Employers & Sponsor Licences

Support for businesses applying for a sponsor licence to recruit skilled workers from overseas, with careful preparation from the outset. We help employers assess eligibility, prepare supporting documents, appoint key personnel and ensure HR systems are ready to meet Home Office sponsor duties.

We assist with:

• Sponsor licence applications
• Business eligibility checks
• Key personnel requirements
• Supporting documents
• HR systems and compliance preparation
• Care, hospitality and construction sponsorship

Advice and support for employers who already hold a sponsor licence and need to remain compliant with Home Office duties. We help businesses manage their sponsor duties, keep accurate records, report changes correctly and identify compliance risks before they become serious problems.

We assist with:

• Sponsor licence compliance
• Record-keeping and reporting duties
• HR compliance systems
• Changes to business structure
• Changes to sponsored workers
• Sponsor licence renewals and compliance reviews

Support with Certificates of Sponsorship and sponsored worker requirements. We help employers assign Certificates of Sponsorship correctly, review salary and role requirements, and deal with Defined CoS, Undefined CoS and SOC code issues before sponsorship begins.

We assist with:

• Certificates of Sponsorship
• Defined and Undefined CoS
• Assigning CoS correctly
• Salary and role checks
• Job description review
• SOC code and Skilled Worker sponsorship issues

Clear advice for employers on right to work checks and illegal working compliance. We help businesses put proper right to work processes in place, complete checks correctly and reduce the risk of civil penalties, employee status issues and Home Office compliance concerns.

We assist with:

• Right to work checks
• Online status and share code checks
• Document checks
• Repeat checks
• Employee status issues
• Civil penalty risk and compliance systems

Preparation and support for employers facing Home Office compliance visits or sponsor licence audits. We help businesses review their records, identify compliance risks, prepare for Home Office visits and respond properly to any concerns raised before or after an audit.

We assist with:

• Home Office audits
• Mock compliance audits
• Audit preparation
• Staff file and HR process reviews
• Responding to Home Office concerns
• Post-audit advice and risk management

Legal support for businesses facing sponsor licence refusals, suspension, revocation or serious Home Office compliance concerns. We help employers understand the issues raised, respond strategically and take urgent action to protect their sponsor licence, sponsored workers and wider business continuity.

We assist with:

• Sponsor licence refusals, suspension and revocation
• Home Office action plans
• Representations to the Home Office
• Urgent compliance advice
• Protecting sponsored workers
• Business continuity planning

Legal support for employers who have received a Home Office civil penalty notice or are facing allegations of illegal working. Maguire Solicitors helps employers review the allegation, assess right to work evidence, respond to Home Office notices and prepare objections or representations where appropriate.

We assist with:

• Civil penalty notices
• Illegal working allegations
• Right to work evidence reviews
• Objections to civil penalties
• Home Office representations
• Penalty reduction and business risk advice