A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is an electronic document that proves that a licenced UK employer or educational establishment has offered a job or place of study to a suitable and genuine migrant.
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A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is an electronic document that proves that a licenced UK employer or educational establishment has offered a job or place of study to a suitable and genuine migrant. It contains the details of the person it is granted to, the details of the sponsoring organisation, a start and expiry date, and a unique reference number. Candidates must have a CoS before they can apply for a work or study visa. The CoS number is used by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to check that visa applicants have a valid and suitable CoS for the type of visa requested.
You will need a CoS if you are applying for any of the following types of visa:
By issuing a CoS, the sponsor is confirming that the candidate meets the conditions of the visa they will require. In the case of employment, by providing a CoS to an overseas worker, the employer is confirming that the person has the skills necessary, the job being offered meets the required skill level, and the salary on offer meets the minimum requirement. In the case of schools, colleges, and universities, a CoS is only granted to a suitable candidate for a genuine place on a course of study.
As the UK’s leading immigration and global mobility specialists, Reiss Edwards’ immigration lawyers provide tailored solutions to UK sponsoring organisations. We can advise on your:
Speak to one of our specialist business immigration solicitors today on 020 3744 2797.
In December 2020, the Home Office changed the immigration rules to remove the use of “restricted” and “unrestricted” CoS. These were replaced with “defined’ and “undefined” CoS.
Defined certificates are specifically for Skilled Worker visa candidates who are applying from outside the UK. If you wish to issue a defined CoS, you will need to apply through the online Sponsorship Management System (SMS) once you have your sponsor licence. If the application is approved by UKVI, it can then be provided to the overseas worker, allowing them to apply for a visa. Applications for defined CoSs are typically processed within one working day.
Undefined certificates are for Skilled Worker visa candidates who are applying from inside the UK and all other sponsored visa applications. When applying for your sponsor licence as a sponsoring organisation, you will be asked to estimate how many undefined certificates you will need in the first year of sponsorship. It is possible to increase this number by submitting a request through your SMS.
Before a company or educational establishment can grant a CoS, they must have a valid sponsor licence and access to the sponsor management system (SMS). In addition, you must be an A-rated sponsor licence holder. B-rated sponsors cannot issue new CoSs.
All requests for Certificates of Sponsorship are processed through the Sponsorship Management System (SMS). As explained above, you will only be given access to this system once you have been granted your sponsor licence.
Only level 1 or level 2 users can request and issue Certificates of Sponsorship through the Sponsorship Management System (SMS). The process differs depending on if you need a defined or undefined CoS.
To apply for a defined CoS, you will need to:
Sponsoring organisations need to create and assign CoSs within the Sponsorship Management System (SMS). To create a CoS, users need to (please note this is the process to create a single CoS; there is a separate process to create a batch of CoSs):
CoS allocation means that you will have a maximum number of certificates that you can issue in one year. When you first apply for your sponsor licence, the Home Office (UKVI) will ask you to estimate how many Undefined CoS you will need in your first year (in each route you have a licence for). As part of this process, you will be asked to justify the number you think you will require. If your request is approved, this will be your CoS allocation for your first year. You will have 12 months to use your allocation. This can then be renewed each year.
It is highly advantageous to seek guidance from an immigration Solicitor when justifying your initial requirement, as UKVI may reduce your allocation if you do not provide sufficient details. Some of the factors they will bear in mind include:
Your CoS year will depend on your circumstances as follows:
Any CoSs that are not used will be removed from allocation.
At the end of each CoS (within 3 months of the expiry), you can apply for a ‘follow-on’ allocation for the number of CoS you will need for the next year. Alternatively, you may be set up on the SMS to receive an automatic annual allocation.
Yes, if necessary, you can apply to increase your CoS allocation by using the SMS system. Again, you will need to justify the reasons for the increase, and you may be asked for additional proof.
To request an increase in your CoS allocation, you will need to:
Each time you issue a new CoS, you will need to pay a CoS fee. This depends on the type of CoS being issued, as follows:
Sponsor licence type |
Cost for each CoS issued |
Worker |
£199 |
Temporary Worker |
£21 |
International Sportsperson: CoS > 12 months |
£199 |
International Sportsperson: CoS 12 months or less |
£21 |
You may also need to pay the immigration skills charge if sponsoring through the Skilled Worker or Intra-Company Transfer visa routes, as follows:
Visa duration |
Small or charitable sponsors |
Medium or large sponsors |
First-year |
£364 |
£1,000 |
Each additional 6 months |
£182 |
£500 |
Applicants usually get a defined CoS within 1 working day of submitting a request. As UKVI states, this may take longer if they need to carry out further checks or request additional information before they can make a final decision.
If you have noticed a mistake on an assigned CoS, you can make a minor correction by adding a ‘sponsor note’. If the mistake is more significant, you will need to cancel the assigned CoS and create a new one. For more details, see our article, Can I Make Amends to a Certificate of Sponsorship Once Assigned?
If an employee leaves, changes job (to a job outside the current SOC code) or moves to a new employer, you will need to cancel their Certificate of Sponsorship. This must be done within five days of being notified of the change in circumstances.
Due to the structure of the visa system, an employee can only have one live certificate at a time, which means their original certificate must be cancelled before a fresh one can be issued.