Downgrading or revocation of a licence

A sponsor licence in Workers and Temporary Workers routes may be suspended, downgraded (unless it is a Provisional licence in the Global Business Mobility—UK Expansion Worker route), or revoked in certain circumstances. The Home Office may also reduce the number of Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) available to a sponsor, including reducing the number to zero.

The purpose of taking the above actions is to limit or stop threats to immigration control that may be posed by a sponsor that is not fully complying with its obligations as a sponsor.

The licensing regime for Workers and Temporary Workers sponsors is not detailed in the Immigration Rules, and in considering whether to take any of the above actions, the Home Office will be informed by the requirements and procedures contained in the Sponsor Guidance. The Sponsor Guidance has been revised regularly since 2008, when it was first published in relation to the pre-Brexit Points-Based System. Over that time, the general trend of the revisions has been to tighten the obligations of sponsors and to expand the circumstances under which the Home

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

Powered by Lexis+®
Latest Immigration News

Home Office announces EU Entry-Exit System implementation for British travellers

The Home Office has announced that the European Union's Entry-Exit System (EES) commenced on 12 October 2025, requiring British passport holders to register biometrically on their first visit to Schengen area countries. The system mandates non-EU citizens to scan passports and provide fingerprints and photographs at EU borders, with registration valid for three years or until passport expiry. Implementation will be phased over six months until April 2026, with varying requirements across different ports during this period. Those travelling to Schengen area countries do not need to take any action before travelling and the process is free of charge. The EES has been introduced to replace passport stamping for all non-EU citizens and applies to Schengen area countries including Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, but excludes Ireland and Cyprus. British citizens with Withdrawal Agreement residence documents and UK-EU dual citizens using EU passports are exempt from the requirements. On exit, and for subsequent visits to a participating country, travellers will only need to scan their passport and provide either fingerprints or a photograph at the border. Children under 12 will not be fingerprinted but as per the new EU rules, all travellers, including babies, will be photographed and have digital records created. The government has provided £10.5m in funding for border infrastructure at juxtaposed ports including Eurostar at St Pancras, Eurotunnel at Folkestone and the Port of Dover, where processing will occur before departure from the UK.

View Immigration by content type :

Popular documents