Mock Sponsor Licence Compliance Visit
Are you confident that you would be able to answer any questions about your staff, HR practices and right to work checks if the Home Office conducted a sponsor licence compliance visit?
If your business holds a sponsor licence, the Home Office has the authority to conduct both announced and unannounced compliance visits in order to determine whether you are meeting your sponsor duties and responsibilities in full.
For an initial discussion and a no-obligation quote, get in touch with us today by simply scheduling a discovery call by clicking the link below.
or send your enquiry to ask@dragonargent.com
Dragon Argent helps businesses navigate the complexities of the UK immigration system across a range of sectors.
These visits are designed to ensure that licence holders are adhering to their sponsor duties. The consequences of failing to demonstrate compliance can be severe and may include the suspension of your licence, a downgrade to a lower rating, or in the most serious cases, complete revocation of your sponsor licence.
We recognise that the prospect of a Home Office compliance visit can be daunting, even for well-prepared organisations. The rules are complex, the inspection process can be a burden, and the potential outcomes carry significant risks for your business, its reputation and your workforce.
To help organisations prepare effectively, Dragon Argent offers a Mock Sponsor Licence Compliance Visit service. Delivered by experienced immigration lawyers, this service provides a realistic simulation of a Home Office inspection in a supportive and constructive environment.
Our mock compliance visit objective is clear: to help you maintain full compliance with your sponsor licence duties and approach any Home Office inspection with confidence.
Meet our Immigration Solicitors
Head of Employment & Immigration
Employment & Immigration Solicitor
Hear what our clients think:
“At Hello Cash we bring in talent from across the globe. Cacy has helped us relocate a large chunk of our team quickly and cost-effectively. I could rely entirely on Dragon Argent to manage the process. They are practical and speak startup language.”
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What Our Mock Audit Covers
By replicating the below process of an official visit, asking similar questions a Home Office compliance officer may ask, we give your business the opportunity to test your answers and test your knowledge of your internal HR procedures. Following the mock visit, we will evaluate your responses and identify any areas of weakness. We can then suggest and assist you with implementing improvements before your official compliance visit with the Home Office.
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Pre-Audit Questionnaire
A number of questions designed to identify your businesses HR systems, processes and controls you currently have in place.
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Compliance Visit
We will conduct a mock compliance visit either in person or online and ask questions similar to what a compliance officer may ask. These will be in relation to your HR and record-keeping processes and reporting procedures with the Sponsor Management System.
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Risk Evaluation
An assessment of the information gathered during the visit, with specific focus on areas of potential non-compliance and organisational risk.
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Comprehensive Report
A written report following the mock compliance visit, highlighting strengths, identifying risks and setting out clear, practical advice on how to address and mitigate those risks.
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Ongoing Guidance
Practical notes and recommendations to help you maintain day-to-day compliance with your sponsor duties and the wider immigration rules.
Why Dragon Argent?
Our team have carried out numerous mock visits and been privy to client compliance visits with the Home Office, giving us insight in to what happens in a compliance visit and giving us insight in how a company can prepare for it.
Our recommendations are aligned to your organisation’s circumstances, sector and workforce.
Our support can allow your key contact, authorising officer and level 1 user feel prepared for the compliance visit, reducing risk of you answering questions incorrectly and further risking your licence eligibility and business reputation.
Who We Assist
Businesses applying for a sponsor licence and preparing for pre-licence visits.
Businesses with a sponsor licence already, seeking reassurance ahead of Home Office inspection.
Businesses with a sponsor licence in high-scrutiny industries (fintech, construction etc).
Businesses seeking ongoing compliance through regular legal audits.
Management of Sponsor Licence
There are obligations that a sponsored employer must meet to maintain their A-rated sponsor licence and the Home Office may at any time conduct a compliance visit. This is to check that the business is meeting its sponsor obligations. If you would like more information, please take a look at our recent blog on the subject.
We offer assistance with the management of your sponsor licence, which includes:
a guidance note on the obligations of a sponsored employer;
a guidance note on the duties of key personnel;
a template migrant worker spreadsheet which will assist with keeping track of your migrant workers, their personal details, information and contact details of your key personnel and key sponsor licence information. This is to ensure you will continue to be prepared should a compliance visit be scheduled by the Home Office;
level 1 access to the Sponsor Management System (SMS) to meet reporting obligations of sponsored employees and conduct monthly log-ins;
assigning Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) to new employees;
requesting increases to CoS allocations where required (does not include priority service); and
updating you on any changes to the immigration rules that affect your business.
Be Audit-Ready with Legal Certainty
Do not leave your sponsor licence or compliance visit to chance. Contact our immigration solicitors today to arrange a Mock Sponsor Licence Compliance Visit.
Sponsor Compliance Visit FAQs
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The Home Office conducts sponsor compliance visits to ensure employers with sponsor licences are meeting their legal duties and responsibilities. These visits help verify that sponsored workers are genuinely employed in accordance with immigration rules and that the organisation’s HR systems are robust and compliant.
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As a sponsor licence holder, you must keep accurate records, report changes in circumstances, and ensure that sponsored employees comply with visa conditions. You are also required to maintain transparent recruitment and employment practices that align with Home Office regulations.
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Compliance inspections can be either announced or unannounced. While some visits are pre-arranged to verify specific information, others are conducted without notice to test ongoing compliance and detect potential breaches.
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If you receive notice, the Home Office will outline the purpose and date of the visit. You should use this time to review your HR and right-to-work documentation, ensure all employee records are up to date, and prepare relevant staff to engage with inspectors.
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A pre-licence assessment visit occurs before your sponsor licence is granted to verify your systems and eligibility. A post-licence compliance visit happens after you have the licence, allowing the Home Office to check that you continue to meet sponsorship duties.
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A compliance visit typically lasts several hours, depending on the size of your organisation and the number of sponsored employees. Larger or more complex cases may take longer if inspectors need to review extensive documentation.
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Ensure all your HR records, right-to-work checks, and reporting systems are accurate and accessible. Conduct an internal audit, train staff on compliance obligations, and be ready to demonstrate how you monitor sponsored workers’ attendance and duties.
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After the visit, the Home Office will issue a report outlining any concerns or recommendations. You may receive a follow-up letter confirming continued compliance, identifying minor issues to address, or, in more serious cases, proposing action against your licence.
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If your sponsor licence is revoked, you will lose the right to sponsor migrant workers, and their visas may be curtailed. You can appeal certain decisions or apply for a new licence after a cooling-off period, depending on the reasons for revocation.
Useful Immigration Related Articles
Read our essential guide to UK sponsor licences for employers. Learn about the application process, compliance requirements, costs, and tips to prevent licence refusals.