Those making a sponsorship licence application who have an unspent criminal conviction for a relevant offence can expect the Home Office to either refuse their application for a sponsor licence, or grant a licence with limitations.
You will not be approved for a sponsor licence if you have unspent criminal convictions for immigration offences or certain other crimes, such as money laundering or fraud.
In assessing your sponsor licence application, the Home Office will check whether you and your staff are suitable for the sponsorship management roles you appoint them to take up. Your application may fail if anyone involved in sponsorship at your organisation has broken the law, been reported to UKVI, received a fine from UKVI in the last 12 months, or been a ‘key person’ at a sponsoring organisation that had its licence revoked in the last 12 months, among other conditions.