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Working time directive and maximum weekly working hours including how to calculate your weekly working hours and working time limits if you're a young worker.

• Overview

  You cannot work more than 48 hours a week on average - normally averaged…

• Calculating your working hours

  Average working hours are calculated over a ‘reference’ period, normally…

• Opting out of the 48 hour week

  You can choose to work more than 48 hours a week on average if you’re over…

UK visa sponsorship information for employers - requirements, certificates and licences for Workers and Temporary Workers.

• Overview

  You’ll usually need a sponsor licence to employ someone to work for you…

• Eligibility

  To get a licence as an employer, you cannot have: unspent criminal…

• Job suitability

  You can sponsor a worker if the job they’re going to do: complies with the…

• Types of licence

  The licence you need depends on whether the workers you want to fill your…

• Sponsorship management roles

  You need to appoint people within your business to manage the sponsorship…

• Apply for your licence

  You need to apply online for your licence. Once you’ve finished the online…

• Your licence rating

  You’ll get an A-rated licence if your application is approved. A-rating -…

• Check whether your worker needs an ATAS certificate

  Before you assign a certificate of sponsorship to your worker, you may…

• Certificates of sponsorship

  You must assign a certificate of sponsorship to each foreign worker you…

• Immigration skills charge

  You might have to pay an additional charge when you assign a certificate…

• Your responsibilities

  You must: check that your foreign workers have the necessary skills,…

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) upholds information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals. ICO is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology .

• Updated: 27 March 2023

Apply for a Skilled Worker visa (formerly a Tier 2 General work visa) if you’ve been offered a skilled job with a UK employer - eligibility, fees, documents, extend, switch or update, bring your partner and children, taking on additional...

Apply for a Temporary Work - Charity Worker visa to do unpaid charity work - eligibility, documents, family members

How and why you should conduct a right to work check.

• Updated: 28 March 2023

Work and Opportunities for Women (WOW) was the FCDO-funded women’s economic empowerment programme from 2017 to 2025.

• Updated: 1 October 2025

Apply for indefinite leave to remain ('settlement') if you have a Skilled Worker, T2 or tier 2 visa - fees, who's eligible, how to apply.

Apply for a Health and Care Worker visa (formerly a Tier 2 Health and Care visa) if you're a medical professional who's been offered a job with the NHS, an NHS supplier or in adult social care - eligibility, fees,...

How to pay PAYE and National Insurance for employers, including Construction Industry Scheme, student loan deductions, reference numbers, bank details, deadlines and payment booklets.