The Home Office updated the pre-licence priority service guidance on 22 November 2024.

The Home Office updated the Worker and Temporary Worker: priority change of circumstance service guidance on 21 November 2024.

Priority service improvements for sponsor licence applications

One of the main reasons for making a sponsor licence application is so that businesses can fill skills gaps with overseas talent. A processing delay can result in missed opportunities, project setbacks, and potential financial losses. Therefore, businesses are keen to ensure that their sponsor licence applications are processed as swiftly as possible to enhance their ability to respond to market demands and mitigate these risks.

The standard processing time for a straightforward sponsor licence application is 8 weeks. The priority service reduces this to 10 working days. Previously, only 30 applications could be expedited per day, with email requests accepted between 9:00am and 11:59pm, Monday to Friday. The process was highly competitive, often requiring multiple attempts to secure a slot.

The removal of a daily cap isn’t expressly confirmed in the guidance, but reference to the cap has been removed. The change suggests that more businesses can apply for a sponsor licence using the priority service and benefit from the faster turnaround time.

Priority service improvements for sponsor change of circumstances

Having a sponsor licence means taking on a direct responsibility for immigration compliance and compliance with wider UK law. In exchange for being entrusted with the ability to sponsor workers, the Home Office expects to be informed when there is a sponsor change of circumstances.   

The priority service enables sponsors to fast-track critical actions that might otherwise face delays of up to 18 weeks. For a £200 fee per request, eligible actions include:

• Updating organisational details
• Replacing key personnel on the licence
• Requesting additional Certificates of Sponsorship

Under the priority service, the Home Office aims to process these requests within 5 working days of payment, helping sponsors avoid disruptions to visa applications and maintain compliance.

Unfortunately, the Home Office hasn’t removed the daily cap on email requests per day, but they have increased the number of slots from 60 to 100. They have also elongated the operating hours from 9:00am to 7:00am, so the service is now available from 7:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday. 

Demand is still extremely competitive, so to use the service, make sure you: 

• Prepare all the necessary information and any documentation in advance;
• Apply on the dot at 7:00am.

Need more help?

Navigating these processes can be time-consuming and complex. If you have questions about the updates discussed in this article or need assistance with your sponsor licence, please contact a member of our Immigration team.