The UK Home Office has revealed plans to extend the renewal period for UK work visa sponsor licences from four years to ten years.
News About Nigeria gathered that this change is expected to bring relief to expatriates and their employers, and will streamline the process and reduce administrative burdens.
According to information from UK Visas and Immigration on gov.uk, obtaining a sponsor licence is important for employers seeking to hire workers from outside the UK, including citizens of EU member states and other specified countries who entered the UK after December 31, 2020.
Educational institutions also require a sponsor licence to admit international students and faculty members.
Some of the key regulatory adjustments include the abolishment of the obligation for sponsor licences to be renewed every four years, starting on April 6.
There will be an automatic extension of expiring sponsor licences for ten (10) years and also, sponsors with currently valid licences do not need to take further action, as their licenses will be automatically included in this extension.
Previously, entities sponsoring licences had to initiate the renewal process 90 days before the expiration date, which involved a renewal fee that can range from £536 to £1,476, depending on the business size and charitable status.
The renewal process could take up to eight weeks.
The Home Office has assured sponsors currently in the renewal process that fees will be refunded.
It also advises checking the licence expiration date via the online Sponsorship Management System (SMS), and those in the renewal process will be contacted directly.
