Insights & Updates
WPC HR Blog
Sponsor licence compliance insights and updates: clear, practical guidance for UK sponsor licence holders, covering Right to Work, SMS reporting duties, HR compliance, and what each Home Office change means for your licence.
Earned Settlement Is Decided: What Sponsors Must Do Now, Worker by Worker
Key Takeaways Earned settlement is decided policy, but it is not law yet. The government response to the consultation, CP 1707, was publishe...
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Unfair Dismissal After Six Months from 1 January 2027: What HR Must Change in Probation, Performance and Records
Key Takeaways From 1 January 2027, an employee needs six months' service, not two years, to claim ordinary unfair dismissal. Section 25 of t...
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Trade Union Right of Access from 30 October 2026: What HR Must Do When a Request Arrives
Key Takeaways From 30 October 2026, an independent union can formally request access to any employer with 21 or more workers. Section 59 of...
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The Employment Rights Act 2025 Timeline: Every Measure, the Date It Takes Effect and What HR Must Do
Key Takeaways Only part of the Employment Rights Act 2025 is in force, so check a measure's status before you change a policy. The Act recei...
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SMS Level 2 Users End on 8 March 2027: What Sponsors Must Do Before Then
Key Takeaways Every SMS Level 2 User must be converted to Level 1 or deactivated by 8 March 2027. Paragraph L4.59 of Part 1 of the sponsor g...
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Minister of Religion and Religious Worker Sponsors: The 29 October 2026 Changes and What HR Must Decide
Key Takeaways HC 584 changes both faith routes on 29 October 2026, and it is confirmed law. Paragraphs APP MOR1 to MOR10 and APP RW1 to RW10...
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The Strengthened Sexual Harassment Duty from 30 October 2026: What HR Must Be Able to Evidence
Key Takeaways From 30 October 2026 you must take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment. Section 20 of the Employment Rights Act...
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Right to Work Records for Contractors: The Files, Process and Training HR Needs
Key Takeaways Since 1 October 2026 the Right to Work Scheme has reached individuals engaged under a worker's contract, individual sub-contra...
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Modern Slavery and Your Sponsor Licence: What HR Teams Must Be Able to Prove
Key Takeaways A modern slavery allegation is settled on the employer's paperwork, not on its intentions. Section 28 of the National Minimum...
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Sponsor Management System Multi-Factor Authentication: What HR Teams Must Do Now
Key Takeaways Mandatory multi-factor authentication (MFA) for Sponsorship Management System users began on 3 September 2026. The Home Office...
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Settlement Reform: What the ILR Changes Mean for Employers
Updated 3 November 2026: the government has now decided. On 2 November 2026 the Home Office published its response to the consultation, A Fa...
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Right to Work Changes from 1 October 2026: A Guide for Employers
Key Takeaways Since 1 October 2026 , the duty to prevent illegal working has extended beyond employees. Section 48 of the Border Security, A...
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Care Sector Sponsor Licence Compliance: The 2026 Guide for Care Providers
Key Takeaways Care is the most heavily enforced sector in UK sponsorship. More than 470 care sector sponsor licences have been revoked since...
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SOC Codes and Going Rates Explained: A Sponsor's Guide to Getting Skilled Worker Salaries Right
Key Takeaways Every sponsored role must pass two tests: it must be at the right skill level and it must meet the right salary . The four-dig...
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Illegal Working Civil Penalties: What Every Employer Needs to Know in 2026
Key Takeaways Civil penalties for employing someone without the right to work are £45,000 per worker for a first breach and £60,000 per work...
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Sponsor Licence Suspension, Downgrade and Revocation: What Happens When Compliance Fails
Key Takeaways Enforcement is at record levels. 4,714 sponsor licences were revoked in the 12 months to June 2026 , more than double the 1,94...
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The Authorising Officer Role: Responsibilities Every HR Team Must Know
Key Takeaways The Authorising Officer (AO) is the most senior person in your organisation responsible for recruiting sponsored workers and f...
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Preparing for a Home Office Compliance Visit: An HR Team's Checklist
Key Takeaways Home Office guidance for its own compliance officers states that visits should normally be unannounced . Planning on the basis...
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Appendix A: Supporting Documents for Your Sponsor Licence Application
Key Takeaways Appendix A is the Home Office guidance that lists the supporting documents you must submit with a sponsor licence application...
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Appendix D Explained: Getting Your Sponsor Records Audit-Ready
Key Takeaways Appendix D is the Home Office guidance that lists the documents every sponsor must keep for each sponsored worker. It goes bey...
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The Sponsor Management System (SMS): A Practical Guide for HR Teams
Key Takeaways The Sponsor Management System (SMS) is the Home Office's secure online portal and its live record of your compliance. Every ac...
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Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): An HR Manager's Guide to Getting It Right
Key Takeaways A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is a unique digital reference, not a physical document, that a licensed sponsor assigns to...
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Sponsor Duties in 2026: The Complete Compliance Checklist for HR Teams
Key Takeaways Sponsor licence enforcement has hardened sharply. 4,714 licences were revoked in the 12 months to June 2026, more than double...
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Gig Economy and Construction Right to Work Rules Now in Force: What HR Must Do and Evidence
Key Takeaways The extended Right to Work Scheme has been in force since 1 October 2026. Section 48 of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigr...
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