Use these guides to understand published UK immigration requirements and questions to check. Confirm the current rule on GOV.UK and obtain regulated advice for your own circumstances.
The useful starting point
These routes solve different immigration problems
A licence is the organisation-level permission; a CoS is the worker-level electronic sponsorship record.
Side-by-side
Key differences
The sponsoring organisation.
A specific prospective or current sponsored worker.
Authorises the organisation to sponsor eligible workers in approved routes.
Records the role and sponsorship details used for a worker’s application.
Before the organisation can sponsor workers.
Assigned after the sponsor has an appropriate licence and eligible role.
Does not guarantee that every job can be sponsored.
Does not guarantee that the worker’s visa will be granted.
Confirm the current rules
Read both official route pages
Know when a guide is no longer enough
Eligibility assessments, evidence reviews, application preparation and representation should be handled by a suitably regulated professional.