British companies that meet all criteria get a sponsorship licence of a high “A” rating that allows them to issue certificates of sponsorship to the invited foreign specialists.
As a rule, after the sponsorship licence is issued, the Home Office representatives visit the company for an audit. If it reveals serious violations of the law, the rating will be downgraded to “B” level. With this rating, sponsors can keep foreign employees, but they cannot issue new certificates of sponsorship.
It would be a mistake to think that a company can operate normally with a “B” rating provided it does not need to hire more foreign specialists. If the follow-up audit reveals that the situation has not improved in the set period of time, the licence will be revoked.