What is a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) and How Does It Work?
Everything you need to know about the UK Certificate of Sponsorship: what it is, who needs one, how employers issue it, and how to find jobs where you can get one.
What is a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)?
A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is not a physical certificate. It is a unique reference number that an employer assigns to a worker as part of the UK Skilled Worker Visa application process. Without a valid CoS reference number, you cannot apply for a Skilled Worker Visa to work in the UK.
The CoS is issued electronically by a UK employer who holds a valid Sponsor Licence from the Home Office. When your employer issues you a CoS, they are essentially vouching for you, confirming that they have offered you a genuine job that meets the visa requirements, and that you are the right person for that role.
Who Needs a Certificate of Sponsorship?
You need a CoS if:
- You are a non-UK national (and non-Irish national) who does not have the right to work in the UK through another route (e.g. settled status, graduate visa, spouse visa)
- You are applying for or switching to the Skilled Worker Visa route
- You have been offered a job in the UK by an employer who holds a sponsor licence
You do not need a CoS if you already have settled status (ILR), indefinite leave to remain, British citizenship, or another visa that gives you full right to work in the UK.
How Does an Employer Issue a CoS?
Only employers who hold a Sponsor Licence from the UK Home Office can issue a Certificate of Sponsorship. The process works as follows:
- The employer applies to the Home Office for a sponsor licence (this is separate from the CoS process and can take several months)
- Once approved, the employer is added to the Register of Licensed Sponsors, which is a public document
- When the employer wants to hire a worker on the Skilled Worker Visa route, they log into the Home Office's Sponsorship Management System (SMS) and create a CoS for that specific worker
- The CoS is assigned a unique reference number, which the worker then uses in their visa application
What Information is on a Certificate of Sponsorship?
The CoS contains:
- Your personal details (name, date of birth, nationality, passport number)
- The job title and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code
- The salary being offered
- The start date of the role
- The employer's Sponsor Licence number
What are the Salary Requirements?
As of 2024, the general salary threshold for a Skilled Worker Visa is £26,200 per year (raised from £25,600 in 2023). However, many occupations have a "going rate" that is set specifically for that role, and you must be paid whichever is higher: the general threshold or the going rate.
There are some exceptions for shortage occupations and new entrants to the labour market, who may be paid slightly less in certain circumstances.
How to Find Jobs with Certificate of Sponsorship
The most effective ways to find UK jobs that offer CoS:
1. Use the Home Office Register The official Register of Licensed Sponsors is publicly available on the GOV.UK website. You can download it as a spreadsheet and search for employers by name, location, or sector. However, this list has over 60,000 entries and doesn't tell you which employers are currently hiring.
2. Use Hiredge's Sponsored Job Alerts Hiredge automatically cross-references every employer in its job alert results against the Home Office register. Enable the "Visa Sponsorship Required" toggle when setting up your alert, and you'll only receive notifications for roles from licensed sponsors, saving you hours of manual research.
3. Target large employers in high-sponsorship sectors The NHS, large technology companies, international banks, engineering firms, and universities are among the most prolific sponsors. If you're in healthcare, IT, finance, or academia, your chances of finding sponsored roles are higher.
4. Work with specialist recruiters Some recruitment agencies specifically place candidates who need visa sponsorship and have established relationships with licensed employers.
Important Caveats
- A sponsor licence does not guarantee the employer will sponsor any given candidate. They can choose not to sponsor even if they hold a licence.
- The Home Office can revoke a sponsor licence at any time if the employer fails to meet their obligations. Always verify current status before accepting an offer.
- The CoS must be issued before you apply for the visa. You cannot get a visa first and then find a sponsored job.
Summary
The Certificate of Sponsorship is the critical link between a job offer and a Skilled Worker Visa application. Finding employers who hold a sponsor licence, and who are actively willing to use it, is the primary challenge for international job seekers in the UK. Tools like Hiredge's sponsored job alert filter are designed specifically to solve this problem.
For more information on finding sponsored jobs, read our guide: How to Find UK Employers Who Offer Visa Sponsorship.
Ready to put this into practice?
Use Hiredge's free AI tools to generate a tailored cover letter, tailor your CV, or set up job alerts with a visa sponsorship filter.