Sponsors and Sponsorship

Employees: if your visa sponsor loses their license

You’ll have to leave your job and leave the UK if your employer loses their sponsor licence – unless you make a new visa application to stay in the UK.

You could also be affected if:

• their licence is suspended
• they’re taken over
• they don’t renew their licence

What happens to you depends on whether you’re already in the UK when your employer’s sponsor licence changes.

If you’re already in the UK

 When your sponsor loses their licence your:

• certificate of sponsorship is cancelled
• visa is limited to 60 days (or however long you have left on the visa if it’s less than 60 days)

You’ll have to leave your job and leave the UK unless you make a new visa application within that time – Check your eligibility with us for other visa options.

If you’re involved in the reasons why your sponsor lost their licence, your visa will be withdrawn and you’ll have to leave the UK immediately.

If your sponsor’s business is taken over or they don’t renew their licence

Your visa will be limited to 60 days (or however long you have left on the visa if it’s less than 60 days) if:

• your employer doesn’t renew their sponsor licence
• following a takeover of your old employer’s business, your new employer doesn’t apply for a sponsor licence within 28 days

You’ll have to leave your job and leave the UK unless you make a new visa application within that time – Check your eligibility with us for other visa options.

Your visa will be cancelled if you have permission to come to the UK but haven’t travelled yet. You won’t be allowed to enter if you travel to the UK.

Students: If your education provide loses their licence

You’ll need to find a new course with a different education provider if your sponsor loses their licence. Your new education provider will need to sponsor you.

 How long you can stay

 Your current visa will be limited to 60 days (or however long you have left on the visa if it’s less than 60 days).

You’ll have to leave the UK if you don’t find a new sponsor in that time.

Your visa will be withdrawn immediately if you’re involved in the reasons for the withdrawal.

 If your sponsor is taken over by another organisation

 Your visa won’t be affected if the new organisation:

• already has a sponsor licence
• applies for a sponsor licence within 28 days

If not, your visa will be limited to 60 days (or however long you have left on the visa if it’s less than 60 days).

You’ll have to leave the UK if you haven’t found a new sponsor by the end of that time.

UK visa sponsorship for employers

You’ll usually need a sponsor licence to employ someone to work for you from outside the UK. This includes citizens of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland who arrived in the UK after 31 December 2020.

This includes unpaid work, like running a charity.

You will not need a licence to sponsor certain groups, for example:

• Irish citizens
• those with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
• those with indefinite leave to remain in the UK

Read more about who does not need sponsorship.

Sponsoring someone does not guarantee that they’ll get a visa to work for you in the UK.

 How to get a sponsor licence

• Check your business is eligible.
• Check if your job is suitable for sponsorship.
• Choose the type of licence you want to apply for – this will depend on what type of worker you want to sponsor.
• Decide who will manage sponsorship within your business.
• Apply online and pay the fee.

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) may visit your business to check it’s suitable.