Home Office Workers and Temporary Workers Sponsor Guidance Part 3
UK Sponsor Licence Compliance Guide
An exhaustive statutory compliance guide for UK employers maintaining Skilled Worker and Worker Sponsor Licences under Home Office UKVI audit standards.
Home Office Sponsor Duties & Legal Requirements
Sponsorship Management System (SMS) Compliance
Holding a UK Sponsor Licence is a legal privilege governed by the Home Office Sponsor Guidance for Workers and Temporary Workers.
Sponsors must fulfill five core duties: 1. Reporting duties via SMS within 10 working days, 2. Record-keeping duties (Appendix D), 3. Complying with UK immigration laws, 4. Genuine vacancy compliance, and 5. Cooperating with unannounced UKVI compliance audits.
Statutory Compliance Metrics:
| SMS Reporting Deadline | 10 Working Days |
| Unexplained Absence Cap | 10 Consecutive Days |
| Record Retention | Appendix D (1 Year / Audit) |
| Level 1 User Requirement | At Least 1 UK-based User |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Under Home Office Sponsor Guidance Part 3, sponsors must report key worker events (such as unauthorised absence exceeding 10 consecutive working days, employment termination, or salary/role changes) within 10 working days via the Sponsorship Management System (SMS).
Every licensed sponsor must appoint four Key Personnel roles: 1. Authorising Officer (senior responsible officer), 2. Key Contact (main liaison with UKVI), 3. Level 1 User (day-to-day SMS administrator), and optional Level 2 Users.
If a licence is revoked, the employer can no longer sponsor workers and existing sponsored employees have their visas curtailed to 60 days unless they find a new sponsor or switch visa categories.