Sponsor Licence renewal

Government to abolish the requirement for sponsor licence renewal

In a move that will be appreciated by UK-sponsoring employers, it has recently been announced that licenced sponsors will no longer need to apply for the renewal of sponsor licences every four years.

This will apply to all sponsor licence holders whose licences are due to expire on or after the 6th of April 2024.

The licence will automatically be extended by ten years, with no application or renewal fee.

However, for those whose licences expire before the 6th of April 2024, the sponsor must follow the current renewal process and submit their applications before the expiry date.

This change to the renewal process will ease some of the recent administrative struggles for UK employers, who are also dealing with the impact of the cost-of-living crisis, and general difficulties in recruitment and retention of workers.

However, sponsor licence compliance is still essential.

Employers need to ensure that they adhere to their compliance duties and obligations, as outlined by the Home Office, especially as we may start to see an increase in the number of compliance audits conducted on UK employers.