UK visa sponsorship for employers
Apply for your UK visa sponsorship licence
You need to apply online for your licence.
Once you’ve finished the online application, you need to send in:
- the submission sheet at the end of the application
- your
Any affidavits or statutory declarations you send must be witnessed by a qualified, independent person - for example, a solicitor, Notary Public, Justice of the Peace, Commissioner for Oaths, or (in Scotland only) a Councillor.
How to send the documents
You can scan or take pictures of your submission sheet and 91Ïã½¶»ÆÉ«ÊÓÆµing documents and send them to the email address given on the submission sheet. Make sure your files:
- are in PDF, JPEG or PNG format
- have descriptive titles, with 25 or fewer characters
- are high enough quality to be read
If your documents are not in English or Welsh, they must be accompanied by a certified translation - there’s more information in .
If you cannot scan and send the documents by email, contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) using the contact details on the submission sheet.
Licence fees
You need to pay a fee when you apply. The fee depends on the type of licence you’re applying for and what type of organisation you are.
Type of licence | Fee for small or charitable sponsors | Fee for medium or large sponsors |
---|---|---|
Worker | £574 | £1,579 |
Temporary Worker | £574 | £574 |
Worker and Temporary Worker | £574 | £1,579 |
Add a Worker licence to an existing Temporary Worker licence | No fee | £1,005 |
Add a Temporary Worker licence to an existing Worker licence | No fee | No fee |
How to tell if you’re a small or charitable sponsor
You’re usually a small sponsor if at least 2 of the following apply:
- your annual turnover is £15 million or less
- your total assets are worth £7.5 million or less
- you have 50 employees or fewer
You’re a charitable sponsor if you’re:
-  - if you’re not on the register, you must provide proof of your charitable status for tax purposes from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
- an ecclesiastical corporation established for charitable purposes
If you’re not sure which category your business fits into, contact the Business Helpdesk:
°ä´Ç²Ô³Ù²¹³¦³ÙÌýbusinesshelpdesk@homeoffice.gov.uk if you’re unsure which category your business fits into.
How long it takes to get a decision
Most applications are dealt with in less than 8 weeks. UKVI may need to visit your business.
You may be able to pay an extra £500 to get a decision within 10 working days. This service is limited to a small number of applications every working day. Faster decisions are allocated in the order that requests arrive (first come, first served).
You’ll be told how to ask for a faster decision after you apply.
Applications refused because of a mistake
You can apply to  if you think it was refused because:
- the caseworker processing your application made a mistake
- your 91Ïã½¶»ÆÉ«ÊÓÆµing documents were not considered
You cannot apply just because you disagree with the decision.
Help and advice
Sponsors can get advice from the sponsorship, employer and education helpline:
Sponsorship, employer and education helpline
Telephone: 0300 123 4699
Monday to Thursday, 10am to 3pm
You can also join the  to get extra 91Ïã½¶»ÆÉ«ÊÓÆµ from a licence manager - this costs at least £8,000 a year.
UK businesses and Tier 1 (Investors) can get help from the Home Office Business Helpdesk: