Holding a licence means keeping records, reporting changes on time and being ready for a Home Office visit. Most licence problems begin with missed reports or incomplete records.
Information checked against the sources listed below on 10 October 2026. Rules, fees and thresholds change; this is general information, not advice on your case, and does not assess whether you qualify.
What the official guidance says.
- Record keeping: sponsors must keep the documents for each sponsored worker that the guidance lists, for the periods it specifies. Records can be paper or electronic and must be provided when the Home Office asks.
- Reporting duties in the Home Office guidance include: changes to a sponsored worker’s circumstances (for example a role change or salary reduction) within 10 working days; changes to your organisation within 20 working days; unauthorised absence beyond 10 consecutive working days, reported within 10 working days after the 10th day; and unpaid or reduced-pay absence beyond 4 weeks in a calendar year.
- Most reports are made through the Sponsorship Management System (SMS). Supporting documents requested through the SMS are due within 5 working days.
- Compliance checks: the Home Office may visit announced or unannounced, or interview by video, and expects full access. It also checks with HMRC.
- Right-to-work checks and avoiding discrimination are separate but related employer duties; see our right-to-work page.
What usually decides the outcome.
- Whether your records are complete for every sponsored worker.
- Who monitors the SMS and how quickly changes are reported.
- Whether HR staff understand the reporting timescales.
- Whether your internal procedures would stand up to an unannounced visit.
How we can help.
Depending on what you need, support can range from a first conversation to full representation. Ask for the scope of any work, and an explanation of our fees and separate government charges, in writing before you instruct the firm.
- Initial consultation and eligibility assessment. A conversation about your circumstances, the routes that may apply and the risks.
- Written advice and immigration planning. A considered view on your options and a plan that looks ahead to extensions, settlement or citizenship.
- Document and application checking. A review of an application or evidence you have prepared, before you submit it.
- Full application preparation and representation. Preparing and submitting the application, and dealing with the Home Office on your behalf.
- Responses to Home Office requests. Help answering requests for further information, interviews or evidence.
- Refusal analysis and next steps. Understanding why an application failed and whether to seek review, appeal, judicial review or make a fresh application.
- Ongoing business immigration support. Continuing help for employers with sponsorship, reporting, record keeping and right-to-work compliance.
Before you contact us
- Write a short summary of your circumstances and what you want to achieve.
- Note any decision dates, expiry dates or deadlines.
- Do not send passport numbers or sensitive documents in the first enquiry. We will explain how to share them securely.