What a Certificate of Sponsorship is, and when to ask about one

Key points

• A Certificate of Sponsorship is an electronic record with its own reference number, not a paper certificate. Only an employer with a sponsor licence can assign one.
• gov.uk says the visa application has to be made within 3 months of getting it, and not more than 3 months before the job's start date.
• Your application has to match it: your job title, salary, occupation code and the employer's sponsor licence number come from the certificate.
• It does not guarantee a visa. gov.uk says sponsoring someone does not guarantee they will get one: the Home Office decides.
• The employer pays for the certificate and, for most Skilled Worker hires, the Immigration Skills Charge.

Who gives you a Certificate of Sponsorship?

Your employer does, and only if it holds a sponsor licence. On 5 October 2026, 121,996 organisations held a Skilled Worker licence. An employer without a licence cannot assign a certificate for a Skilled Worker visa. You can check any employer on the sponsor check.

What is on it?

The certificate records the details of the job you have been offered, along with your employer’s details. gov.uk’s list of documents for a Skilled Worker application shows what you take from it: the certificate’s reference number, your job title and annual salary, your job’s occupation code, and the name of your employer and its sponsor licence number. It can also show whether your employer will support you financially, which affects whether you need to show personal savings. Your visa application has to match it.

What to check on your Certificate of Sponsorship

Once the employer has assigned it, these are the details worth checking against your offer letter. gov.uk says to ask your employer for a copy of the certificate if you do not have one.

1. The reference number. You need it for the application.
2. The job title and duties. They need to describe the job you will actually do.
3. The occupation code. It sets the going rate the salary has to meet. Each role page shows the rates for its codes.
4. The salary. Guaranteed basic pay, compared with the rate for that code. Bonuses and most allowances generally do not count.
5. The working hours. Going rates assume a 37.5-hour week, so different hours change the figure.
6. The start date. gov.uk says you can apply up to 3 months before it.
7. The employer’s name and sponsor licence number. They should match the employer on the register.

If something looks wrong, the employer is the one who can correct it, because the certificate is the employer’s record.

How long does it last?

gov.uk says the visa application has to be made within 3 months of getting the certificate. The employer guidance adds the other side: the worker must not apply more than 3 months before the start date of the job on the certificate. If the 3 months pass, the reference can no longer be used, and your employer would need to assign a new one.

For someone applying from outside the UK, the employer first requests a “defined” certificate, which gov.uk says is usually approved within one working day. For someone switching from inside the UK, the employer uses an “undefined” certificate.

Does a Certificate of Sponsorship guarantee a visa?

No. gov.uk’s guidance for employers says plainly that sponsoring someone does not guarantee that they will get a visa. The certificate lets you apply. The Home Office then decides your application against the rules, including the job’s eligibility, the salary and the English language requirement.

Who pays for it?

The employer pays for the certificate itself. gov.uk says a sponsor must pay the certificate fee itself for a Skilled Worker, and for most Skilled Worker hires it also pays the Immigration Skills Charge. gov.uk says a sponsor’s licence may be revoked if it asks the worker to pay these costs. Your own visa application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge are separate. Check gov.uk for the current fees.

When should you ask about one?

As soon as you have an offer, or even at the final interview stage. These questions save weeks:

1. Will you assign a Certificate of Sponsorship for this role? A licence does not mean they will use it for every job.
2. Which occupation code will the role use? The code sets the going rate the salary has to meet.
3. Is the salary the guaranteed basic pay? Bonuses and most allowances generally do not count.
4. When will you assign it? It needs to fit around your start date and, if you are already in the UK, the date your current visa ends.
5. Who handles it? Knowing the name of the person in HR or the legal team makes the follow-up easy.

What if the employer says they have never sponsored anyone?

Check the register. Some employers hold a licence without using it often, and some are licensed but the recruiter simply does not know. An employer without a licence cannot assign a certificate of sponsorship. The register changes often and lists legal names, which can differ from a brand name. Check the latest register on gov.uk before you rule an employer out. gov.uk says an employer that is not yet licensed can apply for a licence, which usually takes around 8 weeks to process.

How Visavi helps

Every job in Visavi shows the employer’s register row and its own words about sponsorship, so you know before you apply whether a certificate is even possible. When an offer comes in, Visavi’s offer checklist reminds you to ask about the Certificate of Sponsorship.