Defined Certificate of Sponsorship – weekly hours must be submitted

Upon obtaining a sponsor licence, an employer will be granted access to the Sponsorship Management System (SMS). This online platform enables sponsors to assign Certificates of Sponsorship (CoSs) to workers seeking to take up employment in the UK. Sponsors use the SMS to create and assign CoSs.

There are two types of CoS. One is required for applications from outside of the UK, and it is called a Defined CoS. The other one is required for applications from inside the UK, and it is called an Undefined CoS. 

New requirements for a Defined CoS

When submitting an application via the SMS for a Defined CoS, for a number of weeks now, sponsors have been required to provide the weekly working hours for the worker they would like to employ. As the SMS has not yet been updated with a separate field for this information, it must be entered in the “summary of job description” box. Failure to provide the working hours will result in the rejection of the application.

Any changes to an Undefined CoS?

When submitting an application for an Undefined CoS, the SMS already has a separate field for the number of working hours for the sponsored individual. This makes it easier for sponsors to accurately enter this information, reducing the likelihood of oversight.

Why are the working hours so important?

The number of hours a prospective employee is required to work directly affect their ability to meet the minimum salary requirements for their visa application. Providing accurate information about the working hours for both the Undefined and Defined CoS, allows the Home Office to assure that the worker will be paid the correct salary for their particular job.    

 How Gherson can assist

Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in advising on UK visa matters. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.

The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.

©Gherson 2023