A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) company is an organisation that has been granted a sponsor licence by the UK Home Office to recruit overseas workers. These employers use the CoS system to sponsor skilled and temporary workers under the UK's points-based immigration system.
As of mid-2026, the Home Office has licensed between 120,000 and 140,000 organisations to sponsor workers, with approximately 48,000 holding active A-rated licences. The Register of Licensed Sponsors was last updated 15 July 2026 and is publicly available for candidates searching for employers authorised to sponsor visa applications.
How the Certificate of Sponsorship System Works
The sponsorship system is voluntary but highly regulated. .
The job exists or will exist at the point of sponsorship assignment
Specific duties, responsibilities and working hours are defined
The role meets skill-level and salary requirements for the visa route
The position is appropriate given the company's business model and scale
The changes reflect a stronger emphasis on preventing sponsorship abuse and ensuring that certificates are only issued for legitimate, substantive roles.
This requirement ensures that vulnerable adults receive care from properly regulated employers and helps maintain standards across the health and social care sector.
Register of Licensed Sponsors
The Register of Licensed Sponsors is a public database maintained by the Home Office. It lists all organisations currently licensed to sponsor workers under the Worker and Temporary Worker routes, including:
Company name and address
Sponsorship route(s) the organisation is licensed for
Sponsor rating (A-rated or B-rated)
Licence status
The register is updated regularly—most recently on 15 July 2026—and serves as a valuable tool for overseas workers researching potential employers who can support a UK work visa application.
Understanding Sponsor Ratings
Sponsors are assigned a rating based on their compliance with sponsorship duties:
A-rated sponsors have met all their sponsor duties and can assign Certificates of Sponsorship without restriction (within their allocated allowance).
B-rated sponsors have minor compliance issues and face restrictions on assigning new certificates until they address the concerns raised by the Home Office.
This rule protects migrant workers from exploitation and ensures that the true cost of sponsorship is borne by the employer who benefits from access to overseas talent. Violations can result in licence suspension or revocation.
Sponsor Duties and Compliance Obligations
Certificate of Sponsorship companies must comply with extensive ongoing duties to maintain their licence. These responsibilities go well beyond the initial application and assignment of certificates.
Record-Keeping and Reporting
Sponsors must maintain detailed records about their sponsored workers and report significant changes to the Home Office within specified timeframes. Key reporting duties include:
Changes in a worker's employment circumstances (job role, salary, working hours, work location)
Absences from work
Early termination of employment
Any suspicion that a worker is breaching their visa conditions
The Home Office takes these duties seriously. Failure to report changes promptly can lead to a downgrade in rating or licence revocation.
This requirement means that sponsors must not only inform workers of their UK employment rights but also document that this information has been provided and understood. The current guidance version is valid from 20 May 2026.
Right to Work Checks
Before assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship and throughout the worker's employment, sponsors must conduct and document right to work checks. This includes verifying identity documents, maintaining copies, and conducting follow-up checks when visas are extended or changed.
Compliance Audits and Inspections
The Home Office conducts compliance audits of sponsor licence holders. These can be announced or unannounced and may involve site visits, document reviews, and interviews with sponsored workers and HR personnel.
During an audit, inspectors will verify:
That sponsored workers are employed in the role described on their CoS
Salary payments match the amount stated on the certificate
Record-keeping systems are robust and up to date
Workers are performing the duties listed in their job description
The sponsor is fulfilling all reporting obligations
Serious compliance failures can result in licence suspension or revocation, affecting not only the employer's ability to sponsor new workers but also the immigration status of current sponsored employees.
How to Find Certificate of Sponsorship Companies
For workers seeking UK employment, the Register of Licensed Sponsors is the authoritative source. The register is a downloadable spreadsheet containing tens of thousands of licensed employers across all sectors and regions of the UK.
When researching potential employers, candidates should:
Check the official register to confirm the employer holds a valid licence for the relevant route (e.g., Skilled Worker)
Verify the rating – A-rated sponsors are more likely to assign certificates without delay
Research the company independently to understand their business, reputation, and typical recruitment practices
Confirm the role meets eligibility requirements for skill level and salary before applying
Be cautious of any employer that requests payment for sponsorship or asks you to cover Certificate of Sponsorship fees, as this violates Home Office rules and may indicate a fraudulent scheme.
Current Policy Context and Recent Changes
The sponsorship system has undergone significant refinement in recent years as the UK adjusts its approach to post-Brexit labour migration.
The shift from "genuine vacancy" to "eligible role" terminology in March 2026 reflects a more stringent approach to ensuring that sponsored positions represent genuine economic need and are appropriately matched to the sponsoring organisation's capacity and business model.
The May 2026 guidance version also emphasises the voluntary nature of participation in the scheme and the Home Office's discretion to revoke licences. Current guidance is valid from 20 May 2026, and sponsors are expected to remain current with all policy updates.
The Home Office continues to balance facilitating access to global talent with preventing abuse of the immigration system. Employers who maintain rigorous compliance standards, treat workers fairly, and use sponsorship for its intended purpose can expect to maintain their licences and continue recruiting internationally.
Benefits of Becoming a Certificate of Sponsorship Company
Despite the administrative burden and compliance obligations, many UK employers find that sponsor licence status offers significant advantages:
Access to global talent – Sponsorship removes geographic barriers to recruitment, enabling employers to fill skill gaps with the best candidates worldwide.
Competitive advantage – In sectors with acute labour shortages, the ability to sponsor overseas workers provides a competitive edge in talent acquisition.
Workforce diversity – International recruitment brings diverse perspectives, experiences, and skills that can drive innovation and business growth.
Support for business expansion – For companies with international operations, the ability to transfer workers to the UK facilitates knowledge sharing and operational integration.
Long-term workforce planning – Sponsored workers on multi-year visas can provide stability and continuity, particularly in roles requiring extensive training or specialised expertise.
Risks and Challenges for Sponsors
Certificate of Sponsorship companies also face risks and challenges that must be carefully managed:
Compliance burden – Maintaining accurate records, timely reporting, and audit readiness requires dedicated HR and administrative resources.
Financial costs – Licence fees, certificate assignment fees, and the immigration skills charge can add up, particularly for smaller employers or those sponsoring multiple workers.
Licence vulnerability – A single serious compliance failure or pattern of minor breaches can jeopardise the licence, affecting the entire sponsored workforce.
Reputation risk – Licence revocation or downgrading can damage an employer's reputation and make future recruitment more difficult.
Changing policy environment – Immigration rules are subject to frequent change, requiring sponsors to stay current and adapt their processes accordingly.
Employers considering applying for a sponsor licence should carefully assess their capacity to meet ongoing duties and their genuine need for overseas workers before committing to the system.
Practical Considerations for Employers
Organisations that successfully operate as Certificate of Sponsorship companies typically adopt best practices including:
Designated compliance officer – Appointing a knowledgeable individual or team responsible for sponsorship compliance, reporting, and liaison with the Home Office.
Robust documentation systems – Implementing HR and payroll systems that capture and retain all required information about sponsored workers.
Regular internal audits – Conducting periodic self-audits to identify and address compliance gaps before they come to the Home Office's attention.
Training for hiring managers – Ensuring that staff involved in recruitment and line management understand sponsorship rules and the importance of accurate job descriptions and salary information.
Legal and professional advice – Consulting immigration specialists when navigating complex cases or policy changes to minimise the risk of errors.
Clear communication with workers – Providing comprehensive information to sponsored employees about their rights, responsibilities, and what to expect throughout their sponsorship.
These measures help protect both the employer's licence and the immigration status of sponsored workers, creating a more stable and compliant environment for all parties.
Sectoral Distribution of Sponsor Licences
While the Register of Licensed Sponsors includes organisations across all industries, certain sectors have particularly high concentrations of sponsoring employers:
Healthcare and social care – The NHS, private hospitals, care homes, and domiciliary care providers represent a significant proportion of sponsors, reflecting chronic workforce shortages in these sectors.
Information technology – Software development, cybersecurity, data science, and IT infrastructure companies routinely sponsor skilled technology professionals.
Engineering and manufacturing – Advanced manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, and civil engineering firms sponsor engineers, technicians, and specialists.
Education – Universities, independent schools, and language schools sponsor academic staff, researchers, and teachers.
Professional services – Accounting, legal, consulting, and financial services firms sponsor qualified professionals and specialists.
Hospitality and catering – Hotels, restaurants, and catering companies, particularly in London and other major cities, sponsor chefs and hospitality managers.
The sectoral distribution reflects both genuine skill shortages and the global nature of talent competition in knowledge-intensive industries.
Worker Perspective: What to Expect from a Sponsor
Understanding the sponsorship system from the worker's perspective helps set realistic expectations:
Certificate validity and timing – Once assigned a certificate, you have three months to apply for your visa and cannot apply more than three months before your job start date. This timeline requires careful coordination between you and your employer.
Job specificity – Your visa permission is tied to the specific job described on your Certificate of Sponsorship. Significant changes to your role, salary, or working hours may require a new certificate and visa variation.
Employer dependency – Your right to work in the UK depends on your sponsor maintaining their licence and your employment continuing. If your employment ends, your visa may be curtailed, though you may be granted a short grace period to find alternative sponsorship.
Compliance cooperation – You may be contacted by the Home Office as part of compliance checks on your employer. Providing accurate information about your employment circumstances is essential.
Cost responsibility – While your employer must pay the certificate fee and cannot recoup it from you, you are responsible for your own visa application fee, Immigration Health Surcharge, and any legal advice you choose to obtain.
Employment rights – As a sponsored worker, you have the same employment rights as UK workers in terms of pay, working conditions, health and safety, and protection from discrimination. Your employer's new duty to inform you of these rights reflects their importance.
Future Outlook for Certificate of Sponsorship Companies
The UK's sponsorship system is likely to continue evolving in response to economic conditions, labour market demands, and political priorities.
Employers should anticipate:
Continued policy refinement – The March 2026 shift to "eligible role" language and the May 2026 guidance updates demonstrate ongoing policy development. Sponsors must remain adaptable.
Enhanced compliance scrutiny – As the number of licensed sponsors approaches 140,000, the Home Office is likely to maintain or increase audit activity to ensure system integrity.
Technological improvements – The Sponsorship Management System may see further enhancements to streamline certificate assignment and reporting processes.
Sectoral variations – Future policy may introduce sector-specific requirements or incentives, as seen with CQC registration requirements for care sector sponsors.
Skills-based immigration focus – The UK's post-Brexit immigration system emphasises skills and economic contribution. Sponsors offering high-skill, high-wage roles aligned with UK economic priorities are likely to receive continued policy support.
For both employers and workers, staying informed about policy developments and maintaining rigorous compliance with current rules remains essential to successful participation in the Certificate of Sponsorship system.
