Employees: if your visa sponsor loses their licence
You鈥檒l have to leave your job and leave the UK if your employer loses their sponsor licence - unless you make a new visa application to stay in the UK.
You could also be affected if:
- their licence is suspended
- they鈥檙e taken over
- they don鈥檛 renew their licence
What happens to you depends on whether you鈥檙e already in the UK when your employer鈥檚 sponsor licence changes.
If you鈥檙e already in the UK
When your sponsor loses their licence your:
- certificate of sponsorship is cancelled
- visa is limited to 60 days (or however long you have left on the visa if it鈥檚 less than 60 days)
You鈥檒l have to leave your job and leave the UK unless you make a new visa application within that time - check your eligibility for visas.
If you鈥檙e involved in the reasons why your sponsor lost their licence, your visa will be withdrawn and you鈥檒l have to leave the UK immediately.
If your sponsor鈥檚 licence is suspended
| Your circumstances | What will happen |
|---|---|
| Travelled to the UK but haven鈥檛 started work | You can start work |
| Already working | You can keep working |
| Applied to extend your visa | Your application won鈥檛 be processed until the suspension ends |
If you鈥檙e outside the UK
Check the status of your sponsor鈥檚 licence on the register of sponsors before you travel - your sponsor won鈥檛 be listed if they鈥檝e lost their licence or it鈥檚 suspended.
If your sponsor loses their licence
| Your circumstances | What will happen |
|---|---|
| Applied for a visa | It will be refused |
| Have a visa but haven鈥檛 travelled to the UK | Your visa will be cancelled - you won鈥檛 be allowed to enter if you travel to the UK |
If your sponsor鈥檚 licence is suspended
| Your circumstances | What will happen |
|---|---|
| Applied for a visa | Your application will be put on hold until the end of the suspension |
| Have a visa but haven鈥檛 travelled to the UK | You鈥檒l be contacted by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) |
If your sponsor鈥檚 business is taken over or they don鈥檛 renew their licence
Your visa will be limited to 60 days (or however long you have left on the visa if it鈥檚 less than 60 days) if:
- your employer doesn鈥檛 renew their sponsor licence
- following a takeover of your old employer鈥檚 business, your new employer doesn鈥檛 apply for a sponsor licence within 28 days
You鈥檒l have to leave your job and leave the UK unless you make a new visa application within that time - check your eligibility for visas.
Your visa will be cancelled if you have permission to come to the UK but haven鈥檛 travelled yet. You won鈥檛 be allowed to enter if you travel to the UK.