Case study · Tech & SaaS

First sponsor licence for an 18-person SaaS startup — approved on priority.

A UK SaaS scale-up needed to onboard two senior engineers within six months. With no prior licence and a basic HR setup, the question was not just whether they qualified — it was whether they could move fast enough.

Client type

Tech / SaaS startup

Size

18 employees

Sector

Software / B2B SaaS

Representative composite based on multiple matters. Client details anonymised. Outcomes vary by individual circumstances. Final decisions remain with the Home Office or relevant decision-maker.

Step 01 — The situation

The business had identified two senior engineers it wanted to bring into the team — one based in India, one in Brazil. They had a six-month runway before they wanted both onboarded. They had no sponsor licence, no formal HR system, and no internal experience with the sponsorship process. They were not sure whether their stage and size disqualified them, and they were worried about Home Office processing timelines.

Step 02 — The risk

The biggest risk was not refusal — it was time. Even an approved standard application takes up to eight weeks. Add documentation preparation and any post-submission queries and the six-month onboarding window was at serious risk if the business waited or made avoidable mistakes.

—Refusal would trigger a cooling-off period and lose both candidates

—Standard processing would consume most of the runway before any CoS could be assigned

—Weak HR systems risked post-approval compliance problems even if the licence was issued

Step 03 — What Harveys did

Harveys Legal scoped the matter in an initial consultation, then ran a tight, sequenced engagement to compress the timeline without cutting corners.

—Eligibility and readiness assessment against current Home Office criteria

—HR system upgrade — contract templates, attendance tracking, document retention setup

—Key personnel identified and Authorising Officer briefed on duties before submission

—Document evidence pack prepared: financial accounts, operational proof, premises and registration evidence

—Application built and submitted with priority processing

—Post-approval briefing on CoS assignment, Immigration Skills Charge, and ongoing duties

Step 04 — The outcome

The sponsor licence was approved within ten working days under priority processing. Both engineers received Certificates of Sponsorship and progressed through to UK arrival within the original six-month window. The business retained Harveys Legal on a light ongoing basis to support further sponsored hires as the team grew.

Related service

Sponsor Licence Application

Full sponsor licence application support — eligibility review, evidence preparation, and Home Office submission.

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Your adviser

Mehmood Rajoka

IAA-regulated UK Immigration Adviser · Firm Reg F202537009

Mehmood 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.

Regulated by

Immigration Advice Authority

Firm Reg No.

F202537009

Practice scope

UK business immigration

IAA

Regulated immigration advice

Harveys Legal is regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority.

Firm Reg No. F202537009. Verify on the IAA register before engagement.

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Harveys Legal supports immigration applications, sponsor compliance preparation and related legal processes. Final decisions remain with the Home Office or the relevant decision-maker.