UK Home Office Compliance Visit

A Home Office sponsor compliance visit is an audit visit conducted by a Home Office official to a UK organisation that is sponsoring non-UK workers. A Home Office visit can happen before and after the organisation obtains a sponsor licence.

Why does the Home Office conduct a compliance Visit?

The purpose of the Home Office compliance visit is to ensure that the organisation is complying with its obligations as a sponsor and that sponsored employees are working in the sponsored company under their permitted stay.

How Home office Compliance visit works

Normally, organisations are given advance notice by the Home Office before a compliance visit occurs. This notification is usually sent by email to the designated key contact or Authorising Officer.

During the Home Office compliance visit, the Home Office official may ask to see the organisation's HR documents and processes related to their sponsorship duties, such as employee records, evidence of right-to-work checks, attendance records, and employment contracts. They may also ask to speak with sponsored employees to verify immigration compliance.

Pre-licence Home Office visit

Pre-licence compliance visit refers to the process of ensuring that an organisation meets the necessary requirements to obtain a sponsor licence.

During the pre-licence stage, the Home Office will review the organisation’s sponsor licence application and may conduct a compliance visit before making a decision on the sponsor licence application.

The organisation must demonstrate that they are genuine businesses operating legally in the UK and have robust HR systems in place to comply with sponsor duties.

Failure to comply with the requirements set out by the Home Office can result in a refusal to grant a sponsor licence.

Post-licence home office visit

Post-licence compliance refers to the ongoing obligations and responsibilities that an organisation must comply with after obtaining a sponsor licence from the Home Office.

Once an organisation is granted a sponsor licence, they are required to continue to meet the eligibility criteria and comply with the obligations set out by the Home Office. This includes factors such as ensuring that sponsored workers have the right to work in the UK, keeping up-to-date records of sponsored employees, and reporting any changes or updates to the Home Office.

To ensure compliance, organisations must have a robust HR systems in place to monitor and manage their sponsored employees. This includes regular record-keeping and reporting to the Home Office, conducting right-to-work checks, and complying with any other relevant immigration regulations.

Our Home Office Visit Services

We offer comprehensive Home Office Visit services to help you through the immigration process. Our experienced team will work with you to ensure that all necessary documents and information are prepared in advance of the visit, and we will provide guidance and support throughout the process. We specialise in a wide range of immigration cases, including family visas, work visas, and citizenship applications.

Our team can help you prepare for the visit by providing guidance on what to expect and helping you gather the required documents. 

Choose WorkPermitCloud to prepare for your home office compliance visits

WorkPermitClous has extensive experience with the Home Office Visit process and we are committed to provide exceptional service to our clients. We have successfully assisted over 1000 clients in preparing their HR files to ensure confidence during home office visits, resulting in the successful granting of their sponsor licence. We understand the stress and anxiety that can come with the immigration process, and we are dedicated to making the process as smooth and stress-free as possible. Our team is highly knowledgeable and responsive, and we take pride in our track record of success in helping clients achieve their immigration goals.

If you have questions about our Home Office Visit services or would like to schedule a consultation, please don't hesitate to contact us. Our team is available to answer your questions and provide support throughout the immigration compliance process.

Why do sponsor licence holders need to stay compliant?

It is required by the Home Office that sponsor licence holders must comply with all sponsor duties. Failure of compliance may result in fines for up to £20,000 per illegal worker, sponsor licence downgrade to a B-rating, sponsor licence suspension or revocation.

What are the sponsor duties?

Once an UK organisation granted a sponsor licence, sponsors must follow their sponsor duties to maintain their sponsor licence, including: Keeping up-to-date records of sponsored workers and their immigration status Reporting any changes to the worker's employment or circumstances to the Home Office Complying with the law on preventing illegal working Co-operating with the Home Office in any compliance checks or audits

What is sponsor licence compliance?

A sponsor licence compliance is a set of rules and regulations that UK organisations must follow when sponsoring non-British nationals to work in the country. These rules are set by the UK Home Office and are designed to ensure that sponsorship licence holders are operating in compliance with the regulations and are fulfilling their sponsor duties.

What documents are needed for a UK sponsorship licence?

For a UK sponsor license, you'll need to provide documentation of your company's registration, the identities of key employees, proof that you need migrant workers, HR policies and procedures, and proof that you can track and monitor them. In the course of the application procedure, the Home Office may also require supplementary paperwork.

What are the requirements of a sponsor licence in the UK?

Having a legal business, demonstrating the need for migrant workers, putting in place acceptable HR and compliance procedures, and pledging to follow the sponsor duties outlined by the Home Office are all prerequisites for obtaining a sponsor license in the UK.

How long does a UK sponsor licence last?

The duration of a UK sponsor license is four years. However if the Home Office determines that the group is not upholding its sponsorship obligations or if the organization is discovered to be engaging in any illegal activity, it may be revoked at any moment.

How long does it take to get a sponsor licence in the UK?

Application completion and case complexity are two variables that can affect how quickly a sponsor license application is processed in the UK. Nevertheless, it usually takes 8 weeks to process an order.

How do you become a licenced sponsor in the UK?

An organization must submit an online application form to the Home Office along with a fee in order to become a licensed sponsor in the UK. The firm must prove during the application process that it is an actual company, that it has a genuine need for migrant labor, and that it has sufficient HR and compliance processes in place.

What is a sponsor licence in the UK?

An organization can sponsor foreign workers to come and work for them in the UK if it has a sponsor licence, which is approval from the UK government. When hiring qualified workers from outside the UK, firms must get a sponsor license from the Home Office.