Tier 2 Certificate of Sponsorship

Before a person can apply for entry into the UK under the terms of Tier 2, he or she must be in possession of a valid Certificate of Sponsorship. This is issued by the employer making the job offer to the applicant.

The Certificate of Sponsorship is not an actual certificate or paper document but is a virtual document in the form of a database record. Each Certificate of Sponsorship has a unique reference number and contains information about the job for which it has been issued and the applicant's personal details.

It is the Sponsors responsibility to provide the applicant with:

• The Certificate of Sponsorship reference number
• Information associated with that reference number such as the declared wage

The concept of a Live Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)

• A CoS becomes live at the point where a reference number has been allocated to it by the Sponsorship Management System of the UK Border Agency
• The CoS remains live until such time as the applicant uses its reference number to make an application for leave (to enter or remain in the UK) under Tier 2
• The maximum period for which the CoS can remain live is 3 months
• At any particular time an applicant can only have 1 live CoS in respect of a given period of leave

If an Applicant with a live CoS changes his or her mind

If an applicant with a job offer and a live CoS decides that he or she no longer wishes to come to the UK then the procedure is:

• The applicant should inform the Sponsor in writing or by email and the live CoS will be cancelled or will expire after 3 months

If the applicant wishes to take up alternative employment in the UK under the provisions of Tier 2 then the procedure is:

• The applicant must ask the Sponsor to withdraw the live CoS either in writing or by email
• The Sponsor for the applicants preferred job can only obtain a new live CoS when the old one has been cancelled
• The original sponsor must cancel the live CoS within 5 days of receipt of the request to do so
• After a second request and a further 5 days, the applicant can ask the Sponsor Licensing Unit of the UK Border Agency to cancel the live CoS
• Once cancelled the applicant can be issued with a new live CoS by his preferred sponsor

The concept of a Valid Certificate of Sponsorship

A valid Certificate of Sponsorship is one that:

• Bears the same details as those in the applicant's passport
• Became Live no more than 3 months before the date of application for entry under Tier 2 *
• Has not been withdrawn or cancelled by either the Sponsor or by the UK Border Agency +

* If the 3 month period has expired then a new Certificate of Sponsorship must be obtained by the applicant from his or her Sponsor

+ This can happen at any time