The usual starting point
Director: “I keep hearing I need a Sponsor Licence. I have no idea what that means. My accountant says it’s too expensive. A rival contractor just hired six welders from South Africa in two months.”
The Sponsor Licence is the entry point - and it is a one-time step, not a recurring one. Once you have it, hiring each additional Skilled Worker is a straightforward CoS assignment in an online portal. The rival contractor who moved fast almost certainly has the licence already in place and is now just processing applications.
The three components of every Skilled Worker hire
What you do (employer)
- Hold an A-rated Sponsor Licence (one-time application)
- Assign a Certificate of Sponsorship per worker in the Sponsor Management System
- Pay the Immigration Skills Charge (£1,000/yr large; £500/yr small)
- Complete Right to Work check before employment begins
- Maintain compliance records and report certain changes to UKVI
What the worker does
- Accept the offer and receive the CoS reference number
- Apply for the Skilled Worker visa online
- Attend biometric enrolment if required
- Travel to UK and start work after Right to Work check
- Apply for ILR after 5 years in eligible status
What your accountant got wrong about the cost
The Sponsor Licence fee is £536 for a small employer (under 50 employees and under £10.2m turnover) or £1,476 for a medium or large employer. That is a one-off cost, not per hire. The per-hire cost is the CoS fee, the visa application fee (paid by the worker or covered by you), and the Immigration Skills Charge (£1,000 per year for a medium or large employer). Compare that to months of programme delay while you wait for domestic candidates who are not coming. The numbers are not difficult.
How fast can this actually move?
| Stage | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Sponsor Licence application | 8–10 weeks (apply before you need a hire) |
| Sourcing and offer | 1–4 weeks with a prepared pool |
| CoS assignment + priority visa | 1 week |
| Travel and Right to Work check | 1 week |
| Total from licence in place to person on site | 3–6 weeks |
Ready to make the first hire?
Recruitroo walks UK construction directors through the Sponsor Licence application, finds the trades you need from verified international pools, and manages the CoS and visa process from start to arrival. One conversation to begin.
Frequently asked questions
Does my company need to be a certain size to get a Sponsor Licence?
No. Any UK-registered business that is genuinely trading can apply. Small firms pay a lower licence fee.
Can I hire multiple trades on the same Sponsor Licence?
Yes. A single Sponsor Licence covers all Skilled Worker hires across all occupations and all your sites, provided the employment is with the same legal entity.
What if a worker I sponsor leaves after four months?
You must report their departure to UKVI within ten working days via the SMS. Their visa lapses once you stop sponsoring them.
This guide is for UK construction employers and reflects Skilled Worker visa rules as of September 2026. Licence fees, processing times and compliance requirements change - check current UKVI guidance or ask Recruitroo before committing to a hire.