Types of Sponsor Licence

When it comes to choosing a sponsor licence, the licence you need is dependent on whether the workers you intend to recruit are:

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• Workers – this is for skilled or long-term employment
• Temporary workers – this is for specific types of temporary employment

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As a UK employer, you can apply for a licence which covers one or both types of the above workers.

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Worker Licence

A ‘worker licence’ is required for the following:

• Skilled Worker visa – this role must comply with the job suitability requirements
• GBM Senior or Specialist Worker visa – this was previously known as the Intra-company Transfer visa and is used by multinational companies that need to transfer established employees into the UK (Global Business Mobility)
• International Sportsperson – this is for elite sportspeople and coaches who will primarily be based within the UK
• Minister of Religion – this is for individuals coming into the UK to work for a religious organisation

Temporary Worker Licence

A ‘temporary worker licence’ is required for sponsoring candidates in the following categories:

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• Scale-up Worker – this is for individuals that have been offered employment in fast-growing UK businesses 
• Charity Worker – this is for unpaid employees to work at a charity (this is valid for up to 1 year)
• Religious Worker – this is for individuals working in a religious organisation (this is valid for up to 2 years)
• Government Authorised Exchange – this can include candidates that are coming for work experience (valid for up to 1 year.) It can also include research projects or training, e.g. practical scientific or medical training (this is valid for up to 2 years) in order to enable an exchange of knowledge on a short-term basis
• Creative Worker – this is for a candidate to work in the creative industry, which can include an entertainer or artist (this is valid for up to 2 years)
• International Agreement – this is for a worker coming to do a job that is covered under international law, e.g. employees of overseas governing bodies
• Graduate Trainee (Global Business Mobility) – this is for candidates that intend to transfer to the UK branch of their employer as part of their graduate training programme
• Service Supplier (Global Business Mobility) – this is for workers that have obtained a contract to provide services for a UK company (this is valid for 6-12 months) – this is for workers that have been given a contact that allows them to provide services for a UK company (this is valid for 6-12 months)
• UK Expansion Worker (Global Business Mobility) - this is for employees that have been sent to the UK in order to either set up a branch or a subsidiary of an overseas company
• Secondment Worker (Global Business Mobility) – this is for workers that are in the process of transferring from overseas to work for a separate UK business – this is generally as part of a high-value contract
• Seasonal Worker – this allows individuals to come into the UK in order to work in horticulture (common examples include fruit or vegetable picking, or farm work.) This visa is generally valid for up to 6 months – however, poultry work is valid from the 18^th October – 31^st December each year.

For a scale-up worker, the sponsorship responsibilities as a UK employer will end 6 months after the worker gets permission to either come to or stay in the UK.

Once this time period ends, a scale-up worker can do either of the following for the duration of their visa:

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• They can continue to work for you without getting a new certificate of sponsorship
• They can change jobs without getting a new sponsor

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Need Assistance? Get in Touch

We know it can feel like an overwhelming and time consuming process, which is why we are here to help!  At Borderless, our platform and dedicated team of experts streamline the sponsor licence application process and can ensure a smooth and simple process for sponsoring overseas workers in both worker visas and temporary worker visas.  

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Get your sponsor licence through Borderless and experience the benefits: 

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🚀 Simplified Process: Your sponsor licence approved in just 4 simple steps.

🚀 Save Money: Don't use an expensive alternative for application assistance.

🚀 Save Time: Our team will review, enhance and submit your application to the Home Office on your behalf, managing the entire process to ensure it's granted.