Overview of Certificate of Sponsorship

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• A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) or Sponsorship Certificate is an electronic record generated on the Sponsor Management System (SMS)
• Each Certificate of Sponsorship has its own number which an applicant can use to apply for a visa to work in the UK
• The employer is required to request a Certificate Of Sponsorship UK from the Home Office through the Sponsor Management System
• On approval it can be assigned to a migrant worker and used in the entry clearance visa applications

• Restricted Certificate of Sponsorship
• Unrestricted Certificate of Sponsorship

• Defined Certificate Of Sponsorship
• Undefined Certificate Of Sponsorship

• A Defined Certificate Of Sponsorship is required for migrants based outside the UK and applying for entry clearance visa application as a skilled worker.
• Earlier this was known as the Restricted Certificate of Sponsorship and the sponsors were required to apply for this by the 5th of each month and a decision on the same would be received by the 11th of the same month

• An Undefined Certificate Of Sponsorship is required for skilled workers applying from inside the UK, and applicants on all other visas
• When employers apply for a UK Sponsor Licence, they estimate the number of Undefined Certificate Of Sponsorship required for workers and temporary workers during the year
• The annual allocation of Undefined Certificate Of Sponsorship runs from 6 April to 5 April each year.

If you are a UK employer and want to apply for a UK Sponsor Licence to be able to issue a Certificate Of Sponsorship for skilled overseas workers, get in touch with our UK Visa Expert on,