The Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is an electronic document that has its own unique number that the employee uses to apply for a visa. Before an employer (sponsor) sponsors a foreign employee, they must assign them a certificate of sponsorship. Assigning a certificate of sponsorship to an employee means that they have met the requirements for the specific visa route. Once the employee has been assigned a certificate of sponsorship, they can make their sponsorship visa application.
The employee must use the certificate of sponsorship within three months of being issued. However, the employee cannot apply more than three months before the starting date of the job, as described in the CoS.
Who Needs a Certificate of Sponsorship?
Anyone applying to work in the UK under a work visa needs a certificate of sponsorship to enter or remain. When the worker is assigned the CoS reference number, they can apply for their visa. To be sponsored, a worker must be eligible for the role they are applying for.
Certain groups don’t need to be sponsored, such as:
- Irish citizens.
- Those with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.
- Those with indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
How to Obtain a Certificate of Sponsorship?
A Certificate of Sponsorship is created through the Sponsor Management System (SMS). The sponsor who has a license and is a Level 1 or Level 2 user can assign a CoS. To get a sponsor license, the employer must:
- Check if their business is eligible. An employer cannot have:
- Criminal convictions for immigration offences or other specific crimes.
- A cancelled sponsor license in the last year.
- Check if their job is suitable for sponsorship.
- Choose the type of license they want to apply for. There are two types of licenses:
- Worker license
- Temporary Worker license
- Decide who will manage sponsorship within the business.
Types of the Certificate of Sponsorship
There are two types of certificates of sponsorship: defined and undefined.
Defined Certificates of Sponsorship
Defined certificates of sponsorship are for workers applying from outside the UK. The employer must apply for this type of certificate through the sponsorship management system (SMS). They gain access to SMS when they gain their sponsor license.
Undefined Certificates of Sponsorship
These types of CoS are for workers applying from inside the UK. When the employer applies for their sponsor license, they are required to evaluate how many undefined certificates they will need for Workers and Temporary Workers in the first year.
What Is an Annual CoS Allocation?
When an employer applies for a sponsor license, they are required to specify the number of undefined certificates that they want to assign in their first year for each route for which they are applying to be licensed.
The sponsor is required to make an annual collocation request for the following CoS year. Any certificate of sponsorship will be valid for one year.
Does the Worker Need Another CoS If They Switch Jobs?
If the worker is switching jobs and has a new employer, they need a new certificate of sponsorship. A certificate of sponsorship must be used within three months. During this time, the worker cannot be assigned another CoS.
If the worker wants a new CoS, they need to ask their current sponsor to remove their CoS. They cannot obtain a new CoS until the current one is removed. Once the sponsor removes their CoS, a new employer can assign them a new CoS.
Costs for the Certificate of Sponsorship
When the employer assigns a certificate of sponsorship to an employee, they need to pay a fee. The cost depends on the type of sponsor license the employer has.
| Type of license | Cost of certificate |
| Worker | £199 |
| Temporary Worker | £21 |
| International Sportsperson- the CoS is assigned for more than 12 months | £199 |
| International Sportsperson- the CoS is assigned for 12 months or less | £21 |
Countries with Free Certificate of Sponsorship
Sponsors of the following countries do not need to pay any fees for issuing a CoS:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Slovakia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Turkey
How Long Does it Take to Get a Certificate of Sponsorship?
It usually takes one working day for the certificate of sponsorship to be approved. However, it may take longer if the Home Office wants more information about the worker’s application. Approved certificates will appear in the employer’s SMS, after which they can assign them to their worker.