The necessity for Sponsor Licence holders to renew their licence every 4 years or pay a renewal fee has been removed as of April 6, 2024. Instead, the Home Office has extended the validity of all sponsor licences by 10 years.

This change applies to all sponsor licences set to expire on or after April 6, 2024, not just to new licences issued after this date. Sponsors do not need to take any action as the expiration date will be automatically extended.

However, sponsors should be aware that the Home Office is currently conducting compliance checks, both announced and unannounced.

If UKVI compliance officers have concerns about a sponsor's conduct, they may downgrade or revoke the licence.

Therefore, sponsors must ensure that their record-keeping and HR systems are adequate to comply with sponsor licence requirements in case of an audit.