These pages explain published sponsor duties. They do not audit an organisation, approve a role or replace the current sponsor guidance.
Plain-English answer
What this means operationally
A licence may be downgraded where duties are not met. An action plan is a time-limited compliance process, not a routine service.
Build the control
Core actions
- Understand the reason for downgrade
- Assign ownership for every action
- Fix systems, not only missing documents
- Prepare evidence that improvements operate in practice
Compliance pressure points
Common risks
- Treating the action plan as a checklist exercise
- No senior oversight
- Temporary corrections disappear after review
- Further CoS activity conflicts with restrictions
Managers and systems identify a worker or business event.
The sponsor team checks the facts and current guidance.
Evidence and decisions are retained consistently.
Required SMS action is taken within the applicable timeframe.
Primary source
Read the current sponsor guidance
Know when a guide is no longer enough
Eligibility assessments, evidence reviews, application preparation and representation should be handled by a suitably regulated professional.