In short
You usually need a sponsor licence to employ someone from outside the UK, with some exceptions such as Irish citizens and people who already have settled status. GOV.UK lists a Worker licence fee of £611 for small or charitable sponsors and £1,682 for medium or large sponsors, and says most applications are dealt with in under 8 weeks.
Published 10 October 2026. Sources last checked 10 October 2026.
Do you need a licence?
GOV.UK says you will usually need a sponsor licence to employ someone to work for you from outside the UK, including EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland citizens who arrived after 31 December 2020. It also applies to unpaid work such as running a charity. You do not need to sponsor Irish citizens or people with settled or pre-settled status or indefinite leave to remain.
Sponsorship does not guarantee that the worker will be granted a visa.
Cost and timing
You are usually a small sponsor if at least two of these apply: turnover of £15 million or less, total assets of £7.5 million or less, or 50 or fewer employees. GOV.UK says most applications are dealt with in less than 8 weeks, UK Visas and Immigration may visit your business, and a priority service costing an extra £750 may give a decision within 10 working days, limited and first come, first served.
| Licence type | Small or charitable sponsor | Medium or large sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| Worker | £611 | £1,682 |
| Temporary Worker | £611 | £611 |
| Worker and Temporary Worker | £611 | £1,682 |
What you must have in place
- A decision on who will manage sponsorship within the business.
- Eligible roles that are suitable for sponsorship.
- The supporting documents requested, with certified translations for anything not in English or Welsh.
- Systems to meet your sponsor responsibilities after you are licensed: GOV.UK warns that you can lose your licence if you do not.
Why advice is worth considering early
A licence is granted with a rating, and failures in sponsor duties can lead to loss of the licence and affect the workers you employ. Employers often take advice on whether a role qualifies, who should hold key sponsor roles, and how to keep records ready for a compliance visit.
Sources
- GOV.UK: UK visa sponsorship for employers (opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK: Apply for your sponsor licence (opens in a new tab)
General information only, not legal advice. Immigration rules, fees and processing times change; your circumstances need individual consideration.