This version replaces version 11/25 (published on 11 November 2025). The changes are detailed within the guidance.

The following changes have been made: clarification that when conducting an online right to work check, sponsors must use the ‘check a job applicant’s right to work’ service; updated to reflect the continuing roll-out of eVisas and phasing out of vignettes; further clarification of how to check a worker’s date of entry where the worker doesn’t have an entry stamp in their passport; minor drafting amendment to reflect the closure of the Sponsor UK service; other minor housekeeping changes.

This guidance replaces version 05/25 (published on 29 May 2025). Details of the changes can be found within the document.

The guidance has been renamed and now covers only the Worker and Temporary Worker routes. Guidance on record-keeping duties for Student sponsors is now contained in the Student sponsor guidance. A full list of changes is in the 'changes to this guidance' section.

This guidance has been updated to reflect changes to the Immigration Rules coming into effect on 9 April 2025.

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.

Added Scale-up to the list of Temporary Worker routes and updated requirements for Creative Workers.

Updated to reflect the introduction of the new Global Business Mobility routes, and other changes as detailed within.

Guidance updated with the following changes: Part 1, paragraph c: minor amendments to reflect the introduction of eVisas (a digital version of their immigration status information) for Skilled Workers; Part 5, paragraph a: amendments to reflect the introduction of eVisas (a digital version of their immigration status information) for Students other than EEA nationals; other minor housekeeping changes. Added HTML accessible version.

Guidance has been updated to reflect changes to the Immigration Rules coming into effect on 11 October, including the introduction of the International Sportsperson and Creative Worker routes and the rebranding of the T5 (Temporary Worker) routes, and to make other minor changes.

Updated guidance to reflect record-keeping duties for sponsors in respect of the ATAS requirement coming into force on 21 May 2021.

Updated to provide further clarity to sponsors on their record-keeping duties in respect of recruitment activity. Full details of updates are in the document under "changes from the last version of this guidance".

Updated guidance includes clarifications on record-keeping duties for sponsors.

Updated guidance to reflect changes in Immigration Rules coming into force on 1 Dec.

Updated guidance.

Minor clarifications

Updated appendix D.

The guidance has been placed into a new template and revised throughout.

Updated guidance.

Updated guidance for use on or after 11 January 2018.

Updated guidance for use on or after 24 November.

Updated guidance.

Updated guidance.

Updated guidance.

Updated guidance.

New version of guidance.

First published.