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Managing Sponsor Licenses, Businesses and Users

This guide explains how to apply for a new sponsor license or integration an existing license and how to add and manage businesses, sites, and users within the Borderless platform.

Written by James Balino
Updated this week

Integrate an Existing Sponsor Licence

Step 1: Open the Sponsor Licence Area

  1. Go to Onboarding in Borderless.

  2. Click Add a sponsor licence.

  3. You will be taken to the Sponsor licences area.

From here, you can manage:

  • Sponsor licences

  • Businesses

  • Work locations (sites)

  • Users

Step 2: Start the Integration

  1. Click Add licence.

  2. Select Integrate an existing sponsor licence.

  3. Click Continue.

Step 3: Select or Create a Business

  1. Choose the business this licence belongs to.

  2. If the business is not listed, click Create a new business and add it.

  3. Click Submit, then Continue.

💡 The sponsor licence must be linked to the correct business. This controls which sites and users are attached later.

Step 4: Add Borderless as a Representative

You will see a task list. The first task is to add Borderless as a representative on your Sponsor Management System (SMS).

  1. Click the task to open instructions.

  2. Log into the Sponsor Management System (SMS).

  3. Open your Licence summary.

Enter the following into Borderless:

  • Organisation name

  • Organisation address

  • Sponsor licence number

Then enter details of your Authorising Officer.

This must match the Authorising Officer currently listed on your sponsor licence.

Step 5: Submit the Change in SMS

In SMS:

  1. Go to Licence summary

  2. Click Request changes to licence details

  3. Click Request any other change to your licence details

  4. Select Appoint a representative

  5. Copy the text provided in Borderless into the SMS text box

  6. Click Next and submit

After submission, SMS will generate a Change request number.

⚠️ SMS may ask you to sign a submission sheet at this stage. Ignore this in SMS. You will sign it inside Borderless in the next step.

Step 6: Enter the Change Request Number

  1. Return to Borderless.

  2. Paste the Change request number into the form.

  3. Click Submit.

Step 7: Sign the Submission Sheet in Borderless

  1. Click Sign document.

  2. Review the Sponsor submission sheet.

  3. Add your signature.

  4. Click Sign.

  5. Click Submit for review.

Borderless will:

  • Review your submission

  • Request priority from the Home Office to be added as your representative

Step 8: Add Borderless as a Level 1 User

Once Borderless is added as a representative, a second task will appear.

In SMS:

  1. Go to Licence summary

  2. Click Manage Level 1 and 2 users

  3. Click Request a Level 1 user

  4. Complete the form using the details provided in Borderless

You will need the Representative reference number, which is sent once Borderless is added as a representative.

  1. Enter the reference number.

  2. Submit the request in SMS.

  3. Return to Borderless and click Submit for review.

Borderless will request priority again for Level 1 access.

Once approved, your sponsor licence integration is complete.

Track Applications

To check progress:

  1. Go to Sponsor licences

  2. Click View applications

You can see:

  • Ongoing integrations

  • New sponsor licence applications

  • Current status updates

Apply for a New Sponsor Licence

Step 1: Start a New Application

  1. Click Add licence

  2. Select Applying for a new sponsor licence

  3. Choose a business or create a new one

  4. Click Submit, then Continue

Step 2: Complete the 7 Required Sections

You will see a checklist of seven sections.

1. Company Background

Provide:

  • Company information

  • Details of any current or past sponsor licences

2. Registered Details and Supporting Documents

Enter:

  • Registered name

  • Registered address

Upload supporting documents such as:

  • Registration documents

  • Proof of ownership

  • HMRC documents

  • Accounts

  • Office confirmation

3. Prospective Roles

Add the roles you intend to sponsor.

  1. Select a SOC code or use smart search

  2. Name the role

  3. Confirm regulatory registration if required

  4. Review and edit the job title and description

  5. Enter:

    • Typical years of sponsorship

    • Typical salary

💡 These roles act as templates for future sponsorships.

4. Employee Activity

Provide:

  • Number of UK employees

  • Examples of workers (including sponsored workers)

  • Organisation chart

  • Named individuals you intend to hire

Adding named individuals strengthens your application and stores them in Borderless for future use.

5. Authorising Officer

Provide details of the Authorising Officer.

Best practice:

  • Senior person in the company

  • Based in the UK

  • Ideally a UK citizen or settled worker

If not, at least one Level 1 user must be a UK citizen or settled worker.

6. Additional Information

Upload any extra documents that may support your application.

7. Declarations

Tick all three declaration boxes and submit your application.

Track Progress During Application

At any time, you can:

  • View the sponsor licence timeline

  • Upload additional documents

  • See what has been submitted to the Home Office

  • Click into the licence to manage it

Manage Your Sponsor Licence After Setup

Once your sponsor licence is active, you can manage:

Documents

View all documents uploaded as part of your application or integration. These documents can be reused in an additional Sponsor Licence application or in a COS request, and can also be managed from here, including:

  • Upload new documents

  • Replace expired or expiring documents

  • Upload documents visible only to you

Businesses

  • View existing businesses

  • Add additional businesses if needed

Sites (Work Locations)

Before adding sponsored workers or users, you must add at least one site. Sites are your work locations where employees will work. If you only have one location, it can match your business address.

Users

  1. Click Add a new user

  2. Choose a permission level:

    • Owner

    • Editor

    • Viewer

  3. Assign access to specific businesses and sites

⚠️ If no sites appear when adding a user, return to the sponsor licence page and add a site first.

Related Articles
How much is the Sponsor Licence Fee in the UK?
Sponsor License Integration
Managing Roles
Managing Individuals
Statutory Maternity Leave for Sponsored Workers
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