Self Sponsorship Visa UK  

Self Sponsorship Visa UK is a lawful strategy that helps foreign nationals to obtain a Skilled Worker visa by having their own UK company sponsor them. This is not a separate visa category, rather a lawful strategy to obtain a Skilled Worker visa without requiring sponsorship from an unrelated third-party employer. 

To obtain a Self Sponsor visa UK you must establish, acquire, own or control a company in the UK, and the company must apply for a Skilled Worker sponsor licence. Upon obtaining approval as a licensed sponsor from the Home Office, the company may assign a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to the business owner for an eligible role that meets the Skilled Worker requirements, who can then apply for a Skilled Worker visa. 

Sunrise Solicitors provides expert guidance to individuals seeking Self Sponsorship Visa UK. Our team of specialist immigration lawyers and solicitors guide you throughout your application and help you achieve the best possible outcome. Contact us today and get free immigration advice from our specialist team of work visa solicitors.

Self-Sponsorship Visa UK Requirements 

The following are the requirements an applicant must fulfil to obtain a Skilled Worker visa through self-sponsorship. 

Requirements for the Applicant 

Please note that the applicant must meet the Skilled Worker visa requirements, alongside the sponsor licence and business requirements applicable to the UK company. 

Please note the requirement are the same as per skilled worker application.  

• You are aged 18 or over 

• There is an established UK company that is active and genuine 

• Your UK company has successfully obtained a Skilled Worker sponsor licence 

• Your UK company has assigned you a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the role you intend to do 

• Your job offer is a genuine vacancy 

• Your role is at the required skill level 

• Your salary meets or exceeds both the general salary threshold and the going rate for the relevant SOC 2020 occupation code 

• Your sponsor has paid the Immigration Skills Charge, where required 

• You meet the English language requirement: B2 CEFR if making your first Skilled Worker application on or after 8 January 2026, while B1 CEFR may continue to apply if your most recent Skilled Worker permission was granted subject to the B1 requirement. 

• You have enough funds to support yourself without relying on public funds 

• You have provided a criminal record certificate, where required 

• You have provided a valid TB certificate, where required 

The precise requirements will vary depending on your circumstances.  

Requirements for the UK Company (New or Existing) 

The requirements for the UK company are as follows:  

• The company must be a genuine, active, and lawfully operating business in the UK 

• The business must meet all eligibility criteria to obtain a Skilled Worker sponsor licence 

• The company must have appropriate HR and recruitment systems in place 

• The business must demonstrate its ability to operate financially and pay the required salaries to sponsored employees 

• The business must be a genuine organisation operating or trading lawfully in the UK and must not exist merely as a vehicle to facilitate an immigration application. 

• The company must provide appropriate evidence to demonstrate that it is genuinely operating or trading in the UK, which may include a UK business bank account, insurance, evidence of business activity, and appropriate HR systems. 

Requirements for the Sponsored Job Role 

The requirements for the sponsored job role are as follows:  

• Must be a genuine, skilled role and must not be created solely to obtain a visa 

• Must be at RQF Level 6, unless one of the following applies: 

• The job is on the Immigration Salary List (occupations where reduced skill and salary thresholds may apply), or 

• The job is on the Temporary Shortage List, allowing eligible medium-skilled roles, including certain RQF Level 3–5 occupations, where the application is made using a Certificate of Sponsorship issued before 31 December 2026, or 

• The worker qualifies for transitional protections (e.g. held Skilled Worker permission before 22 July 2025 and maintained continuous leave) 

• The job’s duties must align with an eligible SOC 2020 occupation code, based on the actual responsibilities and tasks performed, not just the job title.  

Salary Requirements

To meet the UK Self Sponsorship Visa requirements, you must be paid a salary of at least £41,700 per year, or the going rate for your specific job, whichever is higher.  

Each job is assigned a unique SOC 2020 occupation code, and the going rate for each role is listed in the Skilled Worker Going Rates table. In some circumstances, you may qualify with a lower salary under the Skilled Worker tradable points system, including where you have a relevant PhD qualification, your job is on the Immigration Salary List, or you qualify as a new entrant. Different salary thresholds may also apply to certain applicants who benefit from transitional Skilled Worker provisions. 

For many roles in healthcare and education, different salary rules apply, as these roles are often based on national pay scales rather than the standard thresholds. Your employer must also ensure that your salary complies with UK minimum wage laws and that your working hours meet legal requirements. If these conditions are not met, your visa application may be refused.

Complete Self-Sponsorship UK Process

The step-by-step process for the Self Sponsorship Visa UK is given below:  

Stage 1 – Establish or acquire a UK Company

To qualify for a Skilled Worker visa through self-sponsorship, you will first need to either establish a new company in the UK or own or acquire an existing UK company.
You must register your company through Companies House, appointing at least one director, and selecting a Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code that accurately reflects the nature of the business. 

If your company has been operating or trading in the UK for less than 18 months, you will need to have a corporate or business account with a UK bank or building society authorised and regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), subject to limited exceptions. This is a mandatory supporting requirement for such start-up sponsor licence applications. 

Once the company starts carrying on business, it must be registered with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for Corporation Tax, if this has not already been done as part of the Companies House registration process. You will also have to register PAYE (Paye as You Earn) and National Insurance if you want to hire employees. Also, VAT (Value Added Tax) registration may be required depending on the nature and scale of the business. 

Stage 2 – Apply for a Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence 

To apply for a Skilled Worker sponsor licence, your UK business must submit the required documents to the Home Office. The required supporting documents will depend on the circumstances of the business and may include evidence of a UK corporate bank account, PAYE registration, and VAT registration where applicable. You may also need to provide employer’s liability insurance with coverage of at least £5 million, proof of ownership or lease of business premises, and the most recent annual accounts where relevant. 

The Home Office will assess whether your business is genuine and operating lawfully, whether it has adequate HR systems to meet compliance duties, and whether the key personnel appointed are suitable to manage the licence. 

Your business must appoint people to fulfil three key personnel roles before applying: an Authorising Officer, a Key Contact to liaise with the Home Office, and a Level 1 User to manage the licence through the Sponsorship Management System (SMS). The same person may hold more than one role, and at least one Level 1 User must generally be an employee, partner or director of the organisation and a settled worker. Key personnel must normally be based in the UK most of the time. 

Stage 3 – Assigning Yourself a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) 

Once your sponsor licence is approved, your company must assign the appropriate Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). A Defined CoS is required for a Skilled Worker applying from outside the UK, while an Undefined CoS is used for Skilled Worker applicants applying from within the UK. 

The CoS must be assigned no more than three months before the date of your Skilled Worker visa application. It must include all mandatory information, such as your job title, salary, start date, and the correct SOC 2020 occupation code. The salary and role must meet the requirements for the Skilled Worker route, including minimum salary thresholds and skill level. 

You must also ensure that the job meets the “genuine vacancy” test, meaning it must be a real, skilled role necessary for your business and not created solely for immigration purposes. 

Stage 4 – Apply for the Skilled Worker Visa 

After you have been provided with the CoS, you can apply online to get your Skilled Worker visa. Depending on your nationality and location, you will be required to prove your identity either by using the UK Immigration ID Check app or by taking a biometrics appointment. Your application would need to have all the needed supporting materials, including your Certificate of Sponsorship reference number, evidence of proficiency in the English language, evidence of maintenance funds (unless certified by your sponsor), and other supporting materials as needed depending on your situation.  

The standard visa processing time is 3 weeks when the applicant is outside UK, and 8 weeks when the applicant is within UK. For faster processing, applicants can opt for either priority or super priority services, subject to availability and location.  

Our immigration lawyers at Sunrise Solicitors have years of experience assisting start-up business proprietors to acquire Skilled Worker sponsor licences and successfully sponsor themselves to work in the UK. Call us and Book an appointment to get professional legal advice. 

Ongoing Sponsor Duties for Self-Sponsorship Visa UK

As a sponsor under the Skilled Worker route in a self-sponsorship arrangement, your company in the UK must legally ensure that it has effective HR and compliance systems to meet its ongoing sponsor duties. These responsibilities involve keeping track of employee attendance, informing the Home Office of any material changes happening in the job role, salary or workplace, and ensuring strict record keeping with copies of passports, visas, and contact details. 

You must also carry out and record Right to Work checks prior to the start of employment and hold payroll records to show that you are paying salaries according to the salary requirements, which can be cross-examined by HMRC. 

Failure to observe these obligations may have serious consequences including:  

• Suspension, downgrading or revocation of the sponsor licence 

• Early cancellation of the sponsored worker’s visa by the Home Office 

• Refusal of pending Skilled Worker applications relying on the sponsor, and restrictions on applying for a new sponsor licence during any applicable cooling-off period 

For this reason, it is important for your company to implement effect systems and comply fully with the sponsor duties.

Can Self-Sponsored Skilled Workers Bring Dependants? 

If you are applying under the Skilled Worker visa through self-sponsorship, your partner and children may be able to apply to join you or stay in the UK as your dependants. Their visa will usually end on the same date as yours. Each dependant must apply separately and pay the appropriate visa fee, including the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) for each year of their stay. 

If your sponsored job is classed as medium-skilled (for example, if it is on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List), restrictions introduced from 22 July 2025 may affect whether your partner and children can apply to join you or remain in the UK as your dependants. 

Your partner and children may still be able to apply if you have been continuously employed in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa in a medium-skilled job since before 22 July 2025. A child born in the UK may also apply as your dependant. 

For applications made from inside the UK, a child may also qualify where you are the only living parent responsible for the child, or where the child’s other parent is also sponsored in a medium-skilled job, subject to the applicable requirements. 

Your partner can be your spouse, civil partner or an unmarried partner with whom you have been in a relationship for at least 2 years. Your child must normally be under 18 when first applying as your dependant, although a child aged 18 or over may continue as your dependant if they already have permission as your dependant. The child must live with you (except during full-time study) and must not be married or have a civil partner. 

Financial requirements for dependants 

You and your dependants must show that you have enough money to support yourselves, unless each applicant has been living in the UK with permission for at least 12 months or your A-rated UK sponsor certifies maintenance for you and your dependants. Where required, you must show evidence that the necessary funds have been held for at least 28 consecutive days, with the 28th day falling within 31 days of the visa application: 

• £285 for your partner 

• £315 for your first child 

• £200 for each additional child 

• £1,270 for yourself (the main applicant) 

Self-Sponsored Skilled Workers Visa to ILR 

 After completing a continuous qualifying period of 5 years in the UK on the Skilled Worker route or other eligible routes, a self-sponsored Skilled Worker may apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), subject to meeting the continuous residence and other settlement requirements. The applicant must also pass the Life in the UK Test, unless exempt. For Skilled Worker settlement applications made on or after 26 March 2027, applicants will also generally need to meet the B2 English language requirement in speaking and listening, unless an exemption applies. 

After getting ILR, self-sponsorship visa holder can live and work in the UK without any restrictions. The main applicant’s dependant partner may also be eligible for ILR after completing 5 continuous years in the UK as their dependant partner and meeting the relevant settlement requirements. Dependant children may also qualify for settlement where they meet the applicable relationship, care, age and independent-life requirements and the relevant requirements concerning their parents’ settlement status.

Costs of the Self-Sponsorship Route 

The following are the self sponsorship visa UK cost:  

How Can Sunrise Solicitors Help?  

At Sunrise Solicitors, our specialist team of work visa solicitors can provide fast, friendly, reliable and fixed fee legal services for your application for Self Sponsorship Visa UK. As specialist work visa solicitors, we have wealth of knowledge and extensive experience in handling complex immigration matters.  

Our immigration lawyers and solicitors regularly assist start-up business owners to secure Skilled Worker sponsor licences and then sponsor themselves to work in the UK. Ask a question to our Self-Sponsorship Skilled Worker visa lawyers for free immigration advice or schedule an appointment for detailed immigration advice concerning your Self-Sponsorship Visa UK application.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Can I own 100% of the company and self-sponsor? 

Yes, you can own 100% of the UK company and self-sponsor, as long as the company has not been established or does not exist mainly to facilitate your immigration to the UK and meets all sponsor licence requirements. 

Do I need investment funds? 

No, there is no investment fund requirement for the self-sponsorship visa.  

Can a newly formed company get a sponsor licence? 

Yes. A newly registered UK company can apply for a Skilled Worker sponsor licence, provided it has a genuine operating or trading presence in the UK and meets the relevant sponsor licence requirements. 

What is the genuine vacancy requirement? 

The job role for which the CoS is issued must be a real, skilled role that meets the eligibility criteria for the Skilled Worker route. It must not be created mainly so the applicant can apply for entry clearance or permission to stay. The duties must match an eligible occupation code under SOC 2020. 

Can I work for another company while self sponsored? 

A self-sponsored Skilled Worker visa holder may work up to 20 hours per week in a second job, outside the working hours of their sponsored role, provided they continue working in their sponsored role and the additional work is in an eligible higher-skilled occupation, is listed on the Immigration Salary List, or is in the same sector and at the same professional level as their main job. Different rules apply to medium-skilled additional work. 

How long does the self sponsorship process take? 

The Skilled Worker visa application is usually processed within 3 weeks if applying from outside the UK, or 8 weeks if applying from inside the UK, after submitting your application, proving your identity and providing the required documents. The sponsor licence stage is separate, and most sponsor licence applications are dealt with in less than 8 weeks, so the overall self-sponsorship process may take longer. 

Can I switch into this route from within the UK? 

Yes, you can switch to this visa from within the UK, provided you meet the Skilled Worker requirements. However, you cannot switch if you are on a visit visa, short-term student visa, seasonal worker visa, domestic worker visa, Parent of a Child Student visa, immigration bail, or have permission outside the Immigration Rules. Additional switching requirements apply if you are currently on a Student visa. 

How do I prove my business is genuine? 

To prove your business is genuine, you must provide the documents and information required by Appendix A of the sponsor guidance that apply to your organisation. These may include evidence of a UK business bank account, HMRC registrations, employer’s liability insurance, business premises, financial records, and evidence that the business is genuinely and lawfully operating in the UK.

How can Sunrise Solicitors maximise my chances of success? 

Sunrise Solicitors have a dedicated team of work visa experts who guide clients through every stage of the self-sponsorship process. We are regulated by the SRA and are members of the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA), offering trusted and professional legal support.