The starting point for most dealer principals
Three vacant technician bays for four months. Done Deal, AutoTrader Jobs and the manufacturer recruitment portal between them. Two CVs. Someone at the dealer council mentions they hired from South Africa and had technicians in the workshop in three weeks.
Here is what that looks like in practice. It is five steps and a compliance obligation, not a legal maze.
Step one: Get the Sponsor Licence
You cannot assign a Certificate of Sponsorship without an A-rated Sponsor Licence from the Home Office. Applications take eight to ten weeks. The fee is £536 for a small employer (under 50 employees and under £10.2m turnover) or £1,476 for medium and large. Apply before you have a vacancy, not when you already need someone. If your group has multiple sites under one company, one licence covers them all.
Step two: Sort the salary
The Skilled Worker minimum is £41,700 basic from April 2025. Flat-rate pay structures need careful review: if technicians earn flat-rate and some weeks fall below the threshold, you need a basic pay guarantee that clears £41,700 annualised. The salary on the employment contract and the CoS must match. See our UK salary threshold guide for the full rules.
Step three: Source and screen
MERSETA-qualified South African motor vehicle technicians with brand-specific experience are the standard sourcing target for UK dealer groups. Ask for the trade test certificate, a list of OEM diagnostic systems worked on, and the main franchise brands in the candidate’s current employer. A structured technical screening call (thirty minutes, practical questions about a real diagnostic scenario) closes the gap between CV and capability.
Step four: Assign the CoS and apply
Once the offer is signed and the employment contract is ready, your Level 1 User assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship in the Sponsor Management System. The worker then applies for a Skilled Worker visa online. Priority processing costs £500 and returns a decision in five working days. Standard processing takes approximately eight weeks.
Step five: Right to Work check and arrival
Arrival checklist
Total timeline from Sponsor Licence in place to a technician in your workshop: three to four weeks, using priority processing.
Ready to hire your first UK Skilled Worker technician?
Recruitroo manages UK dealer group technician hires from Sponsor Licence support through to arrival logistics. The process is significantly simpler than most dealer principals expect.
Frequently asked questions
Does each dealership site need its own Sponsor Licence?
No. A single Sponsor Licence covers all sites under the same company registration. If your sites trade under different legal entities, each needs its own licence.
Can a technician switch to another dealer group after arriving?
Yes - a Skilled Worker can change sponsors, but they need a new CoS from the new sponsor and must apply to switch status. This is not automatic; it requires a new visa application.
What if the technician leaves before the visa expires?
You must report their departure to UKVI within ten working days via the SMS. Failure to report is a compliance breach that can affect your licence.
This guide reflects UK Skilled Worker visa rules for the automotive sector as of September 2026. Processing times, fees and compliance requirements change - check current UKVI guidance or ask Recruitroo before committing to a hire.