The Authorising Officer: key requirements for a Sponsor Licence

The Authorising Officer (AO) plays a critical role in managing your organisation’s sponsor licence and ensuring compliance with the Home Office.

They are responsible for the actions of all staff and representatives using the Sponsor Management System (SMS), which is a central tool for managing your sponsorship activities.

Here’s a concise overview of the key requirements for the role.

What is the role of the Authorising Officer?

The Authorising Officer is a senior and competent individual within your organisation who ensures that all sponsor duties are met. They oversee the recruitment of migrant workers, monitor compliance, maintain records, and report any relevant changes to the Home Office. They are also the primary point of contact with the UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration.

What are the key requirements for the Authorising Officer?

The person nominated to this role must meet the following criteria:

1. Senior position: The AO should be the most senior person responsible for recruiting migrant workers and ensuring the organisation meets its sponsor duties.
2. Paid staff: They must be a paid employee of the organisation.
3. Based in the UK: The AO must be permanently based in the UK, except in the case of an overseas application for a UK Expansion Worker licence.
4. Clean record: The AO must not have any unspent criminal convictions, immigration violations, or a history of non-compliance with sponsor requirements.
5. No recent sanctions: They must not have been involved with a sponsor licence that was revoked in the past 12 months or been fined by the UKVI.
6. Not prohibited: The AO must not be legally prohibited from being a company director or subject to any bankruptcy restrictions or similar orders.
7. Tax compliance: They must not have failed to pay VAT or any other excise duty.

What are the Authorising Officer’s responsibilities?

The Authorising Officer is responsible for:

• Managing compliance: Ensuring that the organisation meets all its sponsor duties, including monitoring migrant workers, keeping accurate records (such as right-to-work checks), and reporting any significant changes.
• SMS access: The AO is granted access to the Sponsor Management System (SMS), an online portal used to manage the organisation’s sponsor licence and track compliance.
• Key point of contact: They act as the main liaison between the organisation and UKVI for all sponsorship matters.

Why is the Authorising Officer important?

It’s essential to have an Authorising Officer in place for the entire duration of the sponsor licence. They play a central role in ensuring your organisation remains compliant with UKVI rules, avoiding penalties, and maintaining the ability to sponsor migrant workers.

Conclusion

The Authorising Officer is a vital position for any organisation with a sponsor licence. Their role ensures that all sponsor duties are met, compliance is maintained, and your business remains in good standing with UKVI. By choosing a competent and senior individual for this role, you can protect your organisation from potential issues with immigration compliance.

For assistance with your sponsor licence or more details on Authorising Officer requirements, feel free to reach out to Gherson’s immigration experts.

Updated: 11 March 2025

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Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in advising on UK visa matters. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.

The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.

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