Sponsor Licence application — what UK employers need to know.

Who needs a sponsor licence?

Any UK business that wants to employ a non-UK national under the Skilled Worker, Senior or Specialist Worker, or Scale-up route needs a sponsor licence from UK Visas & Immigration. The full eligibility rules and application route are published on gov.uk/uk-visa-sponsorship-employers/apply-for-your-licence.

The summary below reflects the public GOV.UK guidance. It is provided for general information only and is not immigration advice. Whether your business qualifies, and which documents satisfy the rules in your specific case, must be determined by you or by a qualified OISC/IAA-registered adviser or SRA-regulated immigration solicitor.

Document checklist (per GOV.UK)

• Companies House registration & UTR
• Business bank statement
• Employer's liability insurance certificate
• VAT registration (if applicable)
• PAYE/Accounts Office references
• Lease or proof of trading premises
• Authorising Officer & Key Personnel CVs

Source: UK Visas & Immigration. The exact evidence required depends on your business type and is set out in the official guidance — always check GOV.UK for the current list before relying on this summary.

How we can support (non-advisory)

PriorityCOS provides administrative support only. Nothing below is regulated immigration advice within the meaning of the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA, formerly OISC) regime. Where regulated advice is needed, we refer you to a qualified adviser.

1. 01

   Initial information chat

   A non-advisory conversation to understand your business and signpost the relevant Home Office guidance pages on GOV.UK. We do not assess eligibility or give an opinion on whether your application will succeed.

2. 02

   Document gathering support

   We help you collate and organise the supporting documents you decide to submit, based on the published UKVI list. We do not advise on which documents satisfy the legal tests — that is for you or a regulated adviser to determine.

3. 03

   HR & process information

   We share publicly available information about right-to-work checks, record-keeping and reporting duties so your internal team can set up systems. We do not interpret the rules for your specific circumstances.

4. 04

   Form-filling assistance

   Administrative help completing the online sponsor licence application form using the answers you provide. You remain responsible for the accuracy of all information submitted.

5. 05

   Pre-licence visit preparation

   General information about what a UKVI compliance visit involves, drawn from public guidance. Representation and legal preparation should be handled by a regulated adviser.

6. 06

   Referral to regulated advisers

   Where your matter requires regulated immigration advice, we refer you to an OISC/IAA-registered adviser or SRA-regulated immigration solicitor. PriorityCOS acts only as a lead-generation introducer.