The business helpdesk

The business helpdesk can provide to employers:

• Expert information on any query you may have with immigration policy or guidance;
• status updates on applications for sponsorship;
• status updates on any applications you make after becoming a sponsor;
• status updates on applications to work or stay in the UK made by their employees;
• a check if prospective or current employees have an application with the Home Office;
• the information you need to be able to check on the right of an individual to work for you;
• technical help for the sponsor management system.

The business helpdesk can provide to Tier 1 investors:

• help to interpret policy and guidance,
• status updates on applications made in the UK,
• advice about processing times, documentation required for applications, reassurance about our processes.

Emails are answered within 2 days for status updates and up to 5 days for more complex queries. The dedicated team have specialist contacts throughout UKVI to allow them to gain answers to more complex queries.

Before sending an enquiry we suggest you read the appropriate help guide to ensure that you give us all the information we need, and so we can answer your query as quickly and as fully as possible:

• Businesses and sponsors guide to the helpdesk
• Tier 1 investors guide to the helpdesk

If you are an employer, a Tier 2 or 5 points-based system sponsor or an investor and have an enquiry, please email BusinessHelpdesk@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk 

Please do not mark your email as 'private' as this will mean our advisors are unable to access it.

We aim to respond to status update enquiries within 2 working days and more complex policy or guidance queries within 5 working days.

We will be able to advise you what to do if you need your application to be treated urgently but we cannot arrange this for you, nor will we be able to give a guarantee of when you will receive a decision but we will be as helpful as we can in advising you of our current processes.

Employers helpline

The helpline can provide:

• information for employers about sponsorship under the points-based system;
• information about the employers checking service for employers who want to verify the entitlement to work for people who are awaiting the outcome of an application made to the Home Office; and
• advice to employers about preventing illegal working, and particularly about carrying out the document checks necessary to establish a statutory excuse against liability to pay a fine.

The cost of your call will vary depending on your network provider, and it is likely that calls from mobile phones will cost considerably more. We strongly recommend that you check with your network provider for potential costs. Please be aware that phone calls may be recorded for quality purposes. Our current average customer waiting time is approximately 3 minutes. Your wait may be longer if you call at the beginning of the week.

Phone: 

Opening Hours: