The Three Pillar Sponsor Licence

A sponsor licence application is like a three-legged stool. If one of the legs is missing, the whole thing collapses.

In our experience, most sponsor licence refusals come from one of the three core requirements of the application not being properly evidenced. If a core requirement is not properly documented and evidenced on paper, it is likely that the Home Office will treat it as not having been satisfied.

**The Three Pillars UKVI Wants to See:**

1. You are operating lawfully in the UK:
– Your business must be UK registered (Companies House record)
– Your activity is real and on-going.
2. You are actively trading in the UK:
– Businesses trading less than 18 months are more likely to be scrutinized by the Home Office on this pillar.
– UKVI will be looking for evidence of real trading – usually evidences such as UK business bank statements are commonly submitted.
3. Evidence you can pay the required Skilled Worker salary:
– As a rule, £41,700/yr is the general occupation rate that will apply – or the higher going rate for the roles with a specified SOC code.
– You must show strong evidence that you have the financial security and capacity to meet this commitment once you assign a COS.

If you cannot fully evidence this checklist, you will require a credible and convincing explanation of why you cannot meet this criteria as well as alternative supporting evidence to match.

**A Practical Example:**

Piller 1 – UK presence

– Active Companies House entry.
– Business premises or evidence of operations.

Pillar 2 – Trading presence

– UK business bank statements covering recent months.
– A bank letter confirming the account and its business use(s).
– Optional: invoices / receipts tied to UK contracts.

Pillar 3 – Salary Capacity

– A draft job offer showing the skilled worker salary at £41,700 (or the correct going rate for that specific role).
– Bank balance and projections showing funds cover the payroll runway.
– These figures match what you intend to record on the CoS.

By layering evidence this way, you offset the fact you haven’t traded 18 months yet, because UKVI can clearly see you are active and capable.

**Key Mistakes and How to Avoid “Missing” a Pillar**

1. Make a pillar by piller evidence map – list each requirement and attach specific documents that address it directly.
2. If you have a borderline case – include a brief cover letter summarising why the evidence should satisfy the UKVI (and direct them to key pages).
3. Keep all evidence UK focused – evidence should only come from UK bank accounts, UK contracts and UK payroll forecasts – do not include any overseas equivalents.

Want our full **Sponsor Licence Document & Process Checklist** to work from? Book a free assessment call with us today.

Sources and Further Reading

• Home Office Sponsor guidance (UKVI) – requirements for applying and evidencing sponsor suitability:

  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-visa-sponsorship-guidance-for-sponsors-skilled-workers

• Skilled Worker salary thresholds and going rates – updated minimums and exceptions:

  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-rules-appendix-skilled-occupation-list-sol