Skilled Worker Sponsorship for Employers
Found the right person overseas, or want to keep someone whose visa is ending?
Sponsoring a Skilled Worker means matching a genuine role to the rules on skill and pay, then managing the worker's sponsorship for as long as they are with you.
Advice available in English and Albanian
For Employers
Skilled Worker Sponsorship
What the role must meet
- An eligible occupation at the required skill level
- A genuine vacancy that the business needs
- Pay at or above the applicable salary threshold and going rate
- A worker who meets the English language and other personal requirements
From offer to start date
- Confirm the role and pay are eligible
- Request or assign the Certificate of Sponsorship
- The worker applies for the visa
- Carry out a right to work check before the first day
- Record and report as your sponsor duties require
Workers already in the UK
Students, graduates and workers sponsored elsewhere can often be sponsored without leaving the UK. Check what their current permission allows before they start.
When the job changes
Promotions, pay changes and new locations can require a report or a fresh application. Plan the immigration step before the change takes effect.
Hiring from Albania or Kosovo
Many Albanian-owned businesses in the UK look to recruit from Albania and Kosovo. The rules are the same as for any nationality: a licensed sponsor, an eligible role and the correct pay.
Frequently asked questions
01Can we sponsor a family member?
The rules do not bar it, but the role must be genuine and the Home Office will look closely.
02Do we need to advertise the job first?
There is no formal resident labour market test, but you must be able to show how you recruited and that the vacancy is genuine.
03What if the worker leaves early?
Report it within the time limit. Your duties end when sponsorship is properly withdrawn.
Related services
- Certificate of SponsorshipRequesting and assigning Certificates of Sponsorship correctly.
- Sponsor LicenceWhat a sponsor licence is and what holding one involves.
- Sponsor Licence ComplianceMeeting sponsor duties and preparing for Home Office visits.
- Skilled Worker VisaFor people with a job offer from a licensed UK sponsor.
Speak to a Solicitor
Tell us briefly about your immigration matter and how you would like to be contacted.
- Languages
- English · Shqip
Advice available in English and Albanian