What this audit covers
- Right to work
- Sponsor licence & UKVI reporting
- Contracts & policies
- Records & data
- Pay & working time
Each question is weighted by the damage a gap can do. High-risk items — missing right to work checks, unreported sponsor changes, pay below the certificate of sponsorship — count three times as much as good-practice items, so your score reflects real exposure rather than a tick count. Your result lists every gap with what to fix, why it matters and the free tool that helps.
UKVI reporting: what sponsors must report, and by when
Reporting is where most sponsors slip. Worker changes go on the Sponsorship Management System within 10 working days; changes to your organisation within 20. Weekends and bank holidays don’t count. Use the deadline calculator for an exact date.
| Change | Report within | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Worker hasn’t started the jobSponsored worker | 10 working daysafter the 28-day period to start work ends | Part 2, S3.15–S3.17 |
| Unauthorised absence (more than 10 working days)Sponsored worker | 10 working daysafter the 10th consecutive working day of absence | Part 3, C1.19–C1.20 |
| Unpaid or reduced-pay absence passes 4 weeks in the yearSponsored worker | 10 working daysof the change | Part 3, C1.15 · Part 2, S4.19–S4.31 |
| Salary reduced below the CoS levelSponsored worker | 10 working daysof the change | Part 3, C1.15 · Part 2, S4.29–S4.30 |
| Change of job title, duties or hours (same occupation code)Sponsored worker | 10 working daysof the change | Part 3, C1.15, C1.46 |
| Change of work locationSponsored worker | 10 working daysof the change | Part 3, C1.21–C1.25 |
| Worker resigns, is dismissed or made redundantSponsored worker | 10 working daysof the change | Part 3, C1.17, C1.26 |
| You stop sponsoring for another reasonSponsored worker | 10 working daysof the change | Part 3, C1.26 |
| Change to your organisation (name, address, size, structure)Your organisation | 20 working daysof the change | Part 3, C2.3–C2.5 |
| Merger, takeover, de-merger or TUPE transferYour organisation | 20 working daysof the change | Part 3, C4.2–C4.15 |
| Insolvency, administration or ceasing to tradeYour organisation | 20 working daysof the change | Part 3, C3 |
From the sponsor guidance, version 08/26. Reports are made through the SMS by a Level 1 User.
Six ways sponsors lose their licence
Illustrative cases based on the revocation and suspension grounds in sponsor guidance Part 3. Every one of them is picked up by a question in this audit.
The unreported leaver
A sponsored worker resigns; HR closes payroll but nobody tells the Level 1 User. Eighteen months later a compliance officer finds the worker still listed as sponsored. Each unreported leaver is a separate reporting breach.
Payslips below the CoS
Hours are cut during a quiet period and pay drops below the salary on the certificate. Nothing is reported. At the visit, payslips don’t match the CoS — a breach of the sponsorship conditions and a risk to the worker’s visa.
The job that changed
A care worker sponsored as a senior carer is mostly doing domestic and admin duties. Interviews at the visit contradict the CoS, and the role is treated as non-genuine.
The expired BRP
A worker’s BRP expired and their eVisa was never checked. Their permission had lapsed months earlier. The employer has no statutory excuse and faces a civil penalty for illegal working.
The missing Authorising Officer
The director named as Authorising Officer leaves the business. Nobody replaces them on the SMS, and Home Office messages go unread. A licence without a valid Authorising Officer can be revoked.
Recouping sponsorship costs
A contract clause requires the worker to repay the licence fee and Immigration Skills Charge if they leave within two years. Passing these costs to workers is a revocation ground in its own right.
What a failed audit costs
per illegal worker
£45,000
civil penalty, first breach
per illegal worker
£60,000
repeat breach within 3 years
to respond
20 working days
if your licence is suspended
cooling-off
12 months
before reapplying after revocation
Revocation also cuts short every sponsored worker’s permission, usually to 60 days, so the people you have invested in must find a new sponsor or leave the UK. A B-rating comes with a paid action plan and stops you assigning new certificates until you are upgraded.
Why regular audits matter
Most compliance failures aren’t deliberate — a follow-up check gets missed, a leaver isn’t reported, or a contract isn’t issued on time. A regular audit catches these gaps before a Home Office visit or an employment tribunal does. If this score turned up more than you want to carry in-house, the HR and immigration firms on this site run audits of exactly these areas and will quote for putting the records straight.
Frequently asked questions
What is an HR compliance audit?
An HR compliance audit reviews whether your employment practices meet UK law — right to work checks, contracts, pay, working time, record-keeping and, for sponsors, Home Office sponsor duties such as record keeping and reporting — and identifies gaps to fix before they lead to penalties, licence action or tribunal claims.
What must a sponsor report to UKVI?
Changes to sponsored workers — a worker not starting, resigning or being dismissed, unauthorised absence of more than 10 consecutive working days, salary reductions, changes to job title, duties, hours or work location, and stopping sponsorship for any other reason — within 10 working days. Changes to your organisation, such as name, address, ownership, mergers, TUPE transfers or insolvency, must be reported within 20 working days.
What happens if I miss a UKVI reporting deadline?
Report it as soon as you realise and keep a note explaining the delay. A late report is a breach, but the Home Office treats a pattern of unreported changes discovered at a visit far more seriously than a self-corrected late report. Repeated failures can lead to a downgrade to a B-rating with an action plan, suspension or revocation.
Can I pass sponsor licence fees or the Immigration Skills Charge on to workers?
No. Sponsors must not recoup the sponsor licence fee, the Certificate of Sponsorship fee or the Immigration Skills Charge from sponsored workers, whether by deductions or repayment clauses. Doing so is a ground for revoking your licence. Workers may still pay their own visa application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge.
How often should I audit HR compliance?
At least once a year, whenever the rules change, and whenever your business grows or restructures. Sponsors should review sponsored-worker files more often — the Home Office can visit without notice at any point during the licence.
What are the biggest HR compliance risks for UK employers?
Illegal working is one of the most costly — up to £45,000 per worker for a first breach and £60,000 for repeat breaches. Unreported sponsor changes, payslips that don’t match the certificate of sponsorship, missing written statements and minimum wage underpayments are also common and expensive.
How do I prepare for a UKVI compliance visit?
Make sure every sponsored worker has a dated right to work check, current and historic contact details, absence records, payslips matching the CoS salary and evidence they are doing the sponsored role. Check that all reportable changes have been reported on time, that your key personnel are correct on the SMS, and brief managers and workers that officers may interview them.
Is this audit free?
Yes. The online self-audit is free, runs in your browser and gives you an instant score, a prioritised action list and a full breakdown of every answer. You can also book a free consultation for a detailed review of your HR and sponsor files.
Official sources
- Right to work checks: an employer’s guide
- Sponsor guidance Part 3: sponsor duties and compliance
- Appendix D: keeping records for sponsorship
- Illegal working penalties: codes of practice for employers
Rules and fees checked September 2026. Immigration rules change often — this tool gives general information, not legal or immigration advice. For advice on an individual case, speak to a regulated immigration adviser or one of the firms listed here.