When an employee applies for a visa, they submit a certificate of sponsorship (CoS), a digital document with a special identification number. An employer (sponsor) must issue a certificate of sponsorship to an overseas worker before they can be sponsored. An employee who has been given a certificate of sponsorship meets the criteria for the particular visa route. Once the employee has been given a certificate of sponsorship, they can submit an application for a sponsorship visa.

What is a Certificate of Sponsorship?

An employer in the UK who wishes to hire a non-EEA worker is required to acquire a Certificate of Sponsorship. The CoS is not a physical record; instead, it is sent to the employer electronically by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). The CoS includes details about the employee and their position, including their name, title, pay, and the beginning and ending times of their employment.

When an employer provides a CoS to a foreign worker, it verifies that they are actually giving them a job in the UK and that they are qualified to work there on a Tier 2 visa. A worker cannot apply for a visa without the CoS because it is a requirement of the Tier 2 visa application procedure.

Types of the Certificate of Sponsorship

Certificates of sponsorship come in two varieties: defined and undefined.

Defined Sponsorship Certificates

Defined certificate of sponsorship are for employees applying from outside the UK. This sort of certificate must be requested by the employer via the sponsorship management system. (SMS). They get access to SMS when they acquire their sponsor license.

Undefined Sponsorship Certificates

These CoS are for applicants who reside in the UK. The number of undefined certificates that the employer will require for Workers and temporary workers in the first year must be determined when the employer files for their sponsor license.

How much does a CoS cost?

Each COS document has a special number that can be used by the worker to submit a visa application. Only three months are allowed for the license to remain in effect. Each time a CoS is assigned, sponsors are required to pay a charge. The Home Office has the right to revoke the CoS if the proper fee is not received. If a foreign national applies as a temporary worker or an international athlete, the fee of assigning a CoS is £199; otherwise, it is £21.