Start-up UK | Corporate Immigration Specialists

Start-up UK provides business support services to overseas entrepreneurs wishing to establish themselves in the UK and have more control over their work and immigration status, allowing them to leverage their entrepreneurial ventures for residency and work purposes in the UK.

At Start Up UK, we offer a comprehensive range of services tailored to meet your business needs. For newly established businesses aiming to set up in the UK, we customise our support to include everything from business bank account setup to securing office premises. However, we also recognise that some businesses are already established and hold a sponsorship licence. For these existing licence holders, you may only need support with key personnel, without requiring the full suite of services.

In both scenarios, we offer a flexible fee structure, ensuring that we can create a bespoke plan that aligns with the specific requirements and level of support you need. This way, you only pay for the services that truly benefit your business, whether you’re just starting out or looking to enhance your existing operations.

With our Key Personnel Introductory Services, we have an agreement in place between Start Up UK and our clients for a period of 12 months. As part of our 12-month guarantee, if any key personnel leave within that period, we will replace them at no additional cost, ensuring continuous support and compliance. Additionally, if our clients choose to continue employing the engaged key personnel after our contract ends, they may do so at no extra cost. However, should they wish to engage new key personnel for any reason, a further introductory fee will apply.

During the application process for a sponsor licence, it’s necessary to designate specific key personnel who will oversee the sponsorship process, including the nomination of an Authorising Officer (AO).

When applying for a sponsor licence, it is important to understand the role and responsibilities of the Authorising Officer. The AO is the most senior person within the company, responsible for the recruitment of migrant workers and ensuring compliance with sponsor duties.

They must be a paid member of staff or office-holder permanently based in the UK. However, there are certain criteria that must be met, and individuals with criminal convictions or non-compliance history are not eligible to be an AO.

An AO plays a pivotal role in the context of the UK Sponsor Licence system, acting as the main point of contact between the sponsoring company and the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). This individual holds the responsibility for the management and oversight of the sponsorship process, ensuring that the company complies with all the legal requirements.

The key personnel must be someone within the company who is well-versed in sponsorship duties and capable of ensuring adherence to immigration laws and regulations. The role demands a thorough understanding of the Sponsor Management System (SMS), as it’s the tool through which the company reports any changes, assigns Certificates of Sponsorship, and manages their sponsorship duties.

When considering someone for the role of an AO, it’s crucial to assess their reliability, understanding of legal compliance, and their capacity to keep abreast of any changes in immigration policies that may affect the company. The person chosen typically holds a senior position within the company, demonstrating an ability to make authoritative decisions and oversee the sponsorship duties effectively.

Overall, the AO is fundamental to the integrity and success of the sponsorship licence.

When applying for a sponsor licence, it is crucial to understand the eligibility criteria for the role of AO. Certain individuals are not qualified to assume this position, as UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) carefully evaluates their background and suitability during the sponsor licence application process.

The AO must meet specific requirements and must not have any unspent criminal convictions for relevant offences, such as those related to criminal convictions or immigration violations. Furthermore, they must have no history of non-compliance with sponsor requirements, a crucial aspect noted in the guidance for sponsors.

It is also important for the prospective AO to not have been a key person with a sponsor whose licence was revoked in the last few months. Additionally, they must not have been fined by UKVI for any reason.

Lastly, an individual seeking the position of AO must also not have any immigration violations or be legally prohibited from being a company director.

When applying for a sponsor licence, the company must nominate one Level 1 User, who must be a member of staff. This means an employee, director or partner, or someone engaged as an ‘office holder’ for the company, such as a company secretary, registered director, board member or a trustee.

Any additional Level 1 Users must be employees or office holders if they are from the company. It is also possible to appoint an individual outside the company such as a UK-based legal representative, providing at least one Level 1 User is an employee or office holder of the company. Employees of a third-party company engaged by the licence holder to deliver all or part of the HR functions for the business can also be Level 1 Users.

The Level 1 User must not be any of the following:

There is no specific self-sponsorship visa in the UK. However, there are some work visas that may allow you to sponsor yourself to apply for the visas to work in the UK. For example, if you wish to start a business in the UK, you can apply for the Innovator Founder visa and work for yourself without needing sponsorship; if you wish to establish a branch of your overseas business in the UK, you can apply for a sponsorship licence and then a UK Expansion Worker visa and essentially sponsor yourself to work in the UK; or, if you part-own a business in the UK, you can sponsor yourself as a Skilled Worker if the job vacancy is in the list of eligible occupations.

Therefore, while there is no specific self-sponsorship visa, it may be possible to sponsor yourself to the UK via one of these three work visa routes:

Laura Notaro was born in Central London and she is the Director of two businesses. Her career spans over 30 years of work experience within the recruitment sector and she is a specialist in UK immigration. Laura founded Synergy Immigration Solutions Ltd in July 2020, identifying the need for trustworthy and knowledgeable corporate immigration advice, following covid and Brexit. Its success over the last few years has led to the formation of Start-up UK Consultancy Ltd.

Start-up UK was formed following a surge in demand from overseas entrepreneurs looking to bring their businesses to the UK and become the sponsors of their UK visa. Laura manages two teams that assist with forming UK businesses and provide excellent UK immigration advice and support. Both businesses are passionate about helping clients achieve their goal of starting a new life in the UK.

We would love to assist you in your journey to the UK and hear about your UK business plan. Please reach out to hear more about Start-up UK services and how we can make your dream a reality.

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