Sponsors of foreign workers in the UK are experiencing major delays in UKVI decisions on Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) allocation renewals and in-year CoS allocation increases. This is affecting both Skilled Worker Undefined CoSs and Global Business Mobility CoSs. As a result of the UKVI decision bottleneck, delays have also trickled down to Priority Service requests for faster decisions. Furthermore, UKVI has become stricter on CoS allocation requests, whereby further information is requested after allocation requests are submitted. UKVI is now requesting documentation such as PAYE reports, organization charts, candidate information, company bank statements, and so forth.
How can delays be avoided?
To avoid delays, employers are advised to:
- Review CoS allocations regularly, and ensure that in-year increase requests are submitted in good time—ideally before the current allocation runs out. A Level 1 user can request CoS allocation and Priority Service.
- Ensure that licence details are correct and match the information on Companies House at all times to prevent rejection of CoS allocation requests.
- Ensure Priority Service requests are submitted at 7.00 a.m. If unsuccessful, keep requesting a Priority Service slot (Monday to Friday).
- Have the necessary documents relating to the allocation request ready, for example, candidate details, organization charts, job descriptions, PAYE reports, and company bank statements.
How can Newland Chase help you?
If you have concerns around your current CoS allocation, and any impending visa expiries for any migrant employees, contact your Newland Chase account manager in the first instance. We will review the CoS allocations on the licence and advise accordingly. If you require an increase in allocations, we will request this for you and request priority service on your behalf. We will liaise with UKVI for any information requested, and work with you to obtain this. We also encourage you to conduct annual reviews with your account manager to strategies and plan for future CoS allocations needs.
Please reach out to your Newland Chase dedicated contact or submit an inquiry should you have any specific questions regarding this announcement.
