When it comes to sponsorship certificates, it is often talked about in terms of the person who needs to get a residence permit in the United Kingdom. But what we need to know is that not every businessman or employer can have permission for such a thing.
To employ someone who lives outside the UK, you need to have a sponsor license. This program also includes residents of Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and the whole EU, who come to the UK after 31 December 2020.
However, there are cases in which it is not necessary to hold such a license, for example, if you employ staff from Ireland or from countries with which the UK has such pre-agreed programs. It is also important to know that sponsoring someone does not mean that person automatically gets a visa to work in the UK.
In order to be able to check whether you can sponsor a worker, your business must meet eligibility conditions, but also whether there is a shortage of staff for the job position you are offering.
In general, you need to know that you need to renew this license every 4 years. Many businessmen consider the certificate to be of permanent value and lose the right to sponsor a foreign worker.
However, to check whether you can even get such a document, you need to show proof that you do not have any court proceedings against you, especially if it is an immigration crime or money laundering.
Of course, you must agree to the use of employee monitoring, so that it can be properly assessed whether the certificate is being used in the right way. For more specific information, you can check on https://imperiallegal.com/media/articles/sponsorship-licence-in-the-uk-how-to-obtain-and-what-is-it-for/.
What kind of license do you need?
Whenever you apply for a sponsorship certificate, you must know whether the type of employment is long-term or temporary. There are licenses that cover both types of employment.
Long-term worker licenses apply to talented workers for a specific job, senior specialists needed in multinational companies, as well as people on a mission through a religious organization. In addition, you can sponsor elite athletes and coaches from other countries, who would contribute to the development of sport in the UK.
For short-term employment, the list is much longer, as it also covers creative workers, talented people, workers in charitable and religious organizations, service suppliers, UK expansion program workers, international agreement workers, government-authorized labor exchanges, etc. You can also sponsor seasonal workers who stay 3-6 months in the UK, such as student work and travel programs, tourism and hospitality interns, food industry workers, etc.
Why is it important to renew your license on time?
In general, you should renew your license every 4 years, especially if you have long-term, full-time employees. If you do not renew the license you are actually creating a problem for them too, because the residence permit depends only on you and their engagement in your company or organization.
That’s why it’s especially important not to forget to renew your license. We repeat that the document is usually valid for 4 years, although there are situations in which it can be valid for longer or shorter.
Of course, every employer has the full right to refuse sponsorship at any given moment, but sometimes this can bring legal consequences, especially if it happens during the valid duration of the contract.
You must also know that if you do not meet the conditions of sponsorship or have violated an item of the contract, your license can be revoked before those four years are up.
How long do you have to wait for your license to be approved?
Sponsors should expect to wait between 6 – 12 weeks for a sponsorship license to be issued. In most cases, the process is completed in almost 8 weeks, but sometimes it can be done earlier.
We recommend sponsors plan ahead and apply early to ensure they have access to the fastest route possible. If you need immediate hire, you must start the process as early as possible.
The speed of processing depends upon the category type and the nature of the applicant’s business.
However, this service is very popular and we advise applicants to write a follow-up mail if they don’t receive an initial response within 7 days.
Of course, there are also factors that would make it easier or harder to process your application.
For example, if you are submitting complex documentation, then expect to wait a long time to receive a proper response. Of course, if you have a well-written application, with all the details, then the UK immigration office will be able to process the information more easily and give you an initial response.
Well, it’s time for a brief recap of the whole process:
- Check whether your company or you as an employer are eligible for sponsorship license
- Ensure that the worker meets the conditions required for the development of the UK economy
- Collect all the required documents before submitting the application
- Be aware of your obligations as a sponsor
- You must never abuse immigration and labor regulations
- Provide uninterrupted cash income for the worker you sponsor
- Show proof that you offer suitable working conditions
- Be sure that employing a foreigner does not in any way harm the UK
If all these conditions are met, then you will easily continue the process of recruiting new workers, thanks to the licensed status.
But if you are rejected, then you have to wait about six months before you can reapply for a sponsor’s license.
Of course, you must be aware of why you were rejected, so ask the Home Office for relevant information. During those six months, you or your company cannot reapply for a license, but you can improve your documentation and be more prepared than the first time. Until then, offer a remote worker contract for the person you need to sponsor.
And these would be the things you need to know about the duration of the sponsorship license, and how to use it properly.
