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Charity Worker Sponsor Licence

Obtaining a Sponsor Licence for Charity Workers 2025

The Charity Worker route is available for voluntary workers aged 18 or over who intend to undertake unpaid work in the UK for a recognised charitable organisation. Eligible work must directly contribute to the advancement of the sponsoring charity’s charitable purpose through direct fieldwork.

This route requires sponsorship. Applicants must be sponsored by a UK-based charitable organisation that has been granted a Home Office license to sponsor workers in this category. The Charity Worker route is temporary, with a maximum duration of 12 months, and does not provide a route to settlement in the UK.

As with all sponsored routes in the UK, applicants must be sponsored by an organisation that has been granted a license by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) specifically for the immigration category under which the individual is applying.

General requirements

Sponsoring organisations must be genuine employers with a lawful trading presence in the UK. They assume significant compliance responsibilities, including comprehensive record-keeping, ongoing monitoring, and regular reporting duties. UKVI may refuse a license application or take action against an existing license (e.g., downgrading, suspension, or revocation) if it is not satisfied with the organisation’s ability to fulfill these responsibilities.

Unlike most other sponsored work routes in the UK, the Charity Worker route does not require a “genuine vacancy.” However, the genuine intention requirement applies to the prospective worker when they submit their visa application.

Key Personnel Requirements

To effectively manage their sponsor license, sponsors must designate individuals to fulfill three key roles:

  • Authorising Officer: The Authorising Officer is ultimately responsible for the sponsor license and ensuring compliance with all sponsor license duties. This individual must be a paid member of staff or an “office holder” of the organisation (such as a director or trustee) and primarily based in the UK.
  • Key Contact: The Key Contact serves as the primary point of communication between the sponsor and the Home Office. Appointing a legal representative as the Key Contact is highly recommended, as this allows for efficient communication and timely resolution of any queries.
  • Level 1 User: The Level 1 User is responsible for the day-to-day management of the sponsor license through the online Sponsorship Management System (SMS). Multiple Level 1 Users can be appointed, and non-employees, including representatives, can be assigned as Level 1 Users or Level 2 Users with limited SMS access. However, at least one Level 1 User must be an employee, partner, or director who is also a settled worker in the UK

Additional Criteria for Charity Worker Sponsor Licenses

To be eligible to apply for a Charity Worker sponsor license, organisations must meet the following criteria in addition to the general requirements outlined in Part 1: Apply for a License:

  • Registered Charity: The organisation must be a registered charity, an excepted charity, or an exempt charity as defined under the relevant charity legislation applicable in the relevant part of the UK.
  • Ecclesiastical Corporation: Alternatively, the organisation must be an ecclesiastical corporation (either corporation sole or body corporate) established for charitable purposes.

Application Process

The sponsor licence application process is completed online.

The online application may be prepared by a representative, however, the final submission must be completed by the Authorizing Officer. Failure to do so will result in the application being refused and the application fee will not be refunded.

ï  Application Fee:

  • The application fee for a Charity Worker sponsor license is the standard Temporary Worker sponsor license fee, currently £536.
  • The fee must be paid online at the time of application submission.
  • Priority service, which aims to expedite processing within 10 working days, may be available for an additional fee of £500. If not available at the time of initial submission, it can be purchased at a later date.

ï  Submission Requirements:

  • Following online submission and fee payment, the Authorising Officer must download and complete a submission sheet.
  • The completed submission sheet, along with all required supporting documents, must be submitted to UKVI within five working days via the designated email address.
  • Failure to submit all mandatory documents may result in application rejection and a refund of the application fee, although a limited window may be provided to rectify incomplete submissions.

Processing Times:

  • UKVI aims to process standard applications within eight weeks.
  • Applications with priority service are typically processed within 10 working days of receipt of the priority fee and all supporting documentation.

Upon successful grant of a Charity Worker sponsor license, a charitable organisation may begin sponsoring workers under this route.

If you are interested in applying for sponsor licence, BHD Solicitors are here to help.

We are committed to supporting businesses and individuals and we will work tirelessly to produce the best outcomes for you and your business. For over 30 years, our immigration specialists have dedicated themselves to putting the needs of our clients first, providing bespoke immigration advice designed to achieve your needs as efficiently and cost effectively as possible.

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