As part of the Spring immigration law updates, the Home Office has announced a significant and welcome change for UK businesses employing overseas workers.

🔹 Effective 6 April 2024, sponsor licences no longer need to be renewed.

Previously, a Skilled Worker sponsor licence was granted for a 4-year period, after which businesses had to actively apply for renewal to continue sponsoring migrant workers. This process not only involved time and paperwork but also an additional cost.

❌ As of April 2024:

• Licences no longer have an expiry date
• If your sponsor licence was due to expire on or after 6 April 2024, it has been automatically extended
• UKVI will not charge a renewal fee anymore
• You will not be required to take any action to benefit from this change

✅ What does this mean for sponsors?

• Less admin: No more tracking renewal deadlines or preparing for re-approval
• Cost savings: Sponsors save on renewal fees, which were previously £536 for small businesses and charities and £1,476 for medium/large sponsors
• Continuity: Your ability to sponsor workers continues uninterrupted without needing to reapply

However, this does not mean that compliance is no longer important.

UKVI can still audit and revoke a licence if there is non-compliance with sponsor duties. Sponsors must continue to:

• Keep accurate and up-to-date HR records
• Report changes via the Sponsorship Management System (SMS)
• Follow all sponsor responsibilities under the rules

📌 If your licence was due to expire before 6 April 2024 and you didn’t renew in time, you may still have lapsed and should seek advice urgently.

At Afsar Williams Solicitors, we help businesses stay compliant and navigate UK immigration law confidently. If you’re unsure how these changes affect you or your sponsorship duties, we’re here to help.