How Much Does the Sponsor Licence Renewal Fee Cost?

The sponsor licence renewal fee is the exact cost of the application fee. The following are the renewal application fees as of Autumn 2023.

• Type of Licence Categories:
  • Worker
  • Temporary Worker
  • Worker and Temporary Worker
• Renewal Application Fees (Autumn 2023):
  • For Small or Charitable Sponsors:
    • Worker: £536
    • Temporary Worker: £536
    • Worker and Temporary Worker: £536
    • Add a Worker licence to an existing Temporary Worker licence: No fee
    • Add a Temporary Worker licence to an existing Worker licence: No fee
  • For Medium or Large Sponsors:
    • Worker: £1,476
    • Temporary Worker: £536
    • Worker and Temporary Worker: £1,476
    • Add a Worker licence to an existing Temporary Worker licence: £940
    • Add a Temporary Worker licence to an existing Worker licence: No fee
• Fee Variations:
  • The renewal fee varies based on the size of the sponsor, with different rates for small or charitable sponsors compared to medium or large sponsors.
• Special Cases:
  • Adding a Worker licence to an existing Temporary Worker licence incurs no additional fee.
  • Adding a Temporary Worker licence to an existing Worker licence incurs no additional fee.
• Currency:
  • All fees are denoted in British Pounds (£).

When Should I Renew my Sponsor Licence?

The renewal of your licence can be made 90 days before the expiration of the licence. Any changes must be noted to be constantly up-to-date with the sponsor’s guidance.

120 calendar days before your licence expires, you will be informed by the Home Office to get ready for its renewal. The notice will highlight the expiry date of your sponsor licence.

On the other hand, 90 days before your licence expiry date, you will have a second notification from the Home Office informing you that it is time to renew your licence. You will continue to receive reminders to renew your licence 60 days, 30 days and 14 calendar days before the expiry date.

You are advised to apply for a licence renewal early or at least 30 calendar days before the specified expiry date. There might be some delays or challenges during your application, but submit it on time to allow you to find a solution to your situation before missing the deadline.

If you start renewing in time, you can reapply in case of denial. If your licence has expired before the Home Office rejects your application, you cannot re-apply for a sponsor licence.

If you don’t apply for renewal of your licence in time before its expiration and would like to sponsor workers, you will have to apply for a new sponsor licence. Until your application is processed, you are no longer a certified sponsor, and the existing workers you have sponsored will lose their permission.

What Are the Documents Required for Renewal Application?

The Home Office may require additional documents, but you must only submit the documents used in your sponsor licence application. Appendix A Sponsor guidance has a full list of documents supporting all sponsor licence holders in their efforts to renew the existing sponsor licence.

Ensure you read the sponsor guidance through because if some changes are made or there are updates on the document, you might miss important information.

How Does the Sponsor Licence Renewal Process Work?

To renew your sponsor licence, you are required to use your SMS account. But you need a Level 1 User to access the licence renewal function. Before that, talk about re-licencing your sponsor with your authorising officer. It should be noted that the Level 1 User needs the consent of your authorising officer before sending your renewal application.

Upon submitting your renewal application, the Level 1 User must pay the fee for licence renewal. Once the payment has been completed, the Level 1 User will print out a summary sheet for your use.

If you are a large sponsor and pay a small amount as a sponsor licence fee, your application will be refused, and your money be refunded. Small or charitable sponsors who pay the high sponsor licence fee will have their application accepted and be refunded with any excess fee.

What Happens After Applying?

After successfully submitting your application, your extension on the licence renewal date will be granted. This leaves sufficient time to review your application properly and do more evaluations before making a final decision.

The home office could request the documentation you provided as part of your original application for a new sponsor license. You can also be required to submit other documents that were not submitted during your original application. All petitions should be sent to the Sponsor Renewals email address within five business days. If you cannot send it online, contact the Home Office to notify them of alternative routes to avoid penalty.

• A decrease or loss of your certificate of sponsorship allocation.
• Assignment of B-rating to your sponsor licence.
• However, your licence will be suspended when an investigation is in progress.
• Cancellation of your licence.

Compliance Check

The Home Office may perform a compliance check during the renewal application review process. This also ensures that you follow all the sponsorship guidelines and responsibilities. The sponsor guidance should be read because it provides information about how much you should do as a sponsor.

What Happens When I Don’t Pass the Compliance Check?

However, if you fail the compliance check, a penalty will be incurred based on the license rating during your renewal application.

If you are an A-rated sponsor, your application to renew your sponsor licence will certainly be accepted. It will be demoted to B-rating. Or else your licence is suspended.

If you are a B-rated sponsor, you shall continue under your sponsorship action plan. The Home Office will put its final ruling for your renewal application on hold until your sponsorship action plan ends.

The Home Office might revoke the permission of your sponsored workers regarding their stay in the UK.

What if I don’t renew my sponsor License?

A sponsor must renew his or her sponsor licence if he or she wants to stay a sponsor. Please renew your sponsor licence before its expiry date to see your sponsor licence revoked.

• Your access to your sponsor management system (SMS) account is no longer available.
• There is no way to dole out certificates of sponsorship (CoS) now.
• If your sponsored workers’ visas are valid, they can stay for only 60 calendar days.
• You will no longer be registered as a licensed sponsor, and your data will disappear from the register.

What if I don’t want to continue my sponsorship License?

If you do not want to go on with the sponsorship, when your permit for the sponsored personnel expires, you can abandon your licence. You must renew your licence for all the workers you sponsored for your company. You wouldn’t need to bring new migrant workers.

You are in a compulsory situation to renew your sponsor licence on time before the expiry date if you have people working under your sponsorship.

What if my sponsor licence renewal is refused?

The refusal of your sponsor licence renewal by the Home Office in the United Kingdom may greatly affect your ability to keep sponsoring foreign workers and students.

Verify the refusal letter of the Home Office. The letter should include the grounds for rejection and any specific points or issues they have identified. The best advice is to contact an immigration lawyer or law expert specialising in sponsor licence issues. We can help you better understand why the refusal took place, determine the strength of your case and advise on the possible options.

According to the information provided in your letter and with the help of your legal expert, take appropriate actions to resolve any issues that have resulted in refusal. Doing so may involve modernisation of your HR practices, supplementing documentation, or handling compliance issues. In some instances, you are allowed to appeal the rejection of the decision within a particular period. Your lawyer can help you prepare and file your appeal.

If an appeal is unavailable or fails, you have to take an alternative of reapplying for the sponsor licence renewal. Addressing all the issues raised in the refusal letter before reapplying is necessary. Complying with the current sponsor license requirements in the application process is extremely important. Non-performance will have more negative effects.

If other attempts do not bear fruit, you may look for ways to exploit alternative immigration routes or opportunities for your foreign workers or students, including a change of sponsor or visa category.