What happens if you lose your visa sponsor licence?

sponsor licence problems in the UK

• If your visa sponsor licence in the UK loses their license (i.e. has their sponsor licence revoked), for whatever reason, you will likely have to stop working at your job and exit the country.
• In the event of sponsorship license revocation, the only way to avoid having to leave the country is to apply for a new visa that allows you to remain legally in the UK (for example, you could apply for a new sponsor employee visa in the UK, via a different sponsor).
•  Whether you are able to do this successfully is based on where you are when the sponsor licence is revoked, or another similar event occurs.
• If you are outside of the UK, it is unlikely that you will be able to apply for a new visa If your employer experiences a sponsor licence revocation.

In addition to sponsor licence revocation, your UK immigration status could be negatively impacted if your sponsor experiences one of the following events:

1. Suspension of their license.
2. Failure to renew their license.
3. Business or company takeover.

If you are in the U.K. when one of the above 3 events occurs, the following will happen:

1. Your sponsor licence certificate will be invalidated.
2. You must stop working at your job.
3. Whatever time is left on the visa you are on currently will be reduced to a maximum of 60 days, or however much time remains on your visa (if less than 60 days).

In order to remain in the UK, you must apply for a new visa (such as a new sponsor employee visa in the UK)and receive it within the time remaining to you (either 60 days or less). Failure to do so will almost certainly result in you being forced to exit the country.

• You will not be eligible to apply for a new sponsor employee visa in UK (or likely any other type of visa) if you were in involved in your original sponsored losing their license.
• If you were involved in this in any way, any in-process application you have lodged will be cancelled and you will be forced to instantly exit the country. 

If your sponsor’s license is suspended

In the event your sponsor’s license is suspended, the following will occur depending on where you are and whether or not you were already working when it was suspended:

• If you are already in the UK but are not yet working:
  • You may begin working.
• If you are already working in the UK:
  • You may continue working.
• If you submitted a visa-extension application:
  • Your application will be processed only when the suspension is lifted. In the event that the sponsor licence is revoked, your application will be cancelled.

If you are not in the UK

You should check online at the official UK visa sponsorship for employees register prior to travelling. If your sponsor is unlisted, their license has likely been either suspended or withdrawn, and you will almost certainly be refused entry to the U.K. if you attempt to enter on your sponsor employee visa for UK.

Your sponsor loses their license (i.e. has their sponsor licence revoked)

• If you have applied for a visa:
  • It will be refused.
• If you have received a visa but have not yet entered the UK:
  • Your visa will be revoked, and you will be prevented from entering the UK.

Your sponsor’s license is suspended

• If you have applied for a sponsor licence visa in UK:
  • Your application will be held until the suspension is lifted.
• If you have received a visa but have not yet entered the UK:
  • UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) will contact you with further information.

Your sponsor’s business is taken over or they fail to renew their license

• If your employer fails to renew their license or your new employer fails to apply for a sponsor licence in 28 days (in the event that your old employer’s business is taken over), the following will occur:
  • Whatever visa you are on currently will be reduced to a maximum of 60 days, or however much time remains on your visa (if less than 60 days).
  • In order to remain in the UK, you must apply for a new visa and receive it within the time remaining to you (either 60 days or less). Failure to do so will result in you being forced to leave the country.
  • If you are outside the UK: Your visa will be withdrawn, and you will be prevented from entering the UK.  

How to sponsor employee visa

If you are an employer looking for information about how to obtain a sponsor employee visa in the UK, explore our section on UK visa sponsorship for employees.

More info:

For more information about UK immigration issues, including applying for a working visa in the UK, and for general immigration advice, click here.