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What is a sponsor licence?
For UK employers who want to hire workers from outside the UK.
Applies to: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland Last checked against official sources: 6 October 2026
A sponsor licence lets a UK employer hire most workers from outside the UK.
- A Worker licence costs £611 for small or charitable sponsors and £1,682 for medium or large ones.
- A Temporary Worker licence costs £611 for any size of sponsor.
- Most applications are decided in under 8 weeks, or within 10 working days for an extra £750.
- Each certificate of sponsorship for a Skilled Worker costs £525.
- You also usually pay the Immigration Skills Charge for each worker.
Key facts
- Licence: £611 or £1,682
- Decision in under 8 weeks
- Skilled Worker certificate: £525
- Skills charge from £480 a year
What a sponsor licence is
A sponsor licence is permission from the Home Office for your organisation to employ people from outside the UK on certain work visas. Once you have it, you give each worker a "certificate of sponsorship". This is an electronic record with its own number. The worker uses it to apply for their visa.
You do not need a licence to employ:
- Irish citizens
- people with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
- people with indefinite leave to remain
Types of licence
| Licence | Visa routes it covers |
|---|---|
| Worker | Skilled Worker, Senior or Specialist Worker (Global Business Mobility), Minister of Religion, International Sportsperson |
| Temporary Worker | Scale-up Worker, Creative Worker, Charity Worker, Religious Worker, Seasonal Worker, Government Authorised Exchange, International Agreement and other Global Business Mobility routes |
How much it costs
| Cost | Small or charitable sponsor | Medium or large sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| Worker licence | £611 | £1,682 |
| Temporary Worker licence | £611 | £611 |
| Both licences together | £611 | £1,682 |
| Certificate of sponsorship (Skilled Worker) | £525 each | £525 each |
| Certificate of sponsorship (Temporary Worker) | £55 each | £55 each |
| Immigration Skills Charge, first 12 months | £480 | £1,320 |
| Immigration Skills Charge, each extra 6 months | £240 | £660 |
Example (medium or large business): you get a Worker licence and sponsor one Skilled Worker for 3 years. You pay £1,682 for the licence, £525 for the certificate and £3,960 in skills charge (£1,320 plus four lots of £660). That is £6,167 in total.
Example (small business): the same hire costs £611, plus £525, plus £1,440 in skills charge (£480 plus four lots of £240). That is £2,576.
Some workers do not need the skills charge, such as people switching from a student visa and some scientific and research roles.
Who can get one
You must have systems to monitor sponsored workers and people to manage sponsorship. You cannot get a licence if you have unspent convictions for immigration offences or crimes such as fraud or money laundering. You may also be refused if a licence was revoked in the last 12 months, or you were turned down in the last 6 months.
How to apply
- Choose the licence type you need.
- Apply online and pay the fee.
- Send the submission sheet and supporting documents by email.
- The Home Office may visit your business.
Most decisions take less than 8 weeks. You can pay £750 extra for a decision within 10 working days, if places are available.
Things to know
- You start with an A-rating, which lets you assign certificates.
- You manage everything through the online sponsorship management system.
- You must keep records, track attendance, and report significant changes within 20 working days.
- If you do not meet your duties, you can be downgraded to a B-rating and stop issuing new certificates.
The rules are the same across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Related guides
- What is a Skilled Worker visa?
- What is the Health and Care Worker visa?
- How do I prove my right to work?
- How much is the immigration health surcharge?
Where these figures come from
- UK visa sponsorship for employers on GOV.UK
- Apply for your licence on GOV.UK
- Certificates of sponsorship on GOV.UK
- Immigration Skills Charge on GOV.UK
- Types of licence on GOV.UK
- Who can apply on GOV.UK
- Your licence rating on GOV.UK
- Your responsibilities as a sponsor on GOV.UK
Get it done
This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.
Apply for a sponsor licenceCommon questions
Do I need a sponsor licence to hire someone with settled status?
Official sources
- 1.UK visa sponsorship for employerswww.gov.uk/uk-visa-sponsorship-employers
- 2.Apply for your licencewww.gov.uk/uk-visa-sponsorship-employers/apply-for-your-licence
- 3.Certificates of sponsorshipwww.gov.uk/uk-visa-sponsorship-employers/certificates-of-sponsorship
- 4.Immigration Skills Chargewww.gov.uk/uk-visa-sponsorship-employers/immigration-skills-charge
Checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026
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