Home Office proposes changes for UK Sponsors

Following the implementation of the new points-based system for UK sponsors, the Home Office has published a white paper detailing their proposed plan and timeline for the roll-out of the delivery of the forthcoming changes to the sponsorship process.

The greater purpose behind these changes is to streamline, modernise, and simplify the UK’s immigration system, with the Home Office pledging to deliver a sponsorship system which will enable UK employers to “have an overseas worker ready to start work faster than in any other G20 country.”

The Office of National Statistics has reported an increase of 9% in the number of organisations on the register of work sponsors, with 33,952 organisations being listed on the register as of March 2021. This number will only increase, in large part due to the closing of the EU Settlement Scheme, and as a result new entrant EU nationals are now requiring sponsorship/other immigration permission to work in the UK.

In their white paper, the Home Office takes credit for the successful incorporation of reforms which they claim have already reduced the length of the sponsorship process for the recruitment of overseas workers by eight weeks. Reforms listed include the scrapping of the Resident Labour Market Test (RLMT), suspending the cap on Skilled Workers, and transforming the sponsor licence application process to be completely digital and fully paperless.

2021 rules for sponsor licence

The ‘Chip Checker’ service has been introduced for eligible EEA nationals applying through the points-based system allowing them to forego a biometric enrolment appointment if they have a chipped biometric passport, enabling them to prove and verify their identity from the comfort of their own home.

The Post-Licence priority service team, available (for a fee) to existing sponsors looking to make or report a change to their licence, has doubled their daily cap of accepted requests from 30 to 60 per working day.

There is now a Pre-Licence priority service available to businesses who have applied for a sponsor licence and wish to expedite the standard 8-week processing time. For an additional £500 fee, sponsor applicants may expedite the consideration period so that the Home Office provides a decision within 10 working days of the Pre-Licence priority service request being accepted.

With any improvements to a system, there are inevitable glitches. For example, the Pre-Licence priority service accepts a maximum of 10 requests per working day on a first come, first serve basis. With the significant increase in the number of sponsor licence applications, many organisations are unable to benefit from this expedited service due to the daily cap of 10 requests, meaning they are forced to wait up to two months to progress with onboarding their migrant candidates.