UK Sponsor Licence Compliance Solicitors
Trusted Sponsor Licence Compliance support for UK employers.
- Free Initial Consultation
- Fixed Fees- No Hidden Costs
- High Success Rate – Proven Track Record
- Legal 500 Top Tier Firm
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What is Sponsor Licence Compliance?
Sponsor Licence Compliance refers to the legal duties employers must meet to hold and maintain a Home Office sponsor licence. For HR teams, this means ensuring accurate record‑keeping, reporting key organisational or employee changes on time, and making sure sponsored workers are genuinely performing the roles they were sponsored for. Many organisations work with Sponsor Licence Compliance Solicitors to help them stay on top of these responsibilities.
If the Home Office identifies any breaches, they can take swift action. This may include downgrading your licence rating, suspending the licence while they investigate, or in serious cases, revoking it altogether. Losing your licence can disrupt your workforce and prevent you from sponsoring new talent.
Strong HR processes, regular internal audits, and clear understanding of your duties are essential to maintaining compliance and protecting your ability to employ migrant workers.
What are your duties as a Sponsor Licence holder?
There are five key duties a licence holder has to the Home Office. These are: reporting, record keeping, complying with immigration laws, complying with wider UK law and not engaging in behaviour or actions that are not conductive to the public good.
Licence holders have access to an online service called the Sponsor Management system (SMS). On this portal, the licence holder has the ability to report changes to the Home Office. There are both changes pertaining to the worker and changes to the overall business. The reports should be made within a certain amount of days, either 10 working days for most changes relating to an individual worker or 20 working days for most changes relating to the organisation.
The licence holder also has a duty to keep certain records. This is because if the Home Office decide to audit the business, they will want evidence that the licence holder is acting legitimately and in accordance with the rules. For example, the auditor will expect to see the workers’ payslips – this may be to assess the worker is being paid the salary as per their certificate of sponsorship.
The above is valid as of January 2026, for an up to date list please see here.
Why Choose OTB Legal as your Sponsor Licence Compliance Solicitors?
At OTB Legal, we’re proud to be recognised among the UK’s top immigration law firms — a distinction that reflects our deep expertise and proven success in handling sponsor licence compliance.
- Award-Winning Service: With multiple awards recognising our dedication and results, we are committed to providing the best sponsor licence compliance support.
- Leading Expertise: Named a Leading Firm by Chambers and Partners 2024, and ranked as a Top-Tier Firm in the Legal 500 2025, our solicitors are trusted industry leaders in UK immigration law.
- Specialist Focus: We specialise in spouse visas and family immigration, giving you expert guidance tailored specifically to your unique situation.
- Client Satisfaction: Our clients consistently praise our clear communication, personalised approach, and excellent value for money, as seen in top ratings on Review Solicitors.
How to comply with Sponsor Licence duties:
Licence holders should be up to date with exactly what their duties are. A lot of the non-compliance we see is from clients not knowing a report needs to be made, or that a business event carries a consequence for the licence. One example is a change of business ownership which may mean the company needs to apply for a new licence.
Authorising officers, and key personnel on the licence should all be knowledgeable about what their duties are and be alive to the fact that the SMS needs to be kept up to date. This can be done by reading the public guidance here, booking training sessions with a member of OTB Legal to deliver to your team, consulting our advisors on an ad hoc advice basis to answer your queries and concerns, or opting for a mock audit with OTB Legal so we can go through your process and procedures and advise on your record keeping.
What Sponsor Licence Compliance checks are done in a Home Office Visit?
During an in-person compliance visit, the Home Office will be checking, firstly is the business premises the same as the address on the licence? They will then be looking through the company records, and where necessary cross checking this with reporting. For example, if a sponsored worker has left the company (as evidenced in the company records through payslips, or lack thereof) but this is not reported on the SMS would be a compliance issue. The Home Office may wish to speak with the sponsored workers or key personnel and ask them questions pertaining to the business and the licence.
The Home Office are increasingly working with HMRC to check payroll returns of suspected illegal workers, and we are seeing an increasing number of civil penalty notices on this basis. As such it is of paramount importance to ensure the business has exemplary right to work checks in their record keeping bundle in the event of an audit.
What happens if you do not comply?
The Home Office have a range of powers in relation to non-compliance and this is dependent on the seriousness of the breaches.
The Home Office could issue an action plan for the business, of improvements they need to make. In doing this, the licence is downgraded to B-rated. This means the business cannot sponsor any new workers. This does however allow the business to keep their already employer sponsored workers. Failure to follow an action plan will result in a licence revocation.
The Home Office can also choose to suspend the licence, this prohibits sponsoring new workers whilst the Home Office make further enquiries into the suspected non-compliance. Suspensions can ultimately turn into revocations.
The most extreme power of the Home Office for non-compliance is revocation. This is where the licence is removed from the company all together. If a licence is revoked, the sponsored workers will not be able to continue their employment and their visas will be curtailed.
Concerned about meeting your sponsor licence compliance duties?
Our experienced immigration lawyers at OTB Legal are here to guide you every step of the way. Whether you need ongoing compliance support or help with specific sponsor duties, we provide clear, practical advice tailored to your business.
Fill out the form below and one of our team will get back to you quickly with a personalised response.
What are the common Sponsor Licence Compliance breaches?
Common breaches often arise when employers carry out incorrect or incomplete right‑to‑work checks, fail to report changes in a sponsored worker’s circumstances, or pay workers less than the salary stated on their Certificate of Sponsorship. Issues also occur when sponsors do not maintain the required key personnel on their licence or when sponsored workers end up performing duties that differ from the role they were originally sponsored for. These types of breaches can put a business at risk of Home Office enforcement action, which is why many organisations choose to seek guidance from a sponsor licence compliance solicitor to help identify weaknesses early and strengthen their compliance processes.
How much do Sponsor Licence Compliance Solicitor Services Cost?
Our services for support with Sponsor Licence compliance is quoted on a case by case basis and is dependent on whether any reports need to be made, how many sponsored workers the business has, whether the sponsor requires support at a pre-arrange Home Office compliance visit, or whether the support is with regard to challenging compliance action. If a sponsor wants us to attend their premises to conduct a mock audit, this may attract additional travel costs.
We will provide a fixed fee quote, transparently, before we commence work or take instructions. For a quote tailored to the needs of the business, please book a free initial consultation.
How we work – including our transparent pricing
We find that our 3 stage system of working with clients gives everyone the greatest clarity on what can be achieved, how it will happen and how much it will cost. You can learn more about our 3 stage system here. See the pricing for our Sponsor Licence Compliance UK services below:
Assess
Free Consultation
The Assessment Stage helps us identify the right application for you. You’ll speak with a lawyer in a free 30 minute initial consultation. By the end, you’ll have a clear plan outlining your options, costs, and the likelihood of a successful outcome. There is no obligation to take on our paid services after.
Advice
£360.00 (inc 20% VAT where applicable)
For a fixed fee, you receive specialist legal advice, clear written guidance, and a tailored document list, giving you a strong strategy for success. After the Advice Stage, you can submit the application yourself or ask us to handle it. You stay fully in control throughout.
Application
£1,800 – £2,400 depending on the complexity of the matter (inc 20% VAT where applicable)
A full review of your documents, help completing the online form, preparation of a tailored evidence bundle, and a detailed legal cover letter. We represent you through to the final decision and advise on any next steps.
Book now and receive:
- Personalised Case Appointment: Speak to a member of our team to gain confirmation on if we can assist with your specific legal needs in a free consultation.
- Specialist Appointment Booking: Get matched with a lawyer with specialist expertise as soon as possible.
- Exceptional Client Care: Work with experienced legal professionals delivering a clear plan of action and outstanding support every step of the way.
Schedule a FREE appointment
Frequently Asked Questions
Changes to job title should be reported. Other changes to the role can potentially have serious consequences on the workers sponsorship. This depends on whether the change keeps them in their sponsored occupation code (SOC code) or moves them to another code. When the code changes, the worker will need to apply for a new visa.
Changes to place of work may need to be reported, this is dependent on the facts of the case.
It is recommended that HR teams and employers carry out a full internal audit of their sponsor records at least once a year. An annual review helps ensure that all reporting, record‑keeping, and right‑to‑work documentation remains accurate and fully aligned with Home Office requirements.
However, relying solely on an annual audit isn’t always enough. The Home Office can conduct a compliance visit at any time, often without advance notice. Because of this, your sponsor records should be kept up to date continuously, with robust HR systems in place to monitor changes, maintain accurate files, and ensure that sponsored workers are meeting the conditions of their visas.
Our team can support you with this on an ad hoc basis, whether you need a one‑off audit, guidance on improving your processes, or ongoing compliance support. If you would like a tailored quote for this service, you are welcome to book a free initial consultation.
A new authorising officer will need to be appointed for the role. The licence cannot be without an authorising officer.
If your authorising officer is the only person with a log in, it is of upmost importance that they add additional key personnel or a legal representative to the licence before stepping away from their role. Log in details cannot be shared, and therefore the business cannot be in a position where no one can log into the licence.
If the licence is downgraded or suspended, the licence remains active and the workers continue to be sponsored.
If the licence is revoked, workers can no longer work for the business, and their visa’s will be curtailed. This means they will need to either find a new employer or switch to another type of visa.
The cooling off period following a revocation is 12 months for the first revocation, if the business has had two or more licences revoked then the cooling off is 24 months.
A cooling of period is a period of time in which the business is not allowed to apply for a new licence.
A Home Office audit, often referred to by the Home Office as a compliance visit, is an in‑person inspection carried out at your business premises to assess whether you are meeting your sponsor licence duties. During this visit, a Home Office compliance officer will review your HR systems, examine your right‑to‑work records, and check that sponsored workers are carrying out the roles they were approved for. These visits may be scheduled in advance, but they can also take place without notice, meaning employers must ensure their records and processes remain compliant at all times.
After obtaining a sponsor licence, it’s vital to meet your ongoing compliance responsibilities to keep your licence in good standing. The Home Office sets out detailed guidance on what employers must do, known as key sponsor duties. These include accurate reporting of any changes to your sponsored workers or business, maintaining proper record keeping of documents and employee details, complying with all immigration laws and the published sponsor guidance, and ensuring your organisation continues to follow UK law more broadly. You must also avoid any behaviour deemed not conducive to the public good. Our experienced sponsor licence application solicitors can help your business understand and meet these ongoing obligations—offering practical advice, compliance checks, and support to prevent suspension or revocation of your licence.
To keep your sponsor licence secure, your business must be prepared for Home Office compliance checks. These inspections ensure that your systems, records, and processes meet all key sponsor duties. It’s essential that your records are accurate, up to date, and readily available upon request. You should be able to clearly demonstrate to the compliance officer how your HR and monitoring systems operate, and confirm that your sponsorship management system (SMS) reflects the correct business information. All key personnel roles—such as Authorising Officer, Key Contact, and Level 1 User—must also be properly assigned and active. Our expert sponsor licence application solicitors can help you prepare for Home Office visits by conducting mock audits, reviewing your internal procedures, and ensuring full compliance to protect your business from licence suspension or revocation.
Under the current UK immigration system, sponsor licences are now granted on an indefinite basis, meaning they no longer need to be renewed every four years as they did previously. Your licence will remain valid unless it is surrendered voluntarily or revoked by the Home Office due to non-compliance or a breach of sponsor duties. While this change reduces administrative burdens for employers, it also places greater emphasis on maintaining compliance at all times. Our experienced sponsor licence application solicitors can help you manage your licence effectively, ensure your HR systems remain compliant, and protect your business from the risk of suspension or revocation.
Our Expert Sponsor Licence Compliance Solicitors:
Join countless satisfied clients and work with our expert Sponsor Licence Compliance Solicitors today:
Ho Yin
Lydia is very kind, helpful and professional. The advice and suggestions she gave us are very useful. She also helped us to complete the whole process of the visa application step by step so that we will not miss any important information that we need to know. We are very grateful as we had the great assistance of her and her colleagues.
Rebecca
I was lucky enough to deal with Ian Hamilton for my case. He is beyond knowledgeable and actually quite a very pleasant solicitor to deal with (my first time saying that)! He was very efficient and helpful from start to finish. A big thank you to him.
Andrew
Excellent knowledge , care and understanding of my business and the law to be applied for employing staff with Home Office approval.
Susan
Sally is a genuine pleasure to work with! She’s done a brilliant job of keeping us informed at every step of the extension application process and it has been a great relief to know we are in such capable hands. We are very glad to continue working with OTB for our eventual application for ILR/settled status and could not be more pleased with Sally and her firm.
Maggie
Lydia was incredibly efficient and easy to work with and I will be recommending her to anyone else that needs help with this process in the future. My visa not only came with the result that I wanted, it was approved in a much quicker time than I would have ever expected and it’s all thanks to Lydia! She is an asset to any team and OTB is very lucky to have her 🙂 Thanks Lydia and OTB!
Jim Richardson
I worked closely with OTB Legal who were helping a multi-national company carry out a sponsor licence compliance audit. I was very impressed with their comprehensive understanding of Home Office systems and procedures. More importantly, they were very easy to work with and struck an excellent balance between the constraints of the rules and pragmatism.
Sharkmob
At Sharkmob London, we have a growing UK workforce and requirement for global, specialist talent so it’s imperative that we have access to external, professional immigration support services. OTB have been a long-term partnership, supporting us with all of our UK immigration needs; Their personal touch, proactivity and professionalism have been invaluable and we look forward to a continued, trusting relationship in the future.
Contact Us
Not quite ready to book an appointment yet or unsure if it’s the right step for you? No worries! We understand that making decisions regarding legal matters can be daunting.
Reach out to our Client Care Manager, Rikki, who will be more than happy to assist you and guide you in the right direction.
Your peace of mind matters to us, and we’re here to support you every step of the way. Contact Rikki today for personalised guidance and assistance.
Recommended Services from our Sponsor Licence Compliance Solicitors:
Compliance Audit- immigration HR Systems
UK Visas and Immigration Sponsor Licences transfer responsibility for selecting and employing migrants to the sponsor licence holder. As a sponsor, employers have a duty to ensure that procedures are in place to ensure compliance with the Sponsor Licence duties.
UK Visas and Immigration place significant weight on the importance of trust in the operation of the sponsorship system. As such they have measures in place to ensure that licence holders are complying with their duties, and issue penalties for sponsors who do not comply. Penalties can be enforced for a range of breaches with varying degrees of consequences; from your licence being suspended, revoked or downgraded, or a limit placed on the number of Certificates of Sponsorship you can assign. Suspension from the Sponsor Management System, a downgrade or revocation may have serious implications for your business.
We can audit your HR systems and provide advice on complying with your obligations. Our service includes:
- The crucial review of all Human Resource Procedures.
- Review of employee documents to ensure continued compliance with your sponsor licence duties. Advice on, and assistance with, UKVI compliance interviews.
- Review of key personnel, and whether your current licence is the appropriate one for your business.
- Our lawyers will let you know if any documents are missing or if your procedures need to be tightened in light of frequently changing immigration rules.
Price – Estimate based on company of 20 employees (non-subsidiary) – £1,950 (plus 20% VAT) plus Travel
Compliance Pack
This pack provides your company with all the information you need to successfully maintain your Sponsor Licence and details the obligations you have as a Sponsor Licence holder.
This is a bespoke package designed for managers, key personnel and HR managers.
Price – £1,680 (plus 20% VAT) plus Travel
Find out more about a Sponsor Licence Compliance with the
following useful links:
Employer Checking Service (ECS)
Right to work checks: What to do if an individual cannot provide their right to work documents or show their …
Sponsor Licence and Right to Work Checks
Home Office Crackdowns on Sponsor licence Compliance and Right to Work Checks In November 2024 the Home Office published their …
