Representation against downgrading/suspension/revocation of a Sponsor Licence

Once a business is granted with a Sponsor Licence, they will automatically receive an A-rating. This is the highest rating afford to businesses that hold a Sponsor Licence. If you are found by a UKVI Compliance Officer to be in serious breach of your Sponsor Licence duties and compliance obligations, your licence is likely to either be downgraded to a B-rating, suspended or in very serious circumstances, revoked.

If your licence is downgraded to a B-rating this means UKVI Compliance Officers are not satisfied you are fully able to comply with your sponsorship duties but can satisfy UKVI you have the ability to fix any gaps in your HR processes. If you are downgraded to a B-rating you will have to comply with a time-limited action plan and pay a fee. During this period, you will not be allowed to hire any new workers. Failure to comply with the action plan will lead to revocation of your licence.

In the event your licence is revoked, the effect of your licence will be immediate and any sponsored workers will have their leave curtailed to 60 days. This means those workers will need to find an alternative immigration route to switch into or leave the UK if unsuccessfully during this period. This can have a damaging effect on the current employees and the business itself.

At Edwin Coe, we assist and represent Sponsors who are either facing downgrading, suspension or revocation of their licence. We ensure that the necessary steps are taken to find appropriate solutions to the issues at hand to avoid any further sanctions given by the Home Office.