A defined Certificate of Sponsorship is usually allocated within 1 working day of the sponsor's request, and an undefined certificate is issued immediately from the sponsor's annual allocation. The waits people search for come from two other places: a defined request referred for checks can take up to 5 working days, and one held for genuineness or salary queries can take up to 18 weeks; a sponsor that has used up its undefined allocation must request an increase before it can issue another. Every certificate, once issued, is valid for 3 months. Source: Home Office sponsor guidance, as set out in our CoS guide, checked 29 October 2026.
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Full guide: CoS processing time 2026: defined vs undefined · how long sponsorship takes end to end · sponsor licence processing time
TL;DR: how long a CoS allocation takes
- Defined CoS (overseas hire): requested per case through the Sponsorship Management System; usually approved in about 1 working day; up to 5 working days if referred; up to 18 weeks if the Home Office raises genuineness or salary questions.
- Undefined CoS (in-country switch or extension): issued instantly from the sponsor's annual allocation, which renews each April; if the allocation is exhausted the sponsor requests an increase first.
- Validity: 3 months from issue; the visa application must be submitted within that window.
- Cost: £525 per Skilled Worker certificate, paid by the sponsor and never passed to the worker.
Timings are typical Home Office processing as recorded in Tarve's CoS guide (figures reflect the 8 April 2026 fee schedule). Tarve is not a regulated immigration adviser.
Why your sponsor says "we are waiting for the CoS"
Three different waits hide behind that sentence. First, the sponsor may not yet have requested the certificate: internal approvals, a salary check against the going rate and the job description all come before the request. Second, for an overseas hire the sponsor requests a defined certificate and the Home Office decides it; the typical turnaround is one working day, but a referral for checks adds days and a genuineness query can add weeks. Third, for an in-country hire the sponsor needs an unused undefined certificate from its annual allocation; a sponsor that has used its allocation for the year must apply to increase it, and that request is decided case by case.
What speeds it up
- Complete evidence with the defined CoS request: job description, SOC code justification, salary and hours, and a short sponsor note where the pay structure is unusual. Incomplete requests are the usual cause of referrals.
- Plan the allocation in March: allocations renew each April; sponsors who forecast their hiring avoid mid-year increase requests.
- Agree the start date after the certificate: the visa application can only follow the certificate, and the decision from outside the UK is usually 3 weeks on top.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get allocated a Certificate of Sponsorship?
About 1 working day for a defined certificate once the sponsor has requested it, and immediately for an undefined certificate from the sponsor's annual allocation. Referrals add up to 5 working days; genuineness checks can add up to 18 weeks.
What is the difference between a defined and an undefined CoS?
A defined certificate is for a Skilled Worker applying from outside the UK and is requested per case; an undefined certificate is for in-country switches and extensions and comes from an annual allocation. The CoS guide has the full comparison.
How long is a CoS valid?
3 months from the date it is issued. The worker must submit the visa application within that period.
Can a sponsor run out of certificates?
Yes, for undefined certificates, which are capped by the annual allocation. The sponsor applies for an increase through the Sponsorship Management System; defined certificates are not capped but are approved case by case.
The Tarve team researches UK visa sponsorship directly from official gov.uk and Home Office sources — the register of licensed sponsors, the Immigration Rules, and published salary and going-rate data — to produce clear, regularly updated guides for international professionals. Tarve is an independent information and job-search service, not a regulated immigration adviser.
Figures and rules on this page are taken from official gov.uk and Home Office publications and were last verified on 2 November 2026. Tarve is an independent information and job-search service, not a regulated immigration adviser: guidance here is for information only, and you should always confirm the current rules on gov.uk.