Direct Access Business Immigration Barristers

Trusted Business Immigration Barristers in UK who protect your licence, your staff and your right to hire

Talk to a barrister directly. We review your penalty fast and fight to get it reduced or cancelled.

Clients supported

1000 +

Years of Experience

0 +

in Damages Won

£ 500000 +

Why Business Immigration Is A Risk You Cannot Ignore

Book your right to work assessment with our barristers

Right to work checks now extend beyond employees to workers, individual subcontractors and people found through online platforms. If you subcontract work, your business can face a penalty of up to £60,000 per worker for illegal working further down the chain.

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Where our business immigration lawyers can help

Whether expanding your international talent pool or defending your existing sponsor licence against Home Office sanctions, our business immigration law firm delivers robust protection.

Skilled Worker Sponsorship

You have found the talent. We make sure a refusal does not cost you the hire, the fee and months of delay.

Sponsor Licences

Without a licence you legally cannot hire the overseas worker your business needs, and a refusal usually means waiting before you can reapply.

Sponsor Licence Suspension and Revocation

If your licence is suspended or revoked, your sponsored staff and your ability to hire are on the line, and the clock is already running.

Civil Penalties

A right to work slip can lead to a penalty of up to £45,000 per worker, or £60,000 for a repeat breach, even where you thought you had checked correctly.

Why business immigration is a risk you can't ignore

The moment you sponsor an overseas worker, you take on duties of the Home Office policies closely. One compliance gap can trigger a five-figure fine per worker, suspend your licence, and unsettle the staff you depend on. The businesses that stay protected get the details right early, and act fast when something goes wrong.

£500 + VAT

maximum civil penalty per illegal worker for a repeat breach

RQF 6

graduate-level skill threshold for most new Skilled Worker roles since July 2025

8 weeks

typical Home Office decision time for a sponsor licence application

No appeal

against a licence refusal or revocation, getting it right first time matters

Why Choose ZH Law for Business Immigration?

Our barristers advise UK employers from the first sponsor licence application through to challenging the Home Office when enforcement action hits.

Direct Barrister Access

ZH Law is a barrister-led practice. Rather than being passed between caseworkers, you get direct access to experienced barristers who shape your strategy from day one.

Built for Home Office Deadlines

Suspension letters and civil penalty notices come with short response windows. We review your documents the same day and act before the deadline passes.

Compliance and Enforcement Focus

We are particularly experienced in contentious matters: licence suspensions and revocations, civil penalty objections and judicial review of Home Office decisions.

Fees You Know Upfront

We confirm your fee before any work starts, so you can budget with certainty.

Zainul Jafferji

Barrister · Head of ZH Law

With 25+ years in immigration law, 10,000+ clients supported and £1,000,000+ in damages recovered, Zainul personally supervises business immigration matters, from first sponsor licence applications to urgent challenges against the Home Office.

Our Process

How we handle your case

Whether you are applying for a licence or responding to the Home Office, here is what happens after you reach out.

Consultation

We learn how your business hires, review any Home Office letters or deadlines, assess the risk and confirm your fixed fee.

Strategy and evidence

We review your roles, key personnel and HR systems, and fix compliance gaps before the Home Office finds them.

Submission or representations

We file your application, or your response to a suspension or civil penalty, and handle every Home Office query until a decision.

Ongoing compliance

We keep your records audit-ready and tell you when the rules change, so you stay protected after the decision.

What Our Clients Say

Clear, practical advice and robust representation, with a focus on the best possible outcome for your business.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a business immigration barrister do?

A business immigration barrister helps UK employers hire and keep overseas staff lawfully. That covers sponsor licence applications, Skilled Worker visas, right to work compliance, and defending the business when the Home Office suspends a licence or issues a civil penalty.

Are business immigration lawyers the same as corporate immigration attorneys?

Yes. “Attorney” is the US term; in the UK, corporate immigration work is done by solicitors and barristers. At ZH Law, you get direct access to barristers who supervise your matter.

How much does a sponsor licence cost in 2026?

The Home Office fee is £611 for small or charitable sponsors and £1,682 for medium or large sponsors. Each Skilled Worker Certificate of Sponsorship then costs £525, plus the Immigration Skills Charge. Our legal fee is fixed and quoted upfront.

How long does a sponsor licence application take?

Most applications are decided within about eight weeks. A priority service can reduce this to around 10 working days for an extra fee, subject to availability.

Which roles can I sponsor as a Skilled Worker?

Since July 2025, most new Skilled Worker roles must be at graduate level (RQF 6) and meet the higher of the general salary threshold or the going rate. Some lower-skilled roles may still qualify through the Temporary Shortage List.

What happens if my sponsor licence is suspended?

You cannot assign new Certificates of Sponsorship while suspended, and the Home Office gives you a short window to respond, usually 20 working days. Strong representations and an action plan can get the suspension lifted.

Can I appeal a sponsor licence revocation?

There is no right of appeal. A revocation can be challenged by judicial review if the decision was unlawful or unfair, and this must be brought promptly.

What is the maximum civil penalty for employing an illegal worker?

Up to £45,000 per worker for a first breach and up to £60,000 per worker for a repeat breach within three years. A correct right to work check done before employment starts gives you a statutory excuse.

What changes for right to work checks from 1 October 2026?

Checks extend beyond employees to many contractors, agency and gig workers, and a new extended liability regime can reach businesses further down a subcontracting chain. Digital ID checks must use a registered provider.

How do I challenge a Civil Penalty Notice?

Lodge a written objection with the Home Office within the deadline on the notice, normally 28 days. If the objection fails, you can appeal to the County Court.

How much do your business immigration services cost?

We quote a fixed fee once we understand your case and confirm it before any work starts. Home Office fees are separate and we confirm them before you pay.

Facing a Home Office deadline? Speak to a business immigration barrister today

ZH Law provides specialist advocacy, drafting and advice services to employers, HR teams and Barristers. Whether you need a sponsor licence, have received a suspension letter, or are facing a civil penalty, our barristers are ready to act.

+44 757 296 0511

London

3 to 7 Temple Avenue, EC4Y 0DA
0203 887 7306

Leicester

1st Floor, 62 to 64 Belgrave Road, LE4 5AS
0116 365 6400