The cost of a sponsor licence depends on the size of your business. For small businesses or charities, the fee is £574. For other organisations, the fee is £1,579. The 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.
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 £574 for small companies and £1,579 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 £480 per year for small businesses and £1,320 per year for medium/large companies. Finally, the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) fee of £525 per worker must be fully covered by the sponsor. These measures ensure that workers are not financially burdened with employer-related immigration costs.
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.
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.
