Certificate of Sponsorship for UK Visa: What Bangladeshi Applicants Need to Know

The Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is the foundation of every UK Skilled Worker visa application. Without a valid CoS from a licensed UK employer, no other document matters. But the CoS is frequently misunderstood — especially regarding which type you need, how to verify its legitimacy, and what it does not do for you.

What the Certificate of Sponsorship Actually Is

The CoS is not a physical certificate. It is an electronic record created in the Home Office's Sponsorship Management System (SMS). When your UK employer assigns a CoS to you, the system generates a unique 12-digit alphanumeric reference number. This reference number is what you enter on your gov.uk visa application.

The CoS record contains:

• Your full name as it appears on your passport
• The SOC occupation code for the role
• The annual salary
• The start date and duration of employment
• The employer's sponsor licence number
• Whether maintenance is certified (affecting whether you need to show personal savings)

You do not receive a physical document to submit to UKVI. You submit the reference number, and UKVI cross-checks it directly against the SMS database.

Defined CoS vs Undefined CoS

This distinction trips up many applicants and employers alike.

Defined CoS: Required for all applicants applying for entry clearance from outside the UK — including all applications made from Bangladesh. The employer must apply to the Home Office for a Defined CoS for your specific role and for you as a named individual. Approval typically takes 1-2 working days, though the Home Office may request additional information if the role is being scrutinized.

Undefined CoS: Used only by applicants already inside the UK who are switching from another immigration route (such as a Graduate visa or Student visa) or extending an existing Skilled Worker permission. Employers have an annual allocation of Undefined CoS. They cannot use these for offshore applicants.

If you are applying from Dhaka, your employer must assign you a Defined CoS. If your employer tells you they have "used one of their CoS allocation" — without specifying whether it was Defined — confirm that it is a Defined CoS. Using an Undefined CoS for an offshore application is a technical error that results in refusal.

How to Verify Your Employer's Sponsor Licence

Before your employer can assign a CoS, they must hold an active Sponsor Licence. You can — and should — verify this independently.

1. Go to the official UK Register of Licensed Sponsors on gov.uk
2. Search by your employer's exact company name
3. Confirm they appear on the list with "Tier 2" or "Skilled Worker" listed as an active category

If they are not on the register, they cannot legally assign a CoS and any document claiming to be a CoS from them is fraudulent.

If they are on the register but their licence is listed as "suspended," they cannot assign new CoS records during the suspension period. A suspension typically follows a Home Office compliance visit.

The Timeline from Job Offer to CoS

Once you accept a job offer and your employer decides to proceed with sponsorship:

1. Employer applies for a Defined CoS via the Sponsorship Management System. If they have CoS allocation available, assignment is usually rapid (1-2 working days). If they need to request additional allocation (for employers who are at their annual limit), the process may take several weeks.

2. CoS is assigned to you. Your employer sends you the 12-digit reference number and a summary of what the CoS contains.

3. You verify the details. Check that your name matches your passport exactly, the salary meets the threshold, the occupation code is correct, and the start date is realistic given your document preparation timeline.

4. You submit your visa application within 3 months. Defined CoS records expire after 3 months if not used in a visa application. Do not let this deadline pass — you cannot extend a Defined CoS.

What the CoS Does Not Do

A common mistake among Bangladeshi applicants: assuming that once you have a CoS, your visa is essentially approved. The CoS proves your employer's intent to hire you. UKVI still evaluates your entire application independently, including:

• Whether your salary meets the going rate for the SOC code (not just the CoS salary declaration)
• Whether the job is a genuine vacancy
• Whether your supporting documents (police clearance, TB test, English proof, financial evidence) are in order
• Whether you meet the character requirements

The CoS is a necessary condition. It is not a sufficient one.

Immigration Skills Charge: Your Employer Pays, Not You

As part of obtaining your CoS, your employer is also required to pay the Immigration Skills Charge. As of December 2025, this is £1,320 per year for medium and large employers. For a 3-year visa, that is £3,960 the employer pays directly to the Home Office.

It is illegal for employers to recoup the Immigration Skills Charge from your salary through deductions. Your net pay after all deductions must still meet the minimum salary threshold. If your employment contract includes deductions for "visa costs," read it carefully and raise the issue before signing.

The Bangladesh to UK Skilled Worker Guide covers the full CoS verification process, how to read your CoS summary, what to do if the details are incorrect, and how to coordinate the 3-month CoS window with your Bangladesh document preparation timeline.

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