UK is making it easier for businesses to hire skilled foreign workers
UK has announced steps to make it easier for local businesses to hire foreign workers, with the Home Office announcing a major change in the way sponsor licenses are renewed. Effective April 6, the requirement to renew licenses every four years will be abolished, offering significant relief to businesses sponsoring skilled workers from outside the UK.
This development will streamline the process for employers who previously faced the administrative burden and cost associated with periodic renewals. Under the previous system, sponsors were required to submit applications 90 days before the expiry date, incurring fees ranging from £536 to £1,476 depending on their size and charity status. Processing times for renewals could also stretch up to eight weeks.
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Recognizing the challenges and aiming to improve efficiency, the Home Office has opted for a more automated approach. Existing sponsor licenses expiring on or after April 6, 2024, will be automatically extended by ten years, eliminating the need for renewals altogether. Sponsors holding valid licenses within this timeframe are not required to take any action – their licenses are automatically covered by the extension.
The Home Office has said it will contact sponsors who have already initiated the renewal process to arrange the refund of their application fee. To verify their license expiry date, sponsors can access the «License Summary» section within the online Sponsorship Management System (SMS).
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