UK Announces Deadline For a Category of Foreign Workers To Leave Country
- The UK government has outlined strict stay deadlines for a category of foreign workers whose employer loses a sponsor licence
- Workers already in the UK when their sponsor loses licence have their certificate of sponsorship cancelled and their visa reduced
- Foreign workers outside the UK who have not yet travelled face outright visa cancellation if their sponsor's licence is revoked before their arrival
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The UK government has set out clear consequences for foreign workers whose employers lose their sponsor licence, with those already living and working in the country given just 60 days to either secure a new visa or leave.
According to the UK government's official guidance, a worker's certificate of sponsorship is immediately cancelled the moment their employer's sponsor licence is revoked.
Source: UGC
Their visa is then capped at 60 days, or whatever time remains on the original visa if that is shorter.
During that window, affected workers must find a new eligible visa route or prepare to depart the country entirely.
What Happens When a Sponsor Licence Is Revoked
The rules vary depending on where the worker is at the time the licence change occurs.
For those already in the UK, continuing to work becomes illegal once the sponsorship lapses, unless a fresh visa application is submitted within the 60-day period.
Workers who are found to have played any role in the circumstances that led to the licence being revoked face a harsher outcome, their visa is withdrawn immediately, with no grace period granted.
The guidance also covers situations where a sponsor's licence is suspended rather than fully revoked. In those cases, workers who are already in the UK and employed are permitted to continue working while the suspension is under review, though any pending visa extension applications will be paused until the matter is resolved.
Rules for Workers Who Have Not Yet Travelled to the UK
Foreign workers still outside the UK when their sponsor loses its licence face a different set of consequences.
Those who have already applied for a visa will have that application refused outright. Workers who hold a valid visa but have not yet entered the UK will have it cancelled and will be barred from travelling.
Where a suspension is in place rather than a full revocation, pending visa applications are placed on hold, and those holding visas but yet to travel will be contacted directly by UK Visas and Immigration.
The 60-day rule also applies when an employer fails to renew their sponsor licence or when a business takeover occurs and the new employer does not apply for a sponsor licence within 28 days of assuming control.
The UK government advises all foreign workers to verify their employer's status on the official register of licensed sponsors before travelling, noting that an employer will not appear on the register if their licence has lapsed or been suspended.
UK speaks about losing license
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that UK government outlined strict rules for international students whose education providers lose their sponsor licence.
Affected students have a specified number of days to secure a new licensed sponsor or face having their visa curtailed.
Source: Legit.ng
