Overview
Every UK employer that wants to hire workers from overseas must hold a valid sponsor licence — and keeping that licence requires ongoing compliance with Home Office rules that have grown significantly stricter. Marsl Sharifi is an SRA-regulated immigration solicitor who helps London businesses obtain a sponsor licence, build robust compliance systems, and respond to Home Office audits and enforcement action. Because sponsor licence matters carry no right of appeal once revoked, getting the detail right from the outset is not optional.
Who this service is for
- Businesses applying for a sponsor licence for the first time (Skilled Worker, Senior or Specialist Worker, Temporary Worker, or other routes)
- Existing licence holders who have received a Home Office compliance visit or civil penalty notice
- Businesses whose licence has been downgraded to a B-rating and need to restore A-rating status
- Licence holders who have received a revocation notice and need urgent advice
- HR teams that want a compliance audit before the Home Office arrives
- Businesses that need to add or change Authorising Officers or Key Contacts on their licence
What you'll need
- Evidence of UK trading activity (bank statements, HMRC documentation, lease or title for business premises)
- Evidence of the company's legal status (Companies House registration, partnership agreement, or equivalent)
- HR policy or process demonstrating your ability to comply with sponsor duties
- Details of the proposed Authorising Officer and Key Contact
- Evidence that each proposed sponsor user does not have an unspent criminal conviction relevant to the role
- If your business is less than 18 months old, additional evidence of financial viability may be required
Fees
Marsl's professional fees for a new sponsor licence application are £3,000 + VAT, depending on the complexity of the business structure.
The Home Office application fee is £536 for small or charitable sponsors and £1,476 for medium or large sponsors (check current fees at the point of application — these figures are subject to change). Compliance audit and revocation advice are charged separately.
A full written fee agreement is provided before any work begins, in line with the SRA Transparency Rules.
The process, step by step
- Step 1
Pre-application audit
Marsl reviews your business, documents, and proposed HR processes against the Home Office's Sponsor Guidance to identify any issues before submission.
- Step 2
Application preparation
Marsl completes the online application through the Sponsor Management System (SMS), prepares the supporting evidence bundle, and submits the application.
- Step 3
Home Office processing
The Home Office typically processes straightforward applications within 8 weeks. A pre-licence visit may be required for first-time applicants. Marsl will prepare you thoroughly.
- Step 4
Licence granted
Once granted, Marsl provides a plain-English briefing on your ongoing compliance duties: reporting obligations, record-keeping, right to work checks, and Certificates of Sponsorship.
- Step 5
Ongoing support
Marsl is available for CoS queries, compliance reviews, and to advise promptly if you receive a Home Office communication.
What has changed (2024–26): record enforcement and zero tolerance
The Home Office's approach to sponsor licence compliance has hardened significantly. In the year to mid-2025, approximately 1,948 sponsor licences were revoked — roughly double the number in the previous year.
Revocation can follow a compliance visit, a failure to report a migrant's change of circumstances, or a failure to maintain adequate right-to-work records. There is no right of appeal against revocation. Once revoked, a business faces a 12-month bar on re-applying.
The practical consequences are severe: workers sponsored by the business typically lose their leave to remain, often with only 60 days to find an alternative sponsor or leave the UK. The reputational impact on the business can be equally damaging.
Marsl works with businesses not just to obtain a licence but to build the internal processes that keep it. Prevention is far less costly than remediation.