If you employ overseas workers, your sponsor licence is business-critical — and the Home Office can visit, often with little notice. Losing it can mean losing your workforce. Here's what UKVI checks, so you can be ready before they knock.
- Right-to-work checks must be compliant and done before the worker starts.
- Appendix D records must be complete for every sponsored worker.
- Report changes on the SMS within the required timescales.
- Each role must be a genuine vacancy at the correct skill and salary level.
Right to work & key personnel
UKVI checks you complete and retain compliant right-to-work checks (share codes / IDVT) for every worker before they start, and that your key personnel — Authorising Officer, Key Contact and Level 1 User — are named, suitable and your SMS access is current.
Records (Appendix D) & reporting
You must hold the documents Appendix D requires for each sponsored worker — contact details, contracts, recruitment evidence, and a record you've informed each worker of their UK employment rights — and report reportable events on the SMS within the required timescales (typically 10 or 20 working days).
Genuine vacancy & monitoring
Each sponsored role must be a genuine vacancy at the required skill level (now RQF Level 6) and at or above the relevant going rate / salary threshold, with evidence retained. You must monitor visa expiry, attendance and work location. Salary thresholds and English-language rules change regularly — always check the current Home Office figures.
Be ready before the visit
Treat your sponsor duties like an audit you could face any time. Start with our free sponsor licence self-check to score your readiness and find your biggest gaps — then fix them before a visit, not after.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice do they give?
Visits can be announced or unannounced. Be ready at all times.
What happens if I fail?
Your licence can be downgraded, suspended or revoked, affecting your sponsored workers' visas.
What's the fastest thing to fix?
Right-to-work checks and Appendix D record-keeping.