Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS)2026: All You Need to Know for UK Work Visas.
1. What does a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) entail?
Every migrant worker who wants to apply under a suitable sponsored worker route must be issued a Certificate of Sponsorship (“CoS”), which is an electronic certificate. Because the application form requires a unique reference number, applicants using the skilled worker path cannot apply for a visa or permission to stay without a Certificate of Sponsorship.
2. What Does a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) Serve?
The licensed sponsor uses the Certificate of Sponsorship to attest to:
- that they want to support the employee;
- that they are confident the worker can fulfil the necessary immigration requirements for the application route;
- that they are qualified to sponsor the employee along the appropriate path; and
- that they consent to follow the guidelines specified in the SMS.
However, a worker’s possession of a valid CoS does not ensure that they will be granted entrance clearance, permission to enter, or permission to remain. Candidates using this route must make sure they fulfil the prerequisites of the sponsored route.
3. Who Requires an Undefined CoS and What Is It?
When skilled workers from within the United Kingdom seek for authorisation to remain in the country, they must be given undefined certificates of sponsorship.
Workers applying through any other sponsored route, such as the Global Business Mobility or Temporary Worker pathways, must also receive Undefined Certificates of Sponsorship. This is true whether they are requesting permission to enter, permission to stay, or entry clearance.
4. How Can I Get an Undefined Sponsorship Certificate?
A migrant must be assigned an undefined Certificate of Sponsorship from the sponsor’s yearly allotment.
5. Annual CoS Allocation: What Is It?
Employers are asked to estimate how many Undefined Certificates of Sponsorship they might want to assign in their first year in each route for which they are looking for a licence when they apply for a Sponsor Licence. This needs to be explained, and more details might be asked for.
The Sponsor will be required to submit an annual allocation request for the upcoming CoS year each year. The sponsor will have to submit information about their employment strategy for the next year, along with explanations for the positions they want to sponsor.
Any awarded Certificates of Sponsorship will remain in effect for a full year. Unused CoS cannot be transferred over; they will be deleted from the SMS account.
6. What Is a Request for Annual Allocation?
Sponsors are required to submit an annual allocation request for the next year. Depending on the sponsor’s situation, this request may be automated or manual (you may check this by logging on to the SMS). This request must be submitted before the end of the allocation year and is made using the SMS system.
When the sponsor licence was acquired will determine the allocation year. To find out when their allocation year begins, sponsors should check the SMS system.
7. What Happens During the Allocation Year if I Require Additional Undefined CoS Allocations?
A sponsor can apply for an in-year allocation increase using the SMS system if they require more Certificate of Sponsorship allocations during their allocation year. When requesting an increase in the allotment, justifications must be given.
The decision-making process for a request for an increase in in-year allocation can take up to 18 weeks, unless priority services—which have limited availability—are acquired. For any employees who need to extend their permission, sponsors must account for this time frame. A valid CoS reference number is required for an application for permission to stay to be considered valid. Sponsors must therefore be well-organised and aware of any visa expiration dates.
8. What Does the Home Office Take Into Account When Applying for CoS Allocation?
The Home Office will take into account several elements, such as but not restricted to:
- Any recruiting agents you plan to use and whether they have a history of immigration abuse;
- Your prior interactions with the Home Office, such as those under the sponsorship agreements that are in effect now, the Tier 2 and Tier 5 agreements that were in effect previously, or the work permit agreements that existed prior to the implementation of Tier 2 and Tier 5;
- The amount of employees that work for your company;
- the nature of your business;
- The scope of your business operations; and
- The duration of your trading career.
The Home Office will now take into account whether the Authorising Officer is based in the UK or abroad when evaluating applicants for the Expansion Worker route.
Requests for Undefined or Defined CoS allocations are subject to the same considerations.
An application for a CoS allocation is not required to be approved by the Home Office. They have the right to reject an allocation grant or one that is less than the amount requested if it is not sufficiently justified or if there is not enough justification or supporting data. Given the sharp rise in requests for additional information from sponsors seeking CoS allocations, sponsors may want to consult a lawyer before submitting their application.
9. How Can a Certificate of Sponsorship Be Assigned?
The SMS system must be used to assign the migrant certificates of sponsorship. Only those with Level 1 or Level 2 user access to the SMS are able to assign a CoS. It is not possible to assign a CoS more than three months before the migrant’s start date.
10. Who Needs a Defined CoS and What Is One?
A skilled worker seeking entry clearance from outside the UK must have a Defined Certificate of Sponsorship.
There are no restrictions on the quantity of Defined Certificates of Sponsorship that can be awarded; they are not derived from the sponsor’s yearly allotment. On a role-by-role basis, sponsors must submit a request for a Defined CoS allocation. In contrast to requests for Undefined CoS allocation, the role’s specifics must be supplied. The CoS can only be allocated to the role for which the request was submitted once the allocation has been received.
Requests for the allocation of defined certificates of sponsorship typically take 24 to 48 hours to process; however, we have observed delays when the Home Office wants to request more information, which is becoming more and more often.
11. What Details Are Needed on the Sponsorship Certificate?
The route the migrant is being sponsored on, the migrant’s personal information, contact information, work address or addresses in the UK, job description, occupation code, hours, salary, and start and end dates of employment are all need to be included in the Certificate of Sponsorship. The information listed in the applicant worker’s passport must be included in the Certificate of Sponsorship.
Details of the agent (such as a recruiting agency, employment company, or other middleman) that was utilised to locate the employee must be disclosed.
Additionally, sponsors will be requested to verify whether they certify worker upkeep and whether an ATAS certificate is necessary.
Following assignment, a sponsor note must be added to the CoS to disclose any relationships the employee may have with other employees or office holders in the company. It should be noted that a Level 1 or Level 2 user is not permitted to assign a CoS to a family member, and the definition of this is interpreted widely. If this happens, Annex C1 of the Part 3 advice mandates that the CoS be revoked.
The CoS must additionally verify the following for the Skilled Worker route:
- Which wage option the immigrant plans to use—information about how the immigrant satisfies the requirements (apart from Option A) must be provided;
- whether the position is covered by a client contract and, if true, the specifics of that contract;
- whether the position is listed on the Temporary Shortage List or the Immigration Salary List;
- information on the employee’s professional registration, if any; and
- Any other pertinent information.
12. What Takes Place If I Assign the Incorrect CoS Type?
It is crucial that a migrant be granted the appropriate kind of Certificate of Sponsorship and that sponsors are aware of the distinction between Defined and Undefined CoS. It is grounds for revocation if a migrant who needs a Defined CoS is given an Undefined CoS.
The Part 3 guidance’s Annex C2 lists “circumstances in which we will normally revoke your licence.” The following are listed as reasons for revocation:
“Reference u: You give a worker who needs a defined (or restricted) CoS an undefined Skilled Worker CoS (or an unrestricted Tier 2 (General) CoS).”
If sponsors are unsure, they should consult a lawyer.
13. What Is the Price of a Sponsorship Certificate?
Every time they assign a Certificate of Sponsorship, sponsors are required to pay a charge. The Home Office has the right to terminate the CoS if the relevant fee is not paid.
Assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship costs £525, unless the immigrant is applying as an international athlete or temporary worker (for up to 12 months), in which case it costs £55.
Additionally, sponsors might be required to pay the Immigration Skills Charge.