# Free Level 1 User training and certificate for UK sponsors Free SMS Level 1 User training for UK sponsors. 8 self-paced modules on the current Home Office guidance, a final test and a verifiable certificate. Register free. Last updated 27 October 2026 ยท Based on Home Office sponsor guidance Part 1 08/26, Part 2 10/26, Part 3 08/26, Appendix D 10/26. Opens 1 November 2026. ## Key facts - Course: Level 1 User Training - Price: Free - Format: Online, self-paced - Length: About 4.5 hours, 8 modules ## What is a Level 1 User? A Level 1 User is the person who runs a sponsor licence day to day in the Sponsorship Management System (SMS). They assign Certificates of Sponsorship, report changes about sponsored workers and the organisation, add and remove SMS users, and read Home Office messages. Every sponsor must have at least one eligible Level 1 User at all times, or the licence will be revoked. Source: Workers and Temporary Workers guidance for sponsors, Part 1, section L4 (version 08/26). https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/workers-and-temporary-workers-guidance-for-sponsors-part-1-apply-for-a-licence ## Modules ### Module 1: Sponsorship and the Level 1 User role Key Personnel, your responsibilities and why the licence is a privilege. ### Module 2: SMS access, security and managing users MFA, keeping access alive and the end of the Level 2 role. ### Module 3: Certificates of Sponsorship Defined and Undefined CoS, accurate details, corrections and withdrawals. ### Module 4: Start dates, pay and absence The 28-day rule, paying correctly and the 4-week absence limit. ### Module 5: Reporting duties What to report, by when, and how to count working days. ### Module 6: Record keeping (Appendix D) The records to keep for every worker, and for how long. ### Module 7: Right to work and wider legal duties Right to work checks, the October 2026 changes and the limits on advice. ### Module 8: Compliance checks and enforcement Visits, B-ratings, suspension, revocation and staying ready. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is the course really free? Yes. The course and the certificate are free. You do not need a Sponsoro subscription. ### When does it open? On 1 November 2026. Everyone who registers gets an email the day it opens. ### Is this approved by the Home Office? No. Sponsoro Academy is independent training. It is not provided, approved or accredited by the Home Office or UK Visas and Immigration. ### Can I show the certificate during a compliance visit? You can keep it on file as evidence that you completed training on the sponsor guidance. It does not guarantee compliance, and the Home Office will still look at how your licence is actually run. ### Is this immigration advice? No. The course covers general compliance information. For questions about a particular worker, speak to a regulated immigration adviser. ### How long does it take? About 4.5 hours in total. You can stop and pick up where you left off. ### Can my whole team take it? Yes. Each person registers with their own email and gets their own certificate. ### What happens to my details? We use them to tell you when the course opens and to set up your enrolment. We only send product updates if you tick the box. You can ask us to delete your details at any time. ### Who can be a Level 1 User? At least one Level 1 User must be an employee, director or partner of your organisation and a settled worker, with limited exceptions. Contractors and consultants hired for a specific purpose cannot be Key Personnel, and from 9 September 2026 nor can workers supplied by an employment business. ### Is SMS Level 1 User training free? Yes. Sponsoro Academy's Level 1 User training and certificate are free. ### What happens to Level 2 Users in 2027? Existing Level 2 Users must be converted to Level 1 Users, if eligible, or deactivated by 8 March 2027. After that date the Home Office deactivates any remaining Level 2 accounts. ### Do Level 1 Users have to be trained? The guidance requires licence holders, and in particular Key Personnel, to read and understand the relevant sponsor guidance and keep up with changes. Training is a practical way to do that and to show you have.