What a certificate of sponsorship is
A certificate of sponsorship, or CoS, is not a paper certificate. It is an electronic record on the Home Office’s sponsorship management system, with its own reference number, that an employer assigns to a named worker. The worker uses the number in their visa application. The record carries the details the Home Office will rely on: the job, its occupation code, the salary and the dates.
Only a licensed sponsor can assign one. The employer is vouching for the job and for the worker, and takes on duties as a result.
Defined and undefined certificates
| Type | Used for | How you get it |
|---|---|---|
| Defined | A Skilled Worker applying from outside the UK | Applied for one at a time through the system; usually approved within one working day, longer if checks are needed |
| Undefined | A Skilled Worker already in the UK, and every other route | You estimate how many you need when you apply for the licence, and ask for more later: usually a decision within 12 weeks, or five working days with the priority service |
The restricted certificate and the resident labour market test, which older guides still describe, no longer apply. A sponsor no longer has to advertise a job before offering it to an overseas worker, although the job must still be a genuine vacancy.
What it costs
| Certificate | Cost |
|---|---|
| Worker routes | £525 |
| Temporary Worker routes | £55 |
| International Sportsperson, more than 12 months | £525 |
| International Sportsperson, 12 months or less | £55 |
The employer must pay the certificate fee itself for Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility, Minister of Religion, International Sportsperson, Scale-up and Seasonal Worker routes. Asking the worker to pay it, or any cost linked to the application, can lead to revocation of the licence.
The Immigration Skills Charge
Most sponsors pay this charge when they assign a certificate to someone applying for a Skilled Worker or Senior or Specialist Worker visa, if the worker will be in the UK for six months or more from outside, or for any length from inside the UK.
| Period | Small or charitable | Medium or large |
|---|---|---|
| First 12 months | £480 | £1,320 |
| Each additional six months | £240 | £660 |
The charge is paid for the whole length of the worker’s permission, up front. There is no charge for dependants. It is not due for certain occupation codes, such as scientists, researchers and higher education teaching professionals. A worker who switches from a student visa is charged when the first certificate is assigned, but not again when they then extend. If a worker moves to a job with a different occupation code in the same organisation, a new certificate is needed, and extra charge is due only for any additional time.
Using the certificate
The worker must apply within three months of the certificate being assigned, and not more than three months before the job’s start date. If the worker’s course or job needs an ATAS certificate, check before assigning. If the job, the salary or the worker’s circumstances change materially, a new certificate is usually needed. The employer must keep records of how the job was filled, and report the worker not turning up, leaving or a significant change to the role.
How we help
We check the occupation code, going rate and salary, work out the charges, and advise on the assignment and the worker’s application. See sponsor licences and the cost of sponsoring a worker.
