outset, as this minimises any difficulties at the extension and settlement stages.

We are a highly specialised team who are also experienced in all areas of personal immigration law. We are pleased to be able to liaise with colleagues in other teams to deliver a range of complementary services to our clients, and for both employers and individuals we work closely with talented lawyers in our Employment and Crime, Fraud and Regulatory teams.

When employment relationships unfortunately break down, we also offer comprehensive advice, together with our Employment team where necessary, to ensure that individuals understand their rights and the options available to remain lawfully in the UK, and that employers understand their obligations to the Home Office.

Working with our Crime, Fraud and Regulatory team, we also advise businesses, landlords and individuals on ‘Right to Work’ checks, and on the civil penalty and criminal offence regimes for illegal working or renting property to someone without the relevant permission. For further information please contact Tanya Goldfarb, Head of our Business Immigration team.

FAQs: sponsorship licences for employers