What a sponsor licence holder must report to the Home Office, and when
The changes the sponsor guidance says to report, the working-day deadlines, and what does not need reporting.
Published 22 October 2026 · 5 min read
Checked against official guidance on 22 October 2026. This post reflects GOV.UK: Sponsor guidance part 3, sponsor duties and compliance (version 08/26, published 28 August 2026). Guidance changes, so check the linked pages for the current version. This is information, not legal advice.
Reporting through the Sponsor Management System
The guidance asks you to report changes through the Sponsor Management System (SMS), using the “Report migrant activity” function. Most worker-related reports are due within 10 working days. The sections below paraphrase the guidance; the exact wording and exceptions are in the document itself.
Changes to a sponsored worker
- A worker does not start within 28 days of the planned start date.
- A worker is absent without permission for more than 10 consecutive working days. Report within 10 working days of the tenth day.
- A worker is unpaid or on reduced pay for more than 4 weeks in total in a calendar year.
- A worker’s salary falls below the level on their Certificate of Sponsorship. The guidance says salary increases generally do not need reporting.
- A significant change to the job, such as the role, title or core duties, unless a new application is needed.
- A change to the worker’s normal work location, including permanent remote working.
- You stop sponsoring the worker for any reason.
Changes to your organisation
Organisational changes are generally reportable within 20 working days of you becoming aware of them. The guidance lists changes to key personnel, addresses, branches, registrations, insolvency, mergers and organisation size. If the Home Office asks for supporting documents or a signed declaration, they are generally due within 5 working days of the request.
Other duties
You must tell the Home Office as soon as reasonably practicable if you suspect a sponsored worker has breached their conditions of stay. The guidance also says to give the police any information suggesting a worker may be involved in terrorism or criminal activity.
A practical habit
The deadlines run from the day something happens, so the risk is usually not knowing it happened. Ask line managers to tell the person responsible for sponsorship before they change a sponsored worker’s duties, pay or workplace, and keep a dated note of what you reported and when.
How Zetta HR helps
Zetta HR’s pre-change check compares a planned change to role, pay or location with the Certificate details before you make it, and you can log anything that may need reporting with the date it happened. Zetta HR does not report to the Home Office for you: you report through your own SMS account and record the date here.
Sources
More guides
A Home Office compliance visit: what to expect and what to have ready
What officers may do, who they may speak to, and which records they may ask to see, from the sponsor guidance.
Right to work checks from 1 October 2026: the methods, who is covered and what to keep
What the employer’s guide says changed on 1 October 2026, which checking methods count, and how long to keep your records.