What Happens When a UK Sponsor Licence Is Revoked?
When the Home Office revokes a UK sponsor licence, it is cancelled instantly and without warning. Every worker sponsored under that licence has their visa curtailed to a 60-day window to find a new licensed sponsor or make arrangements to leave the UK.
Revocation is immediate — there is no wind-down period
Unlike a downgrade or suspension, revocation takes effect on the date the Home Office issues the decision. The sponsor cannot assign new Certificates of Sponsorship, and existing CoS that have not yet been used to apply for a visa become invalid.
Sponsored workers get a 60-day grace period
A common misconception is that workers immediately lose the right to work. In practice UKVI curtails the worker's visa to 60 days, giving them a short window to find a new licensed sponsor, switch to another immigration route if eligible, or leave the UK.
Revocation numbers have risen sharply
Sponsor licence revocations rose significantly in 2025 — figures in the region of 3,100 for the year have been widely reported by immigration law practitioners citing Home Office enforcement data, with a notable spike in Q4. We deliberately do not state this as a definitive Home Office-published total; it is the best public picture currently available.
Most common causes are administrative, not deliberate fraud
- Missed 10-working-day reporting deadlines
- Salary underpayment vs. the SOC code going rate
- Incomplete Appendix D records (right to work, recruitment files, contact details)
- Failure to act on a Home Office compliance visit's findings
You cannot reapply for at least 12 months
A revoked sponsor is normally barred from making a new sponsor licence application for 12 months ("cooling off period"). The Home Office register is updated to reflect the revocation, and any employer or employee can check current status free of charge.