What is a certificate of sponsorship for a UK work visa?
Checked against official sources, October 2026
A certificate of sponsorship (CoS) is an electronic record, not a physical document, that a Home Office-approved employer issues to confirm the job they are offering you. It has a reference number you need for your visa application, and you must apply within 3 months of getting it.
Free calculatorAdd up the fees for you and your family, the savings to show and what your employer must pay, with each figure linked to GOV.UK.Work out your total cost →Who this is for
Anyone with a UK job offer for a Health and Care Worker or Skilled Worker visa.
What the official guidance says
- Your employer, also known as your sponsor, checks you meet the eligibility requirements and gives you a certificate of sponsorship to prove this.
- The certificate of sponsorship is an electronic record, not a physical document, and has a reference number you need for your visa application.
- You must apply for your visa within 3 months of getting your certificate of sponsorship.
- You can apply up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work; that date is listed on your certificate of sponsorship.
- Only employers approved by the Home Office can sponsor. An employer that is not approved can apply for a sponsor licence if eligible; GOV.UK says this usually takes around 8 weeks.
- If your employer will cover your costs in your first month, the certificate must confirm this in its "sponsor certifies maintenance" section.
What it does not mean
- A job offer letter is not a certificate of sponsorship. You need the CoS reference number to apply.
- Getting a CoS does not mean the visa is approved. The Home Office still decides your application.
- It is not a paper certificate you will be posted.
What to do next
- 01Confirm your employer is an approved sponsor before you go far into the process.
- 02Once you accept the offer, ask when your CoS will be issued and check the details on it, including the start date and occupation code.
- 03Apply within 3 months of receiving it.
Questions
Who pays for the certificate of sponsorship?
Your employer. GOV.UK lists the fee as £525 for a Worker licence, and says the sponsor must pay it and must not recoup any part of it, or its admin costs, from a Skilled Worker it sponsors. Health and Care Worker visas are sponsored as Skilled Workers. Checked 27 Oct 2026.
What happens if my CoS is older than 3 months?
GOV.UK says you must apply within 3 months of getting it, so speak to your employer before that deadline passes.
Official sources
- GOV.UK: Health and Care Worker visa, your job
- GOV.UK: Health and Care Worker visa
- GOV.UK: Health and Care Worker visa, how much it costs
- GOV.UK: UK visa sponsorship for employers, certificates of sponsorship
Checked October 2026. Immigration rules, fees and thresholds change, so confirm them on the official page before you act.
Plan the whole route, not just the visa
In a Migo UK plan, the employer stage includes checking that the employer holds a sponsor licence before you commit, and the visa stage starts once your certificate is issued. Your document checklist keeps the reference and deadlines in one place.
Related guides
General information, not legal or immigration advice. For advice on your own case, speak to a regulated immigration adviser or lawyer.