UK Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) Types, Eligibility Requirements & How to obtain 

A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is required for UK-based companies and organizations looking to employ foreign workers. This is an electronic record, and each CoS has its own unique number, which an overseas worker can use to apply for a sponsored UK visa to the Home Office. Before sponsoring a migrant worker, the employer must assign them a CoS to confirm that the conditions of the relevant visa have been met. 

After you have assigned the CoS to an overseas worker, they must use it within 3 months to apply for their visa. Also, they must apply for their visa no more than 3 months before the due date of start of their job. The start date of the job can be found on the sponsorship certificate.

What is a Certificate of Sponsorship?

The CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship) is a digital certification that overseas nationals need to use when they apply for certain UK work visas. Please note that only an approved sponsor can assign CoS to the workers they are sponsoring. To be able to be an approved sponsor, first you need to apply for a sponsor licence to the Home Office. If your application is successful, you will be granted a sponsor licence.

Employers hiring overseas workers on the following visa routes need to assign them a certificate of sponsorship:

• Skilled Worker Visa

• Global Business Mobility Visas 

                  O Senior or Specialist Worker

                        O Graduate Trainee

                        O UK Expansion Worker

                  O Service Supplier

                  O Secondment Worker

• Scale Up Visa 

• Minister of Religion 

• International Sportsperson 

• Scale-up Worker 

• Creative Worker 

• Religious Worker 

• Government Authorised Exchange 

• International Agreement 

• Seasonal Worker 

Types of Certificates of Sponsorship

Following changes to the Immigration Rules introduced in December 2020, employers with a Sponsor Licence can now apply for two types of Certificates of Sponsorship. One is ‘Defined’ Certificates of Sponsorship and the other is ‘Undefined’ Certificates of Sponsorship.

A different type of CoS is required when you hire under a Temporary Worker Sponsor Licence.

1. Defined Certificates of Sponsorship

Defined CoS is for people applying for a UK Skilled Worker visa from outside the UK.

You must apply for these certificates for these workers using the SMS (Sponsorship Management System). You’ll get access to the SMS once you get your sponsor licence.

2. Undefined Certificates of Sponsorship

Undefined CoS is for Skilled Workers applying from inside the UK, and sponsored applicants on all other visas.

When you apply for a sponsor licence, you’ll be asked to estimate the number of undefined certificates you’ll need in the first year for workers and temporary workers.

If you’re sponsoring a UK Expansion Worker

You will only be able to assign one certificate of sponsorship if your sponsor licence has a provisional rating. You must assign this to the authorising officer so they can enter the UK.

Once the authorising officer obtains their visa, you can upgrade your sponsor licence to an A-rating and request the Home Office for up to four additional Certificates of Sponsorship through the Sponsor Management System (SMS).

3. Temporary Worker Certificate of Sponsorship

This type of CoS is assigned to individuals coming to the UK under the Temporary Worker visa to do jobs that do not require a long-term stay in the UK. It covers various sub-categories, including charity workers, creative and sporting workers, religious workers, and others.

Cost per Certificate

Depending on the type of sponsor licence you have, you’ll need to pay a different fee amount when you assign a certificate to a worker.
 

Immigration Skill Charge

If you assign a CoS to a worker applying for a Skilled Worker visa or Senior or Specialist Worker visa, you must pay the immigration skills charge if they are:

• Applying from outside the UK to work in the UK for 6 months or more

• Applying from inside the UK for any length of time

Eligibility Requirements for Certificate of Sponsorship  

A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is a key requirement for employers in the UK who wish to sponsor non-UK nationals and for overseas workers looking to work in the UK under specific visa categories.

However, both sponsors and workers need to meet certain conditions. Sponsors need to meet conditions to assign a CoS, and workers need to meet them to be eligible for a CoS.

1. CoS Eligibility Criteria for Employers

If you are an employer looking to sponsor overseas workers under the UK work visa categories, you will need to assign a Certificate of Sponsorship to the sponsoring employees.

Employers will need to meet the following conditions to be able to assign CoS to the workers:

a. Sponsor Licence Requirement – You first need to be a licenced sponsor. If you are not already one, you must apply for a sponsor licence and obtain it from the Home Office.

b. Complying with UK Immigration Law – You must adhere to UK immigration laws and Home Office guidelines, including:

• Conducting proper Right to Work checks of the sponsored employee to ensure they are eligible to work in the UK, 

• Maintaining accurate and up-to-date records of sponsored workers and 

• Reporting any significant changes in the sponsored employee's situation (e.g., changes in their job roles, salaries, or employment status) to the Home Office.

c. Financial Stability – You must prove that you can financially fulfil your sponsorship duties, including paying the worker’s salary equal to or above the threshold and covering any other associated costs. The Home Office will assess this as part of your sponsor licence application.

d. No Immigration Breaches in the Past – You may be disqualified from obtaining a sponsor licence or retaining it if you have a history of non-compliance or breaches of UK immigration rules. Therefore, having a clean immigration law compliance record is crucial for maintaining your ability to issue CoS.

2. CoS Eligibility Criteria for Employees

Only overseas workers with a valid CoS from their sponsor may be eligible for a UK work visa. Importantly, any sponsor can assign a Certificate of Sponsorship to only workers who meet the specific eligibility criteria:

a. Job Role – You must have been offered a genuine job from your employer that meets the skill and salary threshold. Please note that the skill and salary threshold have been increased from 22 July 2025.

b. Nationality - A CoS is generally required for non-UK individuals or those who do not have the right to work in the UK for other reasons, for example, they have indefinite leave to remain or EU Settled Status, or they are a family member of a UK national.

c. Meeting Visa Requirements – You must meet all other requirements, such as language proficiency, financial requirements, in addition to having a CoS for the visa category you are applying under.

d. No reasons for Disqualification - You must usually have no disqualifying factors, such as a criminal record or immigration violations previously, that would prevent the Home Office from granting you a visa.

How to obtain a Certificate of Sponsorship?

Before you can obtain a certificate of sponsorship, you must have a sponsor licence from the Home Office. If you don’t already have a sponsor licence, you need to apply for it, and if you meet all the eligibility conditions, you will usually be granted a sponsor licence. After obtaining a sponsor licence, you need to determine the type of CoS you need, followed by requesting/assigning CoS. Then you can provide CoS to the sponsored workers.

1. Obtain a Sponsor Licence 

You will first need to apply for a sponsor licence, along with the relevant documentation to demonstrate to the Home Office that you are a legitimate organisation in the UK that meets all of the necessary requirements.

Your company or organisation must have the right type of sponsor licence to hire overseas workers and assign them the relevant Certificate of Sponsorship.

2. Manage Your Sponsor Licence 

After obtaining a sponsor licence, you will have permission to lawfully sponsor overseas skilled workers using your online SMS (Sponsor Management System).

The Sponsor Management System is used to manage the sponsor licence and to apply for a CoS allocation, which determines how many certificates you can issue to workers. You may need a Defined CoS or Undefined CoS, depending on the type of worker and visa. You will need to submit a request to the Home Office for the required number of CoS allocations.

3. Determine the Type of CoS Your Organisation Needs 

Depending on the type of worker and visa route, you must determine whether you need a Defined CoS or an Undefined CoS.

You will need a defined CoS to sponsor workers applying from outside the UK under the Skilled Worker visa category, and an undefined CoS for sponsoring workers already in the UK who are switching visas or extending their stay.

4. Decide the Number of CoS Required 

When you apply for your sponsor licence, you’ll be asked to estimate the number of undefined certificates for workers and temporary workers you’ll need in the first year.

You must provide evidence to the Home Office that you require the number of certificates you have requested, as well as the necessary information and documentation for the job role(s) and overseas worker(s).

There is no restriction on the number of defined certificates of sponsorship available.

5. Request and Assign a Certificate of Sponsorship 

You can request a Defined CoS using the Home Office online portal. Your application should include details about the job role and salary. The Home Office will review your request to ensure that it meets immigration requirements.

You can assign an Undefined CoS directly to the worker using the Home Office’s SMS (Sponsor Management System). Once approved or assigned, each CoS will generate its own unique reference number that the employee will use to apply for their visa.

6. Complete the Process 

After the CoS is assigned, you must provide the employee with the CoS reference number. Employee will need this number for making their UK work visa applications.  You must keep detailed records of the Certificate of Sponsorship and monitor the sponsored employee’s ongoing eligibility to work in the UK.

How do We Work?

• We assess your eligibility for a sponsor licence, ability to meet the sponsor’s duties such as record keeping and monitoring. 

• We advise you on the strengths and weaknesses of your application for a certificate of sponsorship. 

• We advise you on relevant supporting documents to be submitted as part of your application. 

• We assess your documents to determine whether they can stand as evidence supporting your application.

• We help you complete and submit the online application form to apply for defined CoS and Undefined CoS required to sponsor overseas workers on a specific visa route.

• We help you match the role to the relevant SOC code, advise if there is an error on the CoS, and issue CoS for UK work visas and their extensions.

• We help in liaising with the decision makers (UKVI) for a timely decision on your application.