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Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence Guidance: 2025 Updates – Key Information for Swiss Nationals and Residents
- Dr. Catherine Taroni
- Jan 26
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 4
In This Article:
Overview of 2025 Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence Guidance Updates
Key Changes and Their Implications
Ban on Passing Sponsor Costs to Workers
New Compliance Rules and Grounds for Licence Revocation
Restrictions on Personal Capacity Sponsorships
Clarified Roles for Sponsor Licence Key Personnel
Updates to Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) Sponsorship
Additional Evidence Requirements for Care Worker Sponsors
What Hasn’t Changed in the Guidance
Conclusion: Navigating the Updates in 2025
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1. Overview of 2025 Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence Guidance Updates
The Home Office introduced important updates to the Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence Guidance effective 31 December 2024 and 1 January 2025. These changes affect UK employers seeking to sponsor skilled foreign workers and include adjustments to licence applications, compliance requirements, and sponsorship rules.
For Swiss businesses or individuals with ties to the UK, understanding these updates is crucial if you:
Have subsidiaries or business operations in the UK.
Employ or plan to employ non-UK nationals under the Skilled Worker visa route.
Intend to establish a UK presence requiring sponsorship of foreign workers.
2. Key Changes and Their Implications
The updates are designed to enhance compliance and transparency, including:
Prohibitions on passing costs like licence fees to sponsored workers.
Restrictions on sponsoring individuals for personal or informal roles.
New compliance grounds for licence revocation.
3. Ban on Passing Sponsor Costs to Workers
Employers can no longer recover sponsor licence or Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) fees from sponsored workers. This change ensures workers aren’t financially burdened by sponsorship costs, placing full responsibility on employers.
Swiss companies with UK operations must budget for these costs when planning to sponsor workers, as failure to comply could lead to licence revocation.
4. New Compliance Rules and Grounds for Licence Revocation
The Home Office has expanded the list of actions that could result in licence revocation. These include:
Asking workers to pay sponsorship-related fees.
Sponsoring individuals in roles outside a business context (e.g., domestic staff).
Swiss businesses sponsoring workers in the UK should review their practices to avoid unintentional breaches.
5. Restrictions on Personal Capacity Sponsorships
Sponsorship in a personal capacity is now explicitly prohibited. This applies to individuals or households employing workers for domestic roles, such as nannies or caregivers.
Swiss nationals relocating to the UK for business should be aware of this restriction to avoid misuse of the Skilled Worker route.
6. Clarified Roles for Sponsor Licence Key Personnel
The updates specify that key personnel must include at least one employee, partner, or director. Legal representatives can hold certain roles, but overseas representatives are ineligible.
Swiss employers must appoint suitable personnel to ensure compliance when applying for a UK sponsor licence.
7. Updates to Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) Sponsorship
Host employers participating in the GAE programme can no longer act as SMS users. While this may not affect most Swiss businesses, those involved in exchange programmes should adjust accordingly.
8. Additional Evidence Requirements for Care Worker Sponsors
Sponsors in the care sector must now provide detailed supporting evidence, including regulatory checks for each branch. Swiss employers sponsoring care workers for UK operations should ensure thorough preparation to avoid delays or refusals.
9. What Hasn’t Changed in the Guidance
Notably, the updates don’t prohibit “self-sponsorship” or introduce longer cooling-off periods for revoked licences. However, the Home Office continues to scrutinise applications for genuineness, particularly for start-ups.
Swiss entrepreneurs or start-up founders planning to establish a UK presence can still apply for sponsorship if they meet the criteria, but thorough preparation is essential.
10. Conclusion: Navigating the Updates in 2025
The 2025 updates to the Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence Guidance reflect the UK’s commitment to compliance and ethical sponsorship practices. For Swiss businesses and residents involved with UK operations, staying informed and proactive is essential to avoid penalties and ensure successful sponsorship.
If you’re unsure how these changes impact your UK sponsorship plans, expert advice can help navigate the complexities.
11. Contact Our UK Immigration Lawyers in Switzerland
For tailored advice on Skilled Worker Sponsor Licences and UK immigration matters, contact our team of immigration barristers. Call +41 21 588 07 70 or complete our enquiry form to learn how we can assist you or your businesses.
