The UK Home office allows any company to apply for a sponsor license to hire a skilled migrant for the betterment of their business. Particularly, post-BREXIT, the dearth of skilled workers is prevalent in almost all sectors.
One sector that was hit worst by the pandemic is the restaurant and catering business. The industry is worth 4 billion and with the skilled workers from countries like Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Portugal, etc. it can have a rejuvenation from both new talent and service ends. A big chunk of restaurants and catering services in the UK are now hiring skilled migrant workers. To do so, they have to go through a proper sponsor licence application process. The application process requires them to follow the sponsor license guidance and submit some supporting documents, which are essential to ensure their actual need, capability, and compliance. Below is a list of the documents that are usually sought after by the UK Home office.
Minimum of 4 documents from the list below:
- Paye and Account Reference Letter from HMRC (PAYE reference number is mandatory)
- SIGNED Annual Accounts (it's mandatory if the business is over 18 months old)
- Employer Liability Insurance Certificate
- Minimum 1-month business bank statement, the bank needs to be registered and regulated by the FCA and PRA, Revolut bank is not acceptable.
- Employer liability insurance certificate (minimum employee cover £5 million)
- Proof of Business Premises (Copy of Lease OR freehold OR Tenancy agreement)
- Copy of regulatory approval, i.e. Health & Safety star rating for food business, ACCA, FCA, IATA, OFCOM, ARLA
- VAT Certificate (if registered)
However, in certain cases, you may not need to send four documents if you are a:
- public body recognized by the UK Government, such as a local authority
- company listed on the London Stock Exchange Main Market
It's important to remember that having authentic and up-to-date documents are a must to win a license. Submitting false documents is highly discouraged.
How we can help
At WorkPermitCloud Limited, we have a dedicated team to assist you in your sponsorship application process. We also offer professional immigration advice regulated by Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC). Our Founder and Managing Director Md Lutfur Rahman (FCILEx) has more than 20 years of experience in sponsorship licences management and business immigration services.
Related articles:
Who can apply for a license to hire migrant workers?
What are the advantages of having a Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence?
What’s next after you submit your sponsor licence application?
What are the main duties once an organisation obtain a skilled worker sponsorship license?
