How Long Does It Take To Become A Licensed Sponsor In The UK?

Visa sponsorship refers to a set of essential documents that guarantee the working status and job profile of people who wish to work in the UK. As an employer, you need to sponsor your employee outside the UK so that they can relocate to the UK and render the designated services. So, you need a sponsor license for the same. The license is used for the citizens of the EU, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Iceland, and Norway. It is used for citizens of these places if they have arrived in the UK after 31st December 2020.

Various kinds of work will require you to apply to gain the license to sponsor people currently not in the UK. But, if you want to sponsor people from the following categories, you need not use the license for sponsoring.

• If the person belongs to the Irish origin.
• If you are employing anyone who falls under the settled or un-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme which the UK government recognizes.
• If you are employing someone who has indefinite leave to remain in the country.

Check-ins To Apply For The Sponsor license

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If you are applying for the UK sponsor license, there are some things that you need to cater to. They are as follows:

• You need to check the eligibility of your business. Mostly all companies need to apply for the sponsor license. For example, if you are running a charity, you will need a sponsor license. Hence, you should know about the eligibility.
• A business has various job titles. Hence, you should check whether the job is suitable for sponsorship. Also, the type of license you are interested in applying for depends on the kind of worker you wish to sponsor for relocation to the UK.

Also, there are some critical decisions that you need to take while applying for the sponsor license. For example, you need to decide the responsibility for sponsorship management within your business sphere.

After you are done with these basics, you can apply for the sponsorship online and then pay the fees. There is nothing that you need to do from your end. If all things are in the right place, there won’t be any problem in getting the license for sponsorship in the UK. Also, you should know that the UKVI, the UK Visas and Immigration can visit your business premises to check the suitability before issuing the sponsorship license.

When To Expect The Results

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Usually, the application for license sponsorship is considered and dealt with within 8 weeks. The period is less than 8 weeks when you know whether you will get the license. However, if you don’t want to wait for 8 weeks, you have to pay an amount of 500 pounds to get the decision within 10 working days.

But, this option is not available to all applicants. Only a small number of applications can opt for this option every day. Also, faster decisions are taken based on the order of receiving. If you apply, your application shall be served first and vice versa.

Process To Send The Documents For Consideration

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If you don’t want any unnecessary delays or complications in your process, you should be careful, especially when sending the documents. The first step is that you should either capture the pictures or scan the submission sheet. Also, don’t forget to do the same with the supporting documents. The email address is mentioned on the submission sheet. You should be careful and double-check before pressing the send icon.

There are some things that you can verify from your end that are as follows:

• All the documents to be submitted are in PDF, PNG, or JPEG format.
• The papers should have descriptive titles. However, the length should have 25 characters or less.
• Ensure the high quality of your documents so they can be read without issues.

You should see whether your documents are in Welsh or English or not. If they are not in these languages, you should seek the help of a certified translator for translation. Also, you need to see if any other information regarding the supporting evidence available can work as the ultimate source of guidance for sponsors.

There can be chances when you cannot scan the documents and send them via mail. You need not worry, as you can reach out to the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). The submission sheet will have the contact details; you can contact them for help.

Refusal Chances

You are human, and it’s possible that you unknowingly commit a mistake. In that case, what will happen?

You might think that the application can be refused. You can apply for a request to review the application owing to any of the following:

• The mistake has been made by the caseworker processing the application.
• There was no consideration of the supporting documents.

However, you cannot apply because you disagree with the decision that has been made regarding your application.

Post-Application Process

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You will be provided with a license rating if your application is successful. However, you won’t be able to issue the sponsorship certificates only if you have job opportunities that fall under the suitability of the sponsorship program.

The validity of such a license is for 4 years. There are various responsibilities that you need to fulfil as a sponsor. If you cannot do that, you may lose your license. Hence, it would help if you were careful about it and did not commit anything that will harm your credibility as a sponsor and raise questions related to the sponsorship license.

Conclusion

Employees wishing to move to the UK must be sponsored by their employers. Employers must have a valid license that puts them in a position to opt for such a course of employment. Hence, you should not delay applying if you want to get such a license. But you must take proper responsibility and be careful during the whole process.