How to maintain your UK sponsor licence after the sponsor licence application and ensure ongoing compliance
Once your sponsor licence application has been approved, you will have a valid sponsor licence for four years. This guide will explain the steps you can take to ensure that you are able to maintain a valid sponsor licence that will remain effective unless it is revoked.
Your Sponsor Licence Duties
After you have an approved sponsor licence, the Home Office will begin to monitor your compliance with your duties as a sponsor. It is imperative that you are committed to these duties and uphold them correctly, as failure to do so may result in the revocation of your licence following the event of an investigation.
Therefore, the importance of knowing just what exactly your sponsor duties are cannot be understated. Your sponsor licence duties include things such as the duty to keep records of your employees' right to work details, as well as report to the Home Office if one of your employees no longer works for you, through the Sponsor Management System within 10 working days.
Other Obligations Under Your Licence
The obligations under your licence are not limited to that solely of employees, and it is important to also understand this to ensure that you can maintain your sponsor licence. Other duties include reporting any changes to the size of your company; changes to the sponsor’s name; acting where there is a sale, merger, or takeover, and dealing with convictions of relevant personnel. This list is not exhaustive.
Failure to Comply with Obligations
As aforementioned, failure to comply with your obligations under your sponsor licence risks penalties ranging from a down grade in your licence, to its complete revocation.
In the most serious of cases, failure to comply can result in an investigation by the police or other relevant authorities, which is why ongoing, consistent compliance is so essential, as checks can be undertaken at any time during the four-year period, which could be detrimental to your business.
It is also recommended that, in the event of any breaches being uncovered, you are able to seek appropriate professional advice.
You should therefore regularly review your sponsor duties and report any changes in a timely manner. Similarly, it is imperative that you renew your licence every four years and keep on top of any changes to your business so that you can report them effectively. Simply put, consistency is key.
The Importance of Licence Renewal
It is essential that you renew your licence after the four-year period, as failure to do so will result in the inability to assign any more Certificates of Sponsorship, and your employees may not be able to continue to work for you.
On the other hand, if you no longer require your licence, it is important that you take positive steps to surrender it.
As UK Sponsor Licence experts, here at WorkPermitCloud we can assist you in the process of applying for your sponsor licence. We have successfully helped over 1000 companies receive their sponsor licence, and we guarantee to ensure that your application meets the requirements of the Home Office.
Visit our website and contact us today to find out more.
