The UK government has revoked record numbers of sponsor licences this past year, more than twice the previous year’s total. While many of these revocations are due to rogue employers purposefully exploiting the system, there have been instances of well-meaning businesses that have not kept up to date with the latest regulations, losing their licenses as well.
In this article, we will discuss what you need to do as an employer to ensure that you keep hold of your sponsor licence.
1. Understand and Follow Sponsor Duties
Many compliance issues that arise in Skilled Worker sponsorship stem from a misunderstanding of the requirements and restrictions.
The core sponsor duties include:
- Record-keeping. This is one of the most frequently cited grounds for licence revocation. You must keep accurate records of your sponsored workers, including:
- Contact details
- Employment details
- Right to work checks
- Attendance and absence
- Any changes to role, salary or place of work
- Reporting. Not reporting things like a termination of employment, changes of address, etc, can mean that your licence gets revoked.
- Right to work checks. There have been a number of instances where licences have been revoked because of inadequate right to work checks, so it is important that you – and your hiring managers – understand what is required of you as an employer.
- Ensuring genuine vacancies. Hiring workers who do not meet the required criteria or issuing the wrong type of Certificate of Sponsorship for roles can mean that your business is not meeting the genuine vacancy requirement.
Businesses should familiarise themselves with the Sponsor Guidance and stay updated as rules evolve.
2. Establish Robust HR And Compliance Systems
Protect your business from sponsorship licence revocation with processes and systems that ensure compliance from the get-go. Training your key hiring and managing personnel to ensure that they fully understand their duties and responsibilities, and using a sponsorship management system (whether manual or software-based) are two strategies to implement as standard.
3. Conduct Regular Compliance Audits
Get ahead of the Home Office and carry out your own internal audits. This way, you will identify any weaknesses before anyone else does. You should review all of the core sponsor duties and compare them to current sponsorship regulations to make sure that you’re compliant.
Periodic audits ensure proactive corrections, keeping you audit-ready for any unannounced Home Office visits. You can enhance your readiness by working with immigration advisors like Holmes & Partners, who have the expertise and experience to ensure you are fully compliant.
Seek Professional Support With Holmes & Partners
Immigration laws and Home Office guidance evolve all the time, and can be complex to get your head around – especially if you are already busy running your business. Expert guidance will reduce the risk of getting it wrong, ensuring that your business stays ahead of regulatory changes.
Our expert team of immigration consultants will help you navigate the sponsor licence process and maintain continuous compliance, allowing you to focus on the day-to-day of your business. Get in touch with us today.
