Certificate of Sponsorship
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A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is a digital record, not a paper certificate, assigned by a UK Home Office-licensed employer to a worker so they can apply for a Skilled Worker or other sponsored work visa. It carries a unique reference number confirming a genuine job that meets skill and salary rules.
How a Certificate of Sponsorship works
Despite the name, a CoS is not a physical certificate. A licensed sponsor creates an electronic record on the Home Office Sponsorship Management System, which generates a unique reference number the worker enters on their visa application. The record states the job title, occupation code, salary and the employment start and end dates.
There are two broad types. A defined CoS is requested from the Home Office for a Skilled Worker applying from outside the UK; an undefined CoS comes from the sponsor's allocation and covers most other cases, including in-country switches and other sponsored routes. To assign either, the employer must already hold a valid sponsor licence.
Who needs a CoS and what it costs
Any worker on the UK Skilled Worker route and most other sponsored work categories need a CoS reference before they can apply. Assigning a CoS carries a fee, and employers usually also pay the Immigration Skills Charge; the worker separately pays the visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge at the visa stage. These amounts change periodically, so confirm current figures on GOV.UK before quoting.
A CoS must be used within a set window after it is assigned and must reflect a genuine vacancy. Sponsors have duties to keep records and report changes, enforced through compliance checks, so agencies supporting employers in the UK treat the reference as a dated, deadline-bound item.
For a UK sponsor or the agency supporting them, the CoS reference, its assignment date and the visa deadline become tracked items with reminders, so a platform like VisaCRM keeps each worker's application moving before the certificate's validity window closes.
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Is a Certificate of Sponsorship the same as a work visa?
No. A CoS is not a visa or a job offer in itself; it is a digital sponsorship reference a licensed UK employer assigns. The worker still has to submit a separate visa application, pay the fees, and meet the salary, skill and English-language requirements before the Home Office grants permission to work.
How long is a Certificate of Sponsorship valid?
A CoS must be used to apply for the visa within a limited period after it is assigned, and it shows a specific employment start date. If the worker does not apply in time, the certificate can lapse and the employer may need to assign a new one. Always check the current validity rules on GOV.UK.
What is the difference between a defined and undefined CoS?
A defined CoS is requested individually from the Home Office for a Skilled Worker applying from outside the UK and is tied to that specific job. An undefined CoS comes from the sponsor's annual allocation and covers most other cases, such as workers switching visas inside the UK or other sponsored routes.
Who pays for a Certificate of Sponsorship?
The sponsoring employer assigns and pays for the CoS and usually the Immigration Skills Charge as well; passing these costs to the worker is restricted. The worker separately pays the visa application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge. Because the amounts change, confirm current fees on official GOV.UK guidance before finalising a quote.
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