Work Permit & CoS

As an employer, to sponsor/employ a foreign national, you will be required to issue an immigration work permit document known as Certificate of Sponsorship, also referred as a CoS.

The issuance of the CoS is done through the Sponsor Management System [SMS] platform, which you will be given access to following the approval of a sponsor licence.

Choosing the correct occupation code

The standard occupational code, referred as SOC 2020 sets out the jobs that can be sponsored by an employer.

You must choose an appropriate occupation code and ensure the appropriate salary is being paid – to meet the requirements. A foreign national can be paid a lower salary, for example if they have completed a PhD degree program. There are some exception rules that may apply and must be checked prior applying for a CoS.

Applying for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)

Both the Defined CoS & Undefined CoS have the similar application process. This is applied through the SMS platform. Once the application is decided, the allocation will show on your SMS platform.

Home Office can ask for further information and documents when applying for allocations, including allocations beyond your organisation’s annual requirements.

Assignment of CoS allocation

Once the CoS is approved, you will be able to assign this against a foreign national. The document would be required for the sponsored worker to use as part of their skilled worker immigration application.

Refusal or rejected CoS

If the Home Office refuses or rejects your CoS allocation, you must submit a new application. There is no legal challenges against a decision on the work permit application.