Government Announces End To Sponsor Licence Renewals

Sponsor Licences Extended For Ten Years

From 6 April 2024, employers holding sponsor licences to employ migrant workers will no longer need to renew their licence every four years. Any sponsor licences dues to expire on or after 6 April 2024 will not need renewing. The licence will be automatically extended by ten years.

This is good news for employers. Sponsors currently have to renew their licence every four years and pay a renewal fee. It is easy to forget to do this and lose the licence, resulting in migrant workers losing their permission to work in the UK. 

Remember Home Office Audits

However this development does not mean that employers should become complacent about their licences. The Home Office is continuing to carry out audits to check that sponsors are complying with their responsibilities to keep good HR records and systems that are up to date. The Home Office might warn the employer that an audit is about to take place, however the audits can be unannounced.

One Less Bureaucratic Burden

If the Home Office is not happy with the audit results, it can revoke a licence which, again will lead to migrant workers losing their permission to work in the UK and can be catastrophic for the employer. Nevertheless, the extension of the Sponsor Licence is one less bureaucratic burden for organisations employing migrant workers. But remember it does not remove the responsibilities that come with holding a sponsor licence.