Workers and Temporary Workers: guidance for sponsors part 3: sponsor duties and compliance

The guidance has been updated to reflect the closure of the trial Sponsor UK service for Government Authorised Exchange sponsors, the introduction of Part Suitability of the Immigration Rules from 11 November 2025 and the closure of the premium customer service.

Updated the guidance in line with the Immigration Rules changes coming into effect on 9 April 2025. More details of the changes can be found within the guidance.

The guidance has been updated to reflect a commitment given in the Written Ministerial Statement of 28 November 2024 to prohibit the passing on of Skilled Worker sponsor licence or Certificate of Sponsorship fees to sponsored workers by the end of 2024, and to prohibit sponsors from sponsoring workers in a personal capacity. A full list of changes can be found in the guidance.

Changes to the guidance to reflect the initial phase of the new sponsorship service for selected Government Authorised Exchange sponsors, and to make some other minor amendments and clarifications.

Updated the guidance to clarify reporting requirements on hybrid and remote working, include details of revised reporting requirements for offshore workers, and advise sponsors whose licences are due to expire on or after 6 April 2024 they no longer need to apply to renew their licence.

Accessible version added.

The guidance has been updated to provide important clarifications on sponsor reporting duties; to introduce a new reporting duty for sponsors of offshore workers; and to make other minor amendments and clarifications.

Added accessible HTML version.

Guidance has been updated to reflect the introduction of the new Scale-up route and the inclusion of the poultry sector on the Seasonal Worker; to make express provision for digital compliance inspections; and to make some other minor changes.

Added accessible version.

Updated guidance to reflect the introduction of the new Global Business Mobility routes.

Guidance updated with the following changes: C8.10, C9.17: clarification in both paragraphs to explain while decision letters can be sent by email, hard copies are available at request; Annex C1 (jj) has been amended to remove references to poultry which is no longer provided for under the Seasonal Worker route - the use of ‘edible horticulture’ in this section has been expanded to ‘horticulture’ to account for the inclusion of ornamental horticulture in the route; other minor housekeeping changes.

Guidance updated with the following changes: C1.12, fourth bullet point, final sub-bullet point: duplicate “is” deleted; C10.12, C10.14: final sentence of both paragraphs deleted and incorporated into new paragraph C10.15; C10.15: new paragraph explaining how we will notify sponsored workers if their sponsor has had its licence revoked; subsequent paragraphs in this section renumbered accordingly; other minor housekeeping changes.

Updated Annex C1 to include reference to seasonal workers sponsored in the pork butchery sector.

Guidance updated to reflect introduction of new International Sportsperson and Creative Worker routes, rebranding of other T5 (Temporary Worker) routes, and temporary changes to the Seasonal Worker route.

Updated guidance with various changes, including information to advise sponsors of their duties in relation to the ATAS requirement, which comes into force on 21 May 2021.

Added accessible version.

First published.