Sponsor licence under threat? Move quickly and carefully.
If your sponsor licence has been suspended, downgraded, or you have received notice of intended revocation, the next steps matter enormously. Harveys Legal supports sponsors through structured response, representation drafting, evidence preparation, and remediation — focused on protecting the licence and the sponsored workforce.
Regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority · IAA Reg No. F202537009Built for UK employers managing sponsored hiring.
What's at stake
Sponsor licence enforcement action affects the business, the sponsored workforce, and future hiring. Acting quickly and correctly is the difference between recovering and losing the licence.
Defence work focused on the licence and the workforce.
Suspension and revocation matters are evidence-led and time-bound. We structure response work to address the specific concerns raised, with the evidence the Home Office expects to see.
What sponsors usually get wrong under pressure
How suspension and revocation defence work is structured.
Urgent triage call
We scope the matter — the notice received, the deadline for response, the immediate operational risks, and the evidence position. Usually within 1–2 working days of first contact.
Evidence audit
We review the records, processes, and correspondence relevant to the Home Office concerns. We map what supports remediation and what gaps need addressing in the response itself.
Drafted representations
We prepare structured written representations addressing each concern raised, supported by evidence, and proposing the remediation steps the business will take or has already taken.
Submission and follow-up
We submit the response within the deadline, manage any follow-up correspondence or information requests, and brief key personnel for any further engagement.
Decision support
Whether the outcome is licence reinstatement, continued action, or revocation, we support the next steps — including reapplication strategy where relevant.
Clear, upfront pricing.
Harveys Legal works on fixed-fee and scoped-retainer models. No surprise bills. Home Office fees are always separate and clearly itemised.
Get a quote in consultation →Suspension and revocation defence work is scoped following an urgent triage call. Fees vary significantly based on the stage of action and the volume of work required. We do not market this service as a discounted offering — getting it right matters more than the headline fee.
How this typically plays out in practice.
A care provider with 24 sponsored workers received a notice of downgrade to B-rating following a Home Office compliance visit. The notice cited four specific concerns: incomplete attendance records, missed SMS reports for two salary changes, an unclear chain of accountability for sponsor duties, and a key personnel change that had not been updated.
Following review of the representations and remediation evidence, the Home Office reinstated the A-rating with no further action. The provider continues on an ongoing compliance retainer to prevent recurrence.
Representative composite example for illustrative purposes only. Client details are anonymised and combined across multiple matters. Outcomes vary based on individual circumstances. Final decisions remain with the Home Office or relevant decision-maker.
Mehmood Rajoka
IAA-regulated UK Immigration Adviser · Firm Reg F202537009Mehmood leads Harveys Legal's business immigration practice. He works directly with UK employers on sponsor licence applications, compliance, and Home Office audit readiness — focused on practical, commercially useful advice rather than legal theatre.
Plain-spoken legal work, with the receipts.
“Harveys took us from no sponsor licence to approved in 11 weeks. The pre-application audit caught two compliance gaps we'd have missed.”
Operations Director, 60-bed care provider, West MidlandsApproved in 11 weeks“Their compliance retainer means we never have to think about HR1 reports or SMS deadlines. It's been running quietly in the background for two years.”
Finance Director, mid-market hospitality group, LondonTwo years incident-free“We had a Home Office compliance visit with five days' notice. Harveys ran a mock audit, fixed three gaps, and the visit went without action.”
Founder, 25-person tech firm, ManchesterVisit closed, no action“Fixed fees were a relief — we'd been quoted hourly rates by City firms that would have run into five figures. Harveys delivered the same outcome for a third of the cost.”
Managing Director, construction SME, BirminghamFixed-fee outcome
Testimonials anonymised at the client's request. Specific outcomes relate to the matters described; every sponsor licence and compliance matter is decided by the Home Office on its own facts.
Questions employers ask us.
Related services & resources
Harveys Legal is regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority.
Firm Reg No. F202537009. Verify on the IAA register before engagement.
- GOV.UK — Code of practice on preventing illegal working (opens in new tab)— Home Office statutory code applied in licence enforcement and civil penalty assessments.
This page was written by Mehmood Rajoka, founder of Harveys Legal, and fact-checked against the GOV.UK sources linked on the page. Harveys Legal Limited is regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority, Reg No. F202537009.
View the team page →Licence action received? Don't wait.
Book a consultation. We treat suspension and revocation work as urgent matters — and we'll tell you honestly what your position looks like and what the next steps need to be.