Business immigration in the UK

Sponsor licences, hiring from overseas and the routes a business can use.

Checked against gov.uk on 27 Oct 2026

Who this is for: Employers who want to hire from outside the UK, and founders planning a UK business.

Business immigration is the part of the UK system that employers and founders deal with. It covers how a UK business gets permission to hire people from outside the UK, and how a founder can come to the UK to start a company.

Per gov.uk, you usually need a sponsor licence to employ someone from outside the UK. The licence comes in two types. A Worker licence covers longer-term skilled roles, including the Skilled Worker and Senior or Specialist Worker routes. A Temporary Worker licence covers shorter roles such as UK Expansion Worker, Graduate Trainee, Secondment and Service Supplier. A business can hold one or both.

A licence does not guarantee that any worker gets a visa. Each worker still applies on their own, and the job has to meet the rules of the route. Once you hold a licence you take on duties: checking right to work, keeping records, reporting changes and tracking your sponsored staff. Breaking them can lead to a downgrade, suspension or loss of the licence.

If you are a founder rather than an employer, the Innovator Founder route is the usual starting point, and it needs an endorsement before you apply.

Key points

  • You usually need a sponsor licence before you can hire someone from outside the UK.
  • There are two licence types, Worker and Temporary Worker. You can apply for either or both.
  • An A-rated licence lets you assign certificates of sponsorship and puts you on the register of licensed sponsors.
  • You must name an authorising officer, a key contact and a level 1 user, and suitability checks apply to them.
  • Most licence decisions take under 8 weeks per gov.uk, and the Home Office may visit your business.
  • Sponsor duties continue after you hold the licence. Keep records and report changes on time.
  • Irish citizens and people with settled status, pre-settled status or indefinite leave to remain do not need sponsorship.

Typical order of events

  1. Before you applyDecide which roles you will sponsor and pick the licence type that fits.
  2. Set upAppoint your authorising officer, key contact and level 1 user.
  3. ApplicationApply online, send the supporting documents and pay the fee.
  4. DecisionWait for the Home Office decision. A visit to your business is possible.
  5. After the licenceAssign certificates of sponsorship to suitable roles, then keep records and report changes.

General information only. This page does not say whether you qualify for anything, and rules change, so check the linked gov.uk pages. For advice on your own case, use an IAA-registered adviser or a solicitor.