Self-Sponsorship Skilled Worker Visa

Self-sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route is a legitimate — though technically complex — arrangement that allows an entrepreneur or business owner to obtain a Skilled Worker Visa by sponsoring themselves through their own UK company.

Under this approach, you must first set up or acquire a genuine, trading UK company and apply for a sponsor licence on behalf of that company. Once the licence is granted, the company can then issue a Certificate of Sponsorship to you as an employee, which forms the basis of your Skilled Worker Visa application.

To be granted a sponsor licence, the company must demonstrate that it is a genuine business operating in the UK — which typically means it must have a legal presence, a registered address, evidence of trading, and appropriate HR systems in place. The Home Office may carry out a compliance visit.

The self-sponsorship route is subject to all standard Skilled Worker requirements, including the eligible occupation requirement, the minimum salary threshold, and the competency requirements. It is not a shortcut, and the Home Office scrutinises these applications carefully.

This route requires careful planning and a solid business case. There must be a genuine need for your role within the company, and your salary must be commercially realistic for the role.

Terence Ray Solicitors has guided business owners and entrepreneurs through this process. We will advise you on the structure of the arrangement and ensure both the sponsor licence and visa applications are correctly prepared.

Contact us on 020 3367 1430 or email info@trsolicitors.co.uk.