Certificate of Sponsorship

A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is required by a foreign worker who has accepted a formal job offer from a UK-based company. The company that issues this certificate must be in compliance with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) policies and hold a Sponsor Licence.

The CoS can be created through the Sponsor Management System (SMS) which a company may access when their sponsorship licence is granted.

This certificate can be issued only by an approved person within the company who has access to the SMS at the appropriate level.

A CoS is valid for 90 days from the date of issue. The migrant worker or skilled worker must apply for their visa within 90 days to ensure that the certificate does not expire.

However, foreign workers who should not apply for visas three months in advance of the job start date.

In the previous system, there were unrestricted and restricted eligibility criteria for Certificates of Sponsorship. This was to keep the number of applications to a certain level at an annual cap.

However, changes to the immigration rules in December 2020 meant that a number of new changes were introduced.

The two defined certificate types are ‘defined’ Certificates of Sponsorship and ‘undefined’ Certificates of Sponsorship. For defined certificates, the employer should apply through the SMS. When these certificates have been approved by UKVI, the documents will be available to access on the SMS.

Undefined certificates are used to employ people already living in the UK who want to move to a T2 visa Skilled Worker visa (if they are earning over £159,600). When an employer applies for a first skilled worker visa applicants the CoS, they should submit an estimate of the number of undefined certificates needed for the first year.

Applications for Certificates of Sponsorship are usually approved within one working day, but may take longer if further information is deemed necessary.

The system of applying for the CoS involves an online application form and the submission of relevant supporting documents.

Companies are required to provide evidence of four specific documents to evidence the company’s status as a trading entity in the UK. A supporting letter should also be submitted to provide the UKVI caseworker with background information on the applicant.

How to issue CoS

Once the CoS has been granted by UKVI, an electronic document will be generated and physical document will appear on the Sponsorship Management System (SMS).

The employee can then use this certificate as part of their visa application.

The SMS is an important tool used by your business to manage the licences of temporary workers, sourced from outside the UK.

The approved personnel in your company whose role is to manage the system should be sure to update the system when necessary. The SMS should be used to record periods of unauthorised absence from work or any changes to the employee’s immigration status.

Obtaining a CoS is completed through the SMS by submitting an application for overseas, sponsored visa application for foreign workers. This can then be provided to the employee directly.

If you are issuing a CoS for a Worker, the cost of the certificate is £199. For a Temporary Worker, the cost of the certificate is £21.

In some cases, a priority service may be available to receive a quicker decision, at an additional cost of £200.

Waiting time

In most cases, there will be a standard processing time for Certificates of Sponsorship of one working day. If the Home Office requires further information or your application is incomplete, your waiting time may be longer.

It may be the case that the Home Office performs a compliance visit to ensure that your organisation is remaining compliant.