Expat Employment in the UK:Legally Sponsor Skilled Worker Visas
Sponsor Licence, CoS and Right-to-Work Route Review
Check the Work Route Before You Promise a UK Start Date
Hiring a foreign employee in the UK should start with route screening, not with the Certificate of Sponsorship. Some candidates already have a right to work. Some need Skilled Worker sponsorship. Some may fit a Global Business Mobility route, Graduate route, Global Talent route or another unsponsored route. Some cannot start until the sponsor licence, salary, occupation code and right-to-work position are clear.
NNRoad helps employers review the UK foreign hire route before onboarding. The review covers sponsor licence readiness, Skilled Worker or alternative route fit, occupation code and salary checks, CoS planning, right-to-work records, visa timing and payroll or EOR handoff after approval.
Last reviewed: July 2026.
Route questions to answer first
- Does the candidate already have a UK right to work?
- Does the employer hold the right sponsor licence?
- Is the role eligible for Skilled Worker or another sponsored route?
- Does the salary meet the route threshold and going rate?
- Is the worker applying from outside or inside the UK?
- Will the case later move into EOR, payroll or your own UK entity?
Need to hire a foreign employee in the UK?
Share the candidate status, role, salary, work location, employer setup and expected start date for a route check.
Review My UK Sponsorship CaseAlready has RTW
Check evidence and role restrictions before onboarding.
Skilled Worker
Check sponsor licence, CoS, occupation code and salary.
Health and Care
Check eligible role, salary route and sector-specific requirements.
GBM route
Check whether the case is an assignment, expansion or service route.
Unsponsored route
Check Graduate, Global Talent, HPI, Youth Mobility or other status.
Not Every Foreign Candidate Needs the Same UK Route
The route should be selected before the offer letter is locked. Salary, timing, sponsor duties and even whether the role can be hired may depend on this step.
Candidate already has permission to work
Check the evidence, role restrictions, expiry date and follow-up check requirement. A share code or original document check may be needed depending on status.
Standard Skilled Worker case
GOV.UK states Skilled Worker usually needs an approved UK employer, a CoS, an eligible occupation and minimum salary. Current GOV.UK Skilled Worker page lists the standard salary rate at £41,700 or the going rate, whichever is higher.
Lower salary or special route
Immigration Salary List, new entrant, PhD-related, healthcare and education cases may follow different salary rules. Do not reuse an old salary threshold without checking the current route.
Global Business Mobility
GBM routes are for specific assignments, expansion, secondment or service-supplier scenarios. They should not be used as a default substitute for normal local hiring.
Visitor or ETA case
A visitor route is not a hiring shortcut. If the activity is real work for a UK employer, the correct work route should be in place before work begins.
Payroll or EOR handoff
After the right route is clear, the case can move into UK payroll, EOR or direct employment. Payroll should not be used to solve an unfinished sponsorship case.
Before Sponsorship: Is the Employer Ready?
Sponsor readiness matters
A sponsor licence is not only an application form. The employer needs a genuine trading presence, correct licence route, key personnel, HR systems, reporting discipline and records that can stand up to Home Office review.
For 2026, GOV.UK lists Worker sponsor licence fees at £611 for small or charitable sponsors and £1,682 for medium or large sponsors.
What Must Be Settled Before Assigning the Certificate of Sponsorship?
A Certificate of Sponsorship is not the first step. It is the output of route, role, salary, employer and candidate checks.
Occupation code
Match the code to actual duties, not just the job title. The code drives eligible role checks and going-rate review.
Salary
Check the general salary threshold and the occupation going rate. Some routes or exceptions may use different rules.
Defined or Undefined CoS
Defined CoS is usually for Skilled Worker entry clearance from outside the UK. GOV.UK says Defined CoS applications are usually approved within one working day.
CoS fee
Home Office 2026 fees list Certificate of Sponsorship for Worker routes at £525 and Temporary Worker route at £55.
Immigration Skills Charge
The sponsor may need to pay the Immigration Skills Charge when assigning a CoS, and GOV.UK states the sponsor must pay it themselves.
Right-to-work follow-up
Even after approval, the employer still needs the correct right-to-work check before the employee starts. Time-limited permission may require follow-up checks.
What Employers Should Budget and Plan Around
Government cost points
- Sponsor licence application fee, depending on sponsor size and licence type.
- Certificate of Sponsorship fee for each sponsored worker.
- Immigration Skills Charge where applicable.
- Visa application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge, depending on who pays under the employer’s policy.
- Priority services, document costs, English, criminal record, TB or ATAS checks where relevant.
Planning timing
GOV.UK states Skilled Worker visa decisions are usually made in 3 weeks for applications outside the UK and 8 weeks for applications inside the UK, after identity and documents are provided.
GOV.UK Skilled Worker decision timing
The actual start date should also account for sponsor licence readiness, CoS timing, notice periods, right-to-work checks, payroll setup and any route-specific evidence.
After Approval, the Sponsor File Still Needs Management
Common UK Foreign Hiring Questions From Employers
Start with licence status, occupation code, salary, English, candidate history and whether the role is genuinely eligible. Do not assume every strong candidate fits Skilled Worker.
Maybe not immediately, but future conversion should be planned. Check current work permission, expiry, role, salary and whether sponsorship may be needed later.
Do not treat EOR as a sponsorship shortcut. The employer and sponsor structure should be reviewed before offering EOR for a foreign candidate.
Review whether this is Skilled Worker, Senior or Specialist Worker, UK Expansion Worker or another route. Assignment purpose and employer structure matter.
Be careful. A visitor or ETA position is not a work route. Work should not begin until the correct right-to-work position is in place.
Review the UK Sponsorship Route Before Making an Offer
Share the candidate’s nationality, current location, UK status if any, role, salary, employer setup, sponsor licence status and expected start date. NNRoad can help identify whether the case fits Skilled Worker, GBM, an unsponsored right-to-work route, EOR handoff, payroll, contractor review or another path.
Review My UK Sponsorship CaseA useful first review focuses on sponsorship need, occupation code, salary, sponsor readiness, CoS planning, right-to-work check and payroll or EOR handoff.
How NNRoad Reviews a UK Foreign Hiring Case
1. Route screening
Check whether the candidate already has permission to work, needs sponsorship, or may fit an unsponsored or business-mobility route.
2. Employer readiness
Review sponsor licence status, key personnel, HR systems, right-to-work process, payroll setup and sponsor reporting capacity.
3. Role and salary check
Review occupation code, duties, salary threshold, going rate, work location, employment terms and whether the job is genuine and eligible.
4. CoS and visa planning
Plan Defined or Undefined CoS, visa timing, candidate documents and any route-specific evidence before finalizing start date.
5. Right-to-work and onboarding
Complete the right-to-work check before employment starts and align payroll, EOR or direct employment setup with the approved route.
6. Compliance tracking
Track role changes, salary changes, absences, expiry dates, extensions, sponsor reporting triggers and offboarding duties.
What We Need to Review Your UK Foreign Hire
Candidate status
- Nationality and current location
- Current UK immigration status, if any
- Whether the candidate already has right to work
- Current visa expiry date, if relevant
- Whether family members are relocating
Role and salary
- Job title and detailed duties
- Work location and hybrid pattern
- Annual salary and benefits
- Contract duration and expected start date
- Whether the role may fit a special route
Employer setup
- Whether a UK entity exists
- Whether a sponsor licence is already held
- Which sponsor licence route is active
- Payroll, EOR or direct employment handoff needs
- Internal timeline and business urgency
After Route Review: Sponsorship, EOR, Payroll or Contractor Review?
Move to sponsorship support
The candidate needs a sponsored route and the employer has or needs the correct sponsor licence, CoS process and sponsor compliance controls.
Move to UK EOR
The candidate can work in the UK, the role is employee-style, and the company needs employment administration before a UK entity is ready.
Move to payroll outsourcing
The company already has a UK employer entity and needs PAYE payroll, National Insurance, RTI reporting, pension workflow and payroll reports.
Move to contractor review
The person is a consultant or project specialist rather than an employee, and the working relationship should be reviewed before payroll or sponsorship is assumed.
Important distinction: UK foreign hiring is not the same as UK EOR. This page reviews whether the candidate can work in the UK and which route fits. EOR or payroll should begin only after the work route is clear.
Why Choose NNRoad for UK Foreign Hiring Support?
Route before paperwork
We start by checking whether sponsorship is actually needed and which route fits before building a CoS or visa timeline.
Sponsor-ready employer checks
Sponsor licence, key personnel, HR systems, right-to-work records and reporting duties are reviewed as operational controls, not just application fields.
Clean handoff after approval
Once the right-to-work position is clear, the case can move into EOR, payroll outsourcing or direct employment with fewer route surprises.
Check the UK Foreign Hire Route Before Onboarding
Whether your candidate is overseas, already in the UK, switching status, moving from a group company or applying under Skilled Worker, NNRoad can help review the route before employment and payroll begin.
Review My UK Sponsorship CaseAfter route review, the next step is to confirm sponsorship, right-to-work evidence, CoS details, visa timing and payroll or EOR handoff.
UK Sponsorship and Right-to-Work Resources
These references are useful starting points for employers reviewing UK foreign hiring, sponsor licence readiness, Skilled Worker, salary thresholds, CoS, right-to-work checks and visa timing.
Skilled Worker Overview
Skilled Worker Job and Salary
Lower Salary Rules
Sponsor Licence Application
Certificates of Sponsorship
Right to Work Checks
Home Office Fees
Immigration Skills Charge
UK Hire Foreigner FAQs
Does every foreign candidate need UK sponsorship?
No. Some candidates already have the right to work or hold a visa that permits the role. Sponsorship should be checked only after the candidate’s current status and work conditions are reviewed.
What is the main route for sponsoring a long-term UK employee?
For many employer-sponsored long-term hires, Skilled Worker is the main route. The role, sponsor licence, occupation code, salary, CoS and candidate eligibility should be reviewed before the offer is finalized.
Can NNRoad guarantee UK visa approval?
No. Approval depends on Home Office review, sponsor licence status, route criteria, candidate eligibility, documents, salary and timing. NNRoad helps review the route and reduce avoidable mistakes, but approval cannot be guaranteed.
Can EOR be used for UK sponsorship?
Do not assume so. EOR and sponsorship are separate issues. If the candidate needs sponsorship, the sponsor structure and legal employer position must be reviewed before EOR is proposed.
When should payroll start for a foreign employee in the UK?
Payroll should start only after the right-to-work position is clear and the employment structure has been confirmed. Depending on the case, payroll may be handled through a UK entity, EOR or another lawful employment route.
What information should we prepare before asking NNRoad?
Prepare the candidate’s nationality, current location, UK status if any, job title, duties, salary, work location, sponsor licence status, expected start date and whether your company has a UK employer entity.