Introduction of Digital 'Sponsor a Worker' Scheme

Policy effect

The UK introduced a digital 'Sponsor a Worker' system to replace the existing Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) process. Regulations set the fee structure for this new digital system, matching existing CoS costs at £239 for long-term workers and £25 for short-term/temporary workers.

Conditions and exceptions

Validated condition or limit: Regulations set the fee structure for this new digital system, matching existing CoS costs at £239 for long-term workers and £25 for short-term/temporary workers.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

… of the contact point meeting fee in recognition of the contribution of this Government programme to business growth in the UK. A new fee for Sponsor a Worker under sponsorship reformation plan 5.11 A new digital ‘Sponsor a Worker’ process is to be introduced under planned transformation of the sponsorship management system (SMS) for sponsored work routes. The plan is to initially trial the new process in Autumn 2024 in a private beta phase involving a small number of sponsors and to gradually roll out to more sponsors over the next 2 to 4 years. Until the new system and process fully replaces … the current system of allocation and assignment of a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), both systems will co-exist during the transition period. Further details will be published in sponsorship guidance on GOV.UK closer to the time of the new system’s introduction. 5.12 To support this change, these Regulations set a fee for the Sponsor a Worker process payable from 10 September 2024 and make some further amendments in the related fee provisions to reflect the introduction of the new system. The new fee will be the same as the existing fee for issuance of a CoS i.e., £239 for Skilled Worker, T2 … Minister of Religion, Global Business Mobility - Senior or Specialist Worker and International Sportsperson for more than 12 months period; and £25 for Temporary Work routes, the rest of the sub-routes within Global Business Mobility and International Sportsperson for a period of 12 months or less. Re-branding of Shortage Occupation List as Immigration Salary List in Immigration Rules 5.13 The existing Appendix Shortage Occupation List to the Immigration Rules in respect of a Skilled Worker route is to be replaced and re-named as Appendix Immigration Salary List from 04 April 2024 (HC 590). These …

Review method

Two separate automated exact-claim source reviews

Other United Kingdom changes operative in 2024

• 2024-01-01Implementation of Student Visa Dependant Restrictions
• 2024-02-13Increase to Right to Rent Civil Penalties on Landlords
• 2024-04-04Fees for sponsor approvals under the Sponsor a Worker scheme are introduced.
• 2024-04-04Immigration Fee Regulations Adjustment for Immigration Salary List
• 2024-04-06Abolition of Mandatory Sponsor Licence Renewals
• 2024-09-10Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 217, 10 September 2024
• 2024-09-11Addition of Jordan to the List of Countries Whose Nationals or Citizens Need Transit Visas
• 2024-10-01Homes for Ukraine Sponsor Payment Eligibility Update
• 2024-10-10Implementation of Appendix VIP Delegate Visa Fees