If you wish to employ a Skilled Worker or other workers from outside the United Kingdom you will need a sponsorship licence from the Home Office. This now includes citizens of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland who arrived in the UK after 31 December 2020. You must have HR systems in place that will monitor your employees’ immigration status, keep copies of relevant documents for each employee, including passport and right to work information, track and record employees’ attendance, keep employee contact details up to date, report to UKVI if there is a problem, for example, if your employee stops coming to work
You must ensure that they meet the job suitability requirements and that they receive a suitable rate of pay and skill level, or meets the other criteria needed for their visa. There are additional requirements for religious workers. You’ll get an A-rated licence if your application is approved. An A-rated licence lets you start assigning certificates of sponsorship. As well as the Home Office Licence for Sponsorship fee you might have to pay an additional charge (‘immigration skills charge’) when you assign a certificate of sponsorship to someone applying for a Skilled Worker or Intra-company Transfer visa. For small businesses the immigration skills charge is currently £364 for the first 12 months and £180.00 for every 6 months.
We will advise you on the documents required, prepare the application however, it is the Home Office requirement that you must submit the application and ensure that you have read and understood your sponsorship duties.