City Legal Solicitors - Sponsor Licence Application

How it works

Your Licence Journey, Simplified

1 Free Eligibility Assessment

We take the time to understand your business objectives and assess your eligibility, guiding you towards the most suitable strategy to achieve your sponsor licence goals.

2 Document Preparation

Our team assists you in compiling all necessary documents, ensuring that every piece of evidence and required information is accurately prepared to strengthen your application.

3 Application Submission

We guide you through every step of the application process, meticulously preparing, reviewing, and assisting with submission. As your legal representative, we ensure accuracy, compliance, and a seamless experience from start to finish.

4 Compliance Visit Preparation

Stay prepared for Home Office inspections with expert guidance on compliance, HR record-keeping, and interview preparation, ensuring you meet all requirements with confidence.

5 Licence Granted!

Once your sponsor licence is approved, you can start sponsoring skilled workers. Plus, benefit from a free compliance management intro session, along with essential templates and checklists to help you stay compliant with ease.

6 Managing Your Licence

We provide ongoing support to help you stay compliant with Home Office regulations. Benefit from an optional retainer package, legal representation, a dedicated account manager, and access to a compliance portal for streamlined management.

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Key Benefits

5 Reasons to Choose Us

Fixed Fee: Transparent pricing with no hidden costs or unexpected charges.
Speed: Fast and efficient processing to deliver quick, hassle-free results.
Results Driven: We focus on achieving your goals with precision and expertise.
Avoid Costly Mistakes: Rely on our expertise to navigate complex processes accurately.
Ongoing Support: Comprehensive Post-Licence support to keep you fully compliant.

Testimonials

Why Businesses Trust Us

City Legal team is outstanding

City Legal team is outstanding. They managed to get the sponsor licence for my small business. They made the process very easy and gave us full support throughout the procedure. thank you

Vijayakumar - Jeyam Oral Care Ltd.

Excellent Support & Guidance

We had a great experience with City Legal for the COS process. They provided thorough guidance on documentation and offered one-on-one support at every stage. Their team was knowledgeable...

Arjun Vijay - Bob Care Ltd

The proactive approach taken by City…

The proactive approach taken by City Legal representatives gave me confidence right the way through. They are extremely knowledgeable on their subject matter and their approach takes the confusion out...

Leanne Mordue - JDR Business Coaches Limited

Excellent!!!

I’ve worked with many lawyers before but the team at City Legal exceeded my expectations in terms of professionalism, knowledge, and generally the level of client service from my first call till the end...

Sabina - Saby Nails & Beauty Limited

City Legal team was very professional and offered great guidance through the process

City Legal team was very professional and delivered a smooth service which led to get our sponsorship in record time.

System Capital LLP

Sponsor application.

We were trying to get a sponsor certificate for a member of staff. We had no idea how to proceed. From the first phone call, everyone at City Legal were so helpful. Yaswani talked us through the whole process...

Susan Gahan - Zebedee Nursery School Ltd

Excellent service

It's been an absolute pleasure dealing with the entire team from City Legal solicitors...
Thank you so much Savannah and the entire team for all your support, you've been incredible!!

Dinesh Perera - Sams Fast Foods Limited

Highly Level Skilled & Experience Team.

It's been an absolute pleasure dealing with the entire team from City Legal solicitors...
Thank you so much Kshitija Govindraj and the entire team for all your support, you've been incredible!!

Rikesh Devshi Gorasia - Om Creatives

Exceptional Service

I recently had the pleasure of working with City Legal Solicitors , and I must say, their service and customer support were exceptional. From the moment I reached out with an inquiry, I was met with prompt and helpful replies...

BR Pharmaceuticals Limited

City legal is great company

City legal is great company, I will really recommend them for anybody wanting to do sponsorship certificate. Savannah, is the best ever, very professional, kind and patient, very thorough and pays attention to the smallest detail...

Optionone Services UK Ltd

Hire skilled talent

Hire Faster

Key Benefits

Four reasons to apply for
a sponsor licence today

Get a FREE Consultation

A Sponsor Licence enables UK businesses to legally hire skilled talent from outside the UK, as well as non-settled workers already in the country.

With our team’s in-depth knowledge and proven track record, we ensure a seamless licence application process, helping your business establish a strong foundation for long-term success in global talent acquisition.

Hassle-Free

Cost Savings

Our Clients

Trusted by businesses across industries, we’ve helped companies and their employees successfully navigate corporate immigration. Join the many who rely on our expertise for Sponsor Licences and work visas.

Post Licence

Comprehensive Support Beyond Your Sponsor Licence

As featured in

We offer complete corporate immigration support, covering everything from compliance and legal representation to licence management and expansions. Whether you need help with ongoing sponsorship duties, audits, reporting, or business changes, our expert team ensures you stay compliant and stress-free. With a tailored retainer package, a dedicated account manager, and access to a compliance portal, we make managing your sponsor licence effortless.

Get a FREE Consultation

We assist with the assignment of Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) and visa applications, ensuring accuracy and compliance with Home Office guidelines. Our team streamlines the process, reducing delays and increasing approval success rates for your sponsored employees.

Stay ahead of compliance requirements with our tailored training sessions. We equip your HR and management teams with the knowledge needed to manage sponsor duties, maintain accurate records, and meet Home Office expectations with confidence.

Be fully prepared for Home Office audits and compliance inspections. Our mock audits replicate real inspections, identifying potential risks and helping you implement best practices to ensure a smooth and stress-free review process.

Expanding your business? We guide you through adding new locations or licence tiers, ensuring your sponsor licence reflects your operational growth while staying compliant with Home Office regulations.

Business restructuring can impact your sponsor licence status. We provide expert guidance on mergers, acquisitions, and TUPE transfers, ensuring compliance while safeguarding your ability to continue sponsoring employees without disruption.

Retainer Package: Hassle-Free Sponsor Licence Management

Designed to provide continuous support, our retainer package ensures your organisation stays fully compliant and always audit-ready.

With over 10 valuable benefits, it includes ongoing legal representation, unlimited access to a dedicated account manager, and full use of our advanced online compliance portal—helping you effortlessly manage sponsor duties, track key deadlines, and maintain Home Office compliance with confidence.

FAQ

Your Questions Answered

The typical processing time for a sponsor licence application is 8 weeks. For a faster decision within 10 working days, you can opt for priority processing at an additional cost paid to the home office, although this is not guaranteed. If you instruct our team, we typically take one week to submit the application after you provide us with the documents and information we request.

The cost of a sponsor licence depends on the size of your business. For small businesses or charities, the fee is £536. For other organisations, the fee is £1,476. This legal fee for our assistance with the application depends on the size and readiness of the organisation. We will provide a fixed fee quote in the free eligibility check call.

There is no set limit on the number of workers you can sponsor; however, you must request and be allocated Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) based on your hiring needs. This is subject to ensuring that the job vacancies are genuine and that your business demonstrates financial viability.

A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is a unique reference number issued by a licensed sponsor to the worker they wish to sponsor. It can be normally downloaded as a digital document that confirms the job details and is required for the worker to apply for a visa.

Yes, you can apply for a sponsor licence even if your business is newly established and not yet profitable. However, you must provide evidence that your business is genuine, legally operating, and has a sustainable financial model. Additionally, you must demonstrate the ability to meet all sponsor duties and compliance requirements.

A Sponsor Licence compliance visit is an inspection by the Home Office to ensure your business is adhering to its sponsorship responsibilities. This can happen either before your licence is granted or at any time after you become a licence holder. The visit is to verify that your business is genuine, capable of managing sponsored workers, and compliant with immigration rules and regulations. The inspection could be a digital one or an on-premises visit.

Under the updated Home Office guidance, sponsors are now required to cover specific fees related to sponsorship and must not recover these costs from the sponsored worker. These fees include the sponsor licence application fee, which is £536 for small companies and £1,476 for medium/large companies. Additionally, any associated administrative costs, such as the £500 priority processing fee, must also be covered by the employer. Sponsors are also responsible for paying the Immigration Skills Charge, which amounts to £364 per year for small businesses and £1,000 per year for medium/large companies. Finally, the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) fee of £239 per worker must be fully covered by the sponsor. These measures ensure that workers are not financially burdened with employer-related immigration costs.

The Immigration Skills Charge is a fee that UK employers must pay when sponsoring a worker on a Skilled Worker or Senior/Specialist Worker visa. It helps fund skills training for the UK workforce. The charge is paid when assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship and applies for each sponsored worker. The amount varies depending on the size of the business and the length of the worker’s employment.

The skilled worker sponsor licence usually stays valid for as long as the sponsor continue to meet the eligibility requirements. Scale-up & Expansion worker sponsor licences are valid for up to 4 years, with no option to renew.

Sponsor duties are the legal responsibilities you must follow as a sponsor licence holder. These include monitoring and reporting on your sponsored workers, keeping up-to-date records, complying with UK immigration laws, and cooperating with the Home Office during audits or inspections. Failing to meet these duties can result in penalties or the loss of your licence.

If your sponsor licence application is refused, you generally cannot reapply until the cooling-off period stated in the decision letter, which is typically 6 months but can be longer in some cases. However, if the refusal is due to a process error, you may be able to address the issue and seek to correct it with the home office.

If we are instructed to assist with your application, we will thoroughly assess and fix any risks of refusal before submission, ensuring the application is as strong as possible. If you’ve applied on your own and received a refusal, our team can review the decision and advise on your next steps, whether that involves reapplying or challenging the decision.

For your sponsor licence application, you'll need to provide documents that prove your business is genuine and operational. Examples include your company’s registration certificate, employer's liability insurance, proof of business premises, and evidence of PAYE registration. The exact documents required will depend on your business type and circumstances

Streamline Your Sponsor Licence with Experts

How it works

Your Licence Journey, Simplified

1

Free Eligibility Assessment

2

Document Preparation

3

Application Submission

4

Compliance Visit Preparation

5

Licence Granted!

6

Managing Your Licence