Sponsor Licence Success Story: Supporting a Company Through a Change of Ownership
Background
We successfully assisted a UK employer in obtaining a new sponsor licence following a significant change in its ownership structure.
The company was undergoing a corporate restructuring which resulted in a new majority shareholder. We identified that this change had implications for its existing sponsor licence and advised that a new licence application was required.
During our review, we also identified a gap in the company's Companies House submissions, which we advised the company to address before submitting the sponsor licence application.
The new sponsor licence was subsequently approved within just one working day.
Our Challenge
The change in majority ownership meant that the company could not simply continue relying on its existing sponsor licence. A new sponsor licence was required to ensure that the business remained compliant with its sponsorship obligations.
There was also a discrepancy in the company's Companies House records which needed to be resolved before the application could be submitted.
Our Approach
We reviewed the proposed corporate restructuring and assessed its implications for the company's sponsor licence.
We identified the requirement for a new licence, reviewed the company's corporate records and Companies House filings, and highlighted an issue that required correction.
Once this had been addressed, we prepared and submitted the new sponsor licence application with the necessary supporting evidence, ensuring that the information provided to UKVI accurately reflected the company's new ownership structure.
Our Outcome
The new sponsor licence was approved within one working day.
We are now assisting the company with the next stage of the process - transferring its existing sponsored employees from the old sponsor licence to the newly granted licence, ensuring continuity of its sponsorship arrangements.
Summary
This case highlights the importance of considering the immigration implications of a corporate transaction at an early stage.
Changes in ownership, corporate structure or control can have direct consequences for an employer's sponsor licence. Addressing these issues retrospectively can create unnecessary compliance risks and potentially disrupt the company's ability to sponsor its workforce.
By reviewing the proposed changes in advance, we were able to identify the requirement for a new sponsor licence, uncover and address an issue with the company's Companies House records, and prepare the application before the change created difficulties for the business.
The case also demonstrates the value of ensuring that corporate records, Companies House information and Home Office sponsor licence records are consistent and accurate. Identifying the Companies House issue before submission allowed us to resolve it proactively and avoid a potential obstacle to the sponsor licence application.
The successful approval of the new licence within one working day provided the company with certainty and allowed us to move promptly to the next stage of transferring its sponsored employees to the new licence.
