Obtaining a Sponsor Licence is the first step for UK employers who are looking to hire internationally-skilled workers.
One of the major questions asked by many employers is: How long does it take to receive a Sponsor Licence?
There are many factors that need to be considered when determining the length of time it will take to obtain your Sponsor Licence. Understanding the process, timelines, and all other factors associated with obtaining a Sponsor Licence will enable you to effectively plan and mitigate the risk of delays.
How Long Does It Take To Obtain A Sponsor Licence In The UK?
Typically, you should expect to receive a decision from the Home Office regarding your Sponsor Licence within 8 weeks of submitting your application online, making the licence fee payment, and sending in all necessary supporting documentation to the Home Office.
During this 8-week application processing period, the Home Office reviews your eligibility to apply for a Sponsor Licence, as well as reviewing the documentation that you submitted along with your application and determining if you have met the compliance requirements.
In most cases, the Home Office will make the decision on your application during the 8-week timeframe. However, the actual processing time may vary due to the quality of the application, the amount of applications being processed by the Home Office, and other considerations.
Prioritising the Risk of Delays by Using the Quality Priority Service
The best option for employers under circumstances where time is a critical factor, or where there is an urgent need for sponsorship of employees, is to take advantage of the new Sponsor Licence priority service. This allows employers to receive a decision on their application within 10 working days (if there is capacity to accept priority applications). The priority service allows you to attend any free consultations offered by the Home Office at the point you finalise your application for a Sponsor Licence.
Although priority processing increases the speed of decision notifications, it does not guarantee a successful outcome. You must ensure that the application meets all necessary criteria in order for the Home Office to make an informed decision, and if your documentation is incomplete or incorrect, any additional information requested by the Home Office will cause further delays.
When It Takes To be Approved: Factors That Affect Processing Times For Sponsor Licences
There are multiple factors that contribute to the time taken to process, and therefore obtain, a Sponsor Licence in the UK. Some of these factors include:
1. Accuracy of Your Documentation
The Home Office will assess the documentation attached to your Sponsor Licence Application for accuracy. Documents that are incomplete, out of date, or inaccurate can cause moderate delays. If the Home Office requires further information before completing the Licence Application, the time taken to process your application will be increased.
2. Size and Type of Business
Start-up companies and small businesses are often heavily scrutinised, because they do not have an established trading record. Large and well-established companies with good business records are likely to the process to run smoothly unless there are discrepancies in the records, preventing compliance with Sponsor obligations.
3. Compliance Checks And Site Visits
Prior to certifications of compliance, the Home Office may perform both announced and unannounced compliance checks of your Business’s operations. These compliance checks will determine whether your business is capable of fulfilling its obligations as a sponsor (such as maintaining accurate records and meeting reporting obligations). Any additional compliance checking and/or visits can delay your application considerably.
4. Home Office Workload
The time it takes to process applications can fluctuate due to fluctuations in seasonal demand on the Home Office, changes to the policies of the Home Office or due to backlogs at the Home Office (especially in peak seasons).
What Will Happen During The Processing Time
Once you have submitted your application, the Home Office will review:
The legal status and trading presence of your business in the UK
The HR systems and processes you have to monitor sponsored workers
Key individuals in your business who have a role, such as Authorising Officers and Level 1 Users
Whether you will continue to meet your ongoing responsibilities to your sponsored workers
If the Home Office is satisfied with all of the above, your business will be granted a Sponsor Licence and will be placed on the Register of Licensed Sponsors and you will be able to assign the Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) to the eligible workers.
Reasons That May Cause Delays or Refusals
If you know what the common pitfalls are you will have a better chance of avoiding delays:
Providing missing documents or documents which have been submitted incorrectly
Not having the correct HR systems in place or not having a compliance procedure
Submitting information which is inconsistent throughout the application
Not being able to demonstrate a genuine recruitment need for your sponsored workers
All of these issues may lead to either delays in your application or a request for more documents or refusal of your application which prevents you from reapplying for a certain length of time.
Fast-track Your Sponsor Licence Application
To get your application approved quickly and successfully:
1) Organise all your documents before making an application and double check that the information is accurate.
2) Ensure your HR systems are compliant with UK Home Office standards.
3) Clearly define genuine vacancy requirements and define the job role.
4) Consider using professional assistance to help you avoid compliance issues while applying for a licence.
By preparing properly you reduce the time it takes to process an application and are more likely to receive approval on time.