For UK businesses · Startups

Sponsor licence support for UK startups.

First-time sponsors face a specific set of questions — do we even qualify, what do we need before we apply, how much will it actually cost, and what happens to our HR setup. Harveys Legal works with startups from first eligibility question through to ongoing compliance, without legal theatre.

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Regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority

Stage

Pre-Series A to Series B

Common position

First-time sponsor, no prior immigration

Decision points

Eligibility, timing, cost, HR readiness

Common scenarios

What we usually see at startup stage.

Startup founders ask different questions than enterprise sponsors. Most of them are not 'how' questions — they are 'should we even be doing this' questions.

01 · Scenario

First international hire identified

A founder has found a senior hire abroad. They are not sure whether sponsorship is needed, whether they qualify, or how long it will take.

02 · Scenario

Eligibility uncertain

A pre-Seed or Seed-stage business is unsure whether their stage of trading is enough to qualify. They want a realistic read before spending time and fees.

03 · Scenario

Graduate visa worker approaching expiry

A founder hired a worker on a Graduate visa. Visa expiry is approaching. The business has no licence and limited time to act.

04 · Scenario

Investor pressure to sponsor

A board or investor wants international hiring capacity in place before the next funding round. The founder needs to scope the work realistically.

05 · Scenario

Founder unsure if it's worth it

A founder is weighing sponsorship against hiring only locally. They want an honest read on cost, complexity, and likely outcomes before committing.

06 · Scenario

Hiring through an EOR or PEO

An EOR arrangement is in place. The business now wants to bring the worker fully onto UK payroll under sponsorship. Transition needs structuring.

Honest read for founders

What sponsorship actually means at startup stage.

Sponsorship is a real operational responsibility. Approval is the start, not the end. From day one of holding a licence, your business is subject to ongoing duties — record-keeping, reporting, monitoring, and key personnel responsibilities. None of this is dramatic on its own, but it does need someone to run it.

For startups, the practical question is usually: who in our business owns this? If the answer is 'no one yet', that is fine — but it needs to be addressed before the application, not after. We help founders make this call honestly, including telling some founders that now is not the right moment.

Cost-wise: budget around £3,000–£8,000 in the first year for a single sponsored hire, including Home Office fees and professional support. Use the cost estimator for your specific numbers.

Most relevant services

Services most relevant for startups.

Readiness Checker (free tool)

Quick diagnostic to see if your business is operationally ready.

Why for this sector: Free, no signup. The right starting point for most founders.

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Sponsor Licence Readiness Audit

Structured pre-application audit with action plan.

Why for this sector: If the checker flags gaps, the readiness audit is the next step before any application.

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Sponsor Licence Application

Full application preparation and submission.

Why for this sector: Once readiness is confirmed, full support to get the licence in place.

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Cost Estimator (free tool)

Estimate Home Office cost for your specific situation.

Why for this sector: Founder-grade visibility on what this actually costs over the sponsorship period.

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Common questions

Questions employers ask us.

It depends on what 'pre-revenue' means in practice. The Home Office assesses operational genuineness. A funded business with clear product activity, paying customers, or commercial traction can usually qualify even at early stages. A business that is fundamentally still an idea may struggle to evidence genuineness. We can give you an honest read in an initial consultation.

Realistically 4–8 weeks from 'we want to start' to 'CoS is ready to assign'. Some of this is Home Office processing time (up to 8 weeks standard, 10 working days priority). The rest is preparation — getting your HR setup, evidence pack, and key personnel ready.

First-year cost typically ranges £3,000–£8,000 including Home Office fees, ISC, CoS fee, and professional support. The biggest variable is the Immigration Skills Charge — £480 (small/charity) or £1,320 (medium/large) for the first 12 months plus £240 or £660 for each additional 6 months, paid upfront for the full sponsorship period. Use the cost estimator for specific numbers.

Not necessarily a full HR person — but you do need named key personnel: an Authorising Officer, Key Contact, and Level 1 User. In small startups, these are often founders or early operations hires. What matters is that the role is genuinely held by a UK-based person, not just listed.

EORs can work for short-term arrangements but they are not a long-term substitute for sponsorship if you want to build a team. EOR fees usually make sponsorship the more economical option above 1–2 long-term international hires. We can help you compare honestly.

Related services & resources

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.

Speak to Harveys Legal

Founder-grade sponsorship support.

Book a consultation. We'll tell you honestly whether sponsorship makes sense for your business right now — and if it does, exactly what to do next.

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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.