An electronic record a licensed sponsor assigns through the Sponsor Management System to a worker it wants to sponsor. The worker uses its reference number to apply for their visa, and the sponsor must keep its details accurate, reporting certain changes within set deadlines.
Read the guide: Sponsor duties guide
A short definition for UK employers, not legal advice. Checked 8 November 2026.
The senior person responsible for how an organisation uses its sponsor licence, and for the actions of the people who use the Sponsor Management System for it.
A person who can use a sponsor’s Sponsor Management System account to assign certificates of sponsorship, report changes and manage other users.
The Home Office’s online system a licensed sponsor uses to assign certificates of sponsorship and report changes about its workers and itself.
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