Certificate of Sponsorship Explained for Skilled Worker Visa

A Certificate of Sponsorship is an electronic record, not a physical document, that your employer creates through the Home Office sponsorship system. You need one to apply for a Skilled Worker visa. Without it, your visa application cannot proceed. The certificate contains specific details about your job, your salary, and your employer's licence, and the information recorded on it must be accurate because the Home Office uses it to assess whether you meet the visa requirements.

Many people misunderstand what a Certificate of Sponsorship actually is and how it works. It's not a job offer letter, and it's not a guarantee that your visa will be approved. It's a formal immigration document that your licensed sponsor assigns to you once they have decided to support your visa application. The certificate links your application to your employer and provides the Home Office with the information needed to determine your eligibility.

What a Certificate of Sponsorship contains

The certificate includes your personal details, the job title and occupation code for the role you have been offered, your salary, and the start date of your employment. It also records your employer's sponsor licence number and confirms which immigration route you are being sponsored under. Each certificate has a unique reference number that you enter when completing your visa application.

The occupation code is particularly important. The Home Office uses a system of Standard Occupational Classification codes to determine whether a job is eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship. The code your employer assigns must match the work you will actually be doing, and it must be on the list of eligible occupations. If the code is wrong or does not genuinely reflect your role, your visa application can be refused.

The salary information on the certificate must meet the minimum threshold for your occupation code and reflect what you will genuinely be paid. The Home Office checks this carefully. If the salary listed does not meet the required levels, or if there is evidence that the actual salary differs from what is stated on the certificate, your application is at risk.

How you get a Certificate of Sponsorship

Your employer issues the certificate after offering you a job and deciding to sponsor your visa. They log into the sponsorship management system operated by the Home Office and create the certificate by entering the required details. Once the certificate is assigned to you, the employer provides you with the reference number, and you use this number when completing your online visa application.

You cannot create or obtain a Certificate of Sponsorship yourself. Only a licensed sponsor can issue one, and they can only do so for genuine vacancies within their organisation. Some employers assign certificates quickly once they have decided to hire you. Others take longer, either because they are coordinating with their HR or legal teams or because they are waiting for the right time to issue the certificate based on your proposed start date.

Employers have a limited allocation of Certificates of Sponsorship. Some sponsors, particularly large organisations or those in sectors with high demand, have unrestricted allocations and can issue certificates as needed. Others must apply to the Home Office for additional certificates when they want to sponsor someone, and there is no guarantee their request will be approved. This is one reason why an employer's willingness to sponsor does not always translate into immediate action.

The certificate is tied to a specific job and employer

A Certificate of Sponsorship is not transferable. It applies only to the role and employer stated on it. If you decide not to take the job or if the employer withdraws the offer, the certificate becomes void. You cannot use the same certificate to apply for a visa to work for a different employer or in a different role, even if the new employer is also a licensed sponsor.

If your circumstances change before you apply for the visa, your employer may need to withdraw the certificate and issue a new one with updated details. For example, if your start date changes significantly or if the salary or job title is adjusted, the certificate should reflect the accurate current information. Applying for a visa using a certificate that contains outdated or incorrect details risks refusal.

When certificates are issued and how long they last

Employers usually issue a Certificate of Sponsorship shortly before you are ready to apply for your visa. The certificate itself does not expire in the traditional sense, but it is expected to be used within a reasonable timeframe. If too much time passes between the certificate being issued and your visa application being submitted, the Home Office may question whether the job offer is still genuine.

There is also a three-month window from the date the certificate is assigned during which you should apply for your visa. If you wait longer, the certificate may no longer be considered valid for the purposes of your application, and your employer may need to issue a new one.

Timing matters because the Home Office expects the details on the certificate to be current. If circumstances change significantly between when the certificate is issued and when you apply, those changes should be reflected in an updated certificate. Sponsors are responsible for ensuring the information they provide is accurate at the time of your application.

What happens if the certificate contains errors

Errors on a Certificate of Sponsorship can cause serious problems. If the information does not match the reality of your job offer or your personal circumstances, your visa application may be refused. Common errors include incorrect salary figures, wrong occupation codes, misspelled names, or incorrect passport details.

If you notice an error, you should notify your employer immediately. They may be able to withdraw the incorrect certificate and issue a corrected one. However, this is not always straightforward, especially if the error is only discovered after you have already submitted your visa application. In some cases, you may need to withdraw your application, wait for a corrected certificate, and reapply.

Employers are expected to check the details carefully before assigning a certificate. Mistakes often happen when information is entered manually or when there is poor communication between the candidate and the HR or immigration team responsible for the certificate. Double-checking all the details before your employer submits the certificate reduces the risk of costly delays.

Certificates of Sponsorship and visa approval

Receiving a Certificate of Sponsorship does not guarantee your visa will be approved. The certificate is one part of the application, but the Home Office also assesses whether you meet the English language requirement, whether you have sufficient funds, and whether there are any other grounds for refusal such as previous immigration breaches or criminal convictions.

The Home Office also checks whether the information on the certificate is credible. If the job or salary seems inconsistent with your qualifications or the employer's business, or if the occupation code does not match the job description, the application may be questioned or refused. The certificate must reflect a genuine job offer for genuine work at a genuine salary.

Some applicants assume that because their employer is a licensed sponsor and has issued a certificate, their visa is essentially guaranteed. This is not the case. The employer's sponsorship is necessary but not sufficient. You must still meet all the individual eligibility criteria.

What employers can and cannot do with certificates

Licensed sponsors are expected to use Certificates of Sponsorship responsibly. They cannot issue certificates for roles that do not exist, for roles that do not meet the skill level requirements, or for roles where the salary does not meet the minimum thresholds. They also cannot sell certificates or issue them as a favour to people who are not genuinely being employed.

The Home Office monitors how sponsors use their allocation of certificates. If a sponsor issues certificates for people who never actually start work, or if there is evidence that the certificates are being used inappropriately, the sponsor's licence can be suspended or revoked. This compliance requirement is one reason why reputable employers are cautious about issuing certificates and may ask for detailed information before proceeding.

Common misunderstandings

One widespread misunderstanding is that a Certificate of Sponsorship is the same as a job offer. It is not. The job offer is a separate communication, usually in the form of an offer letter, that sets out the terms of your employment. The Certificate of Sponsorship is the immigration document that supports your visa application. You need both.

Another confusion arises around who controls the certificate. Some applicants believe they can request a certificate from any licensed sponsor, or that having a certificate means they can choose when and how to use it. In reality, the employer controls the issuance and the details of the certificate, and it is valid only for the specific job and circumstances for which it was issued.

People also sometimes think that once they have a certificate, they can take as long as they like to apply for the visa. The expectation is that you will apply relatively soon after the certificate is issued, and delays can create doubts about whether the offer is still genuine.

Certificates for people already in the UK

If you are already in the UK on a different visa and want to switch to a Skilled Worker visa, you still need a Certificate of Sponsorship. The process is similar, but your new employer must issue a certificate that reflects your new role and confirms they are sponsoring your switch.

Switching employers whilst in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa also requires a new Certificate of Sponsorship from the new employer. Your existing visa is tied to your current sponsor, and moving to a new employer means applying for a new visa based on a new certificate. You cannot simply start a new job without updating your immigration status.

Some people assume that because they already have a Skilled Worker visa, they can change jobs freely as long as the new employer is also a sponsor. This is incorrect. Each sponsored job requires its own Certificate of Sponsorship and, in most cases, a new visa application.

What to do if your employer withdraws the certificate

If your employer withdraws a Certificate of Sponsorship before you apply for your visa, you can no longer use it. This might happen if the employer decides not to proceed with the hire, if business circumstances change, or if they discover an error that cannot easily be corrected.

If you have already applied for your visa and the employer withdraws the certificate, the Home Office should be notified, and your application is likely to be refused or withdrawn. Employers are required to report certain changes to the Home Office, including the withdrawal of certificates.

Losing a certificate is frustrating, but it does not prevent you from obtaining a new one from the same or a different employer if another suitable job offer arises. Each sponsorship is independent, and a withdrawn certificate does not create a black mark on your immigration record unless there was evidence of misuse or fraud.

Frequently Asked Questions