UK Sponsor Licence Rating Checker (A or B)

An A-rating is the standard, unrestricted status: the sponsor can assign new Certificates of Sponsorship up to their annual allocation. A B-rating means UKVI has identified compliance concerns; the sponsor is placed on a time-bound action plan and faces restrictions, including a temporary block on assigning new defined CoS for Skilled Worker.

The Home Office publishes the Register of Licensed Sponsors (Worker and Temporary Worker routes) on gov.uk. It is updated daily and shows the sponsor's name, town, route and current rating. There is no charge and no login required.

Treat it as a risk to weigh, not an automatic refusal. If the action plan fails and the licence is revoked, the worker's visa is curtailed to 60 days. Ask the sponsor directly why they were downgraded, what the action plan requires, and what the deadline is — sponsors should be able to explain.

The Home Office publishes a refreshed version of the register on most working days. Newly licensed sponsors typically appear within a few working days of approval; downgrades and revocations are reflected on the next publication after the decision takes effect.

Yes. The sponsor must complete the UKVI action plan within the time limit and pay an upgrade fee. If the action plan is not met, the licence is normally revoked rather than left at B-rating indefinitely.