Question 1

What is the Priority CoS allocation service and how does it work?

Accepted Answer

PriorityCOS is a UK-based Certificate of Sponsorship priority allocation support service. Once your business has submitted a CoS request through the Sponsorship Management System (SMS) portal, we pursue a Home Office Priority Service slot on your behalf — submitting fresh requests to UKVI every working day until a slot is granted. We do not log into your SMS account, do not issue the CoS, and do not provide immigration or legal advice; we provide administrative support to secure the priority allocation slot so your CoS is processed in 5 working days instead of the standard timeline.

Question 2

Do you check eligibility, choose the SOC code, or issue the CoS for me?

Accepted Answer

No — PriorityCOS is a support service and does not provide regulated immigration advice. We do not decide whether a role is eligible, choose the SOC code, or issue the CoS for you. If you would like an eligibility opinion or a regulated review of the SOC 2020 occupation code, salary thresholds and CoS draft before you assign it, our partner OISC/IAA-registered or SRA-regulated immigration consultants can provide that work. The optional £199 + VAT Eligibility & CoS Review is delivered through that partner network — PriorityCOS only acts as a lead-generation referral.

Question 3

Do I need a sponsor licence before using PriorityCOS?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You must already hold a valid A-rated sponsor licence and have an active Level 1 User on the Sponsorship Management System (SMS) able to submit the CoS request. If your business does not yet hold a licence, or your licence has been suspended or downgraded, we can guide you through a Sponsor Licence application or remediation first.

Question 4

Which Certificate of Sponsorship types do you handle?

Accepted Answer

We pursue priority allocation for both Defined CoS (Skilled Worker applicants applying from outside the UK) and Undefined CoS (in-country switches and extensions, plus other sponsored routes such as Senior or Specialist Worker on the Global Business Mobility route).

Question 5

How does pay on success work?

Accepted Answer

There is no upfront payment to start. We only invoice our £299 service fee once we have successfully secured a Home Office Priority Service slot for your CoS request. If we are unable to secure a slot, you owe us nothing — you only pay on success.

Question 6

How much does PriorityCOS charge in total?

Accepted Answer

Our service fee is a flat £299, payable only on success. The Home Office charges a separate £350 Priority Service Fee paid directly to UKVI when the slot is granted. The optional Eligibility & CoS Review add-on is £199 + VAT and is only needed if you'd like us to validate the role and CoS draft before you assign it via SMS.

Question 7

What is the £350 Home Office Priority Service Fee?

Accepted Answer

It is a UKVI fee of £350 paid directly to the Home Office once a priority allocation slot is granted. This fee is what triggers the 5 working days processing window for your CoS request. It is entirely separate from our £299 pay-on-success service fee.

Question 8

When and how do I pay?

Accepted Answer

You pay our £299 service fee only after we confirm a Home Office priority slot has been secured for you. Payment is by bank transfer (UK BACS/Faster Payments) or card. The £350 Home Office Priority Service Fee is paid directly to UKVI at the same point so processing can start.

Question 9

Are there any hidden costs or VAT on top of the £299?

Accepted Answer

No hidden costs. The £299 service fee is the only amount payable to PriorityCOS for the standard priority allocation service. The optional Eligibility & CoS Review add-on is £199 + VAT. The £350 Home Office Priority Service Fee and the Immigration Skills Charge are payable directly to UKVI, not to us.

Question 10

How quickly is a CoS allocated under the priority service?

Accepted Answer

Once we secure the Home Office Priority Service slot and the £350 UKVI fee is paid, your CoS request is processed within 5 working days. We pursue a slot daily on your behalf so the clock starts as soon as possible.

Question 11

How long does it usually take to actually secure a priority slot?

Accepted Answer

Slot availability varies day to day depending on Home Office capacity. We submit a fresh request to UKVI every working day until a slot is granted — most clients see a slot secured within a few working days. The 5 working days processing window then begins from when the £350 priority fee is paid.

Question 12

What if no slot is available for a long time?

Accepted Answer

Because the service is pay on success, you are not charged while we keep trying. We continue to make daily Home Office requests until a slot is secured, and only invoice our £299 service fee once that happens.

Question 13

What is a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)?

Accepted Answer

A Certificate of Sponsorship is an electronic record (not a physical document) assigned by a UK sponsor licence holder via the Sponsorship Management System. It contains the worker's job title, SOC code, salary, and start date, and must be assigned before the sponsored worker can apply for a Skilled Worker visa or other sponsored route.

Question 14

What is the difference between a Defined and an Undefined CoS?

Accepted Answer

A Defined CoS is required for a Skilled Worker applicant applying from outside the UK and must be requested individually via SMS. An Undefined CoS is used for in-country applicants — for example, switching from a Student visa or extending a current Skilled Worker visa — and is drawn from the sponsor's annual allocation. Both can be put through priority allocation.

Question 15

What information do I need before requesting a CoS?

Accepted Answer

You'll need the worker's full name and passport details, role title and SOC 2020 occupation code, gross annual salary and weekly hours, work address, employment start and end dates, and any relevant English-language and qualification evidence. PriorityCOS does not provide eligibility advice itself, but our partner OISC/IAA-registered or SRA-regulated immigration consultants can review this information for you under the optional £199 + VAT Eligibility & CoS Review — PriorityCOS acts only as a lead-generation referral to that regulated firm.

Question 16

How long does a Sponsor Licence application take?

Accepted Answer

Standard Home Office processing is typically around 8 weeks from submission. UKVI sometimes opens a priority service for sponsor licence applications at £500, reducing the decision time to about 10 working days when slots are available.

Question 17

What happens if my Sponsor Licence is refused?

Accepted Answer

PriorityCOS does not provide regulated immigration advice on refusals. Where a refusal has happened, we refer you to our partner OISC/IAA-registered or SRA-regulated immigration consultants who can advise on the cooling-off period and a stronger re-application. Our own role is administrative support only — collating documents, preparing HR and recruitment system evidence, and helping with the portal submission. PriorityCOS acts purely as a lead-generation agency for the regulated firm that handles the advisory work.

Question 18

What is the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC)?

Accepted Answer

The ISC is a Home Office charge paid by the sponsor for each Skilled Worker hired. It's £364 per year of sponsorship for small sponsors and registered charities, and £1,000 per year for medium and large sponsors. It is paid upfront for the full length of the CoS at the assignment stage.

Question 19

Are you a law firm or regulated immigration adviser?

Accepted Answer

No. PriorityCOS is an administrative support service for Priority CoS allocation and Sponsor Licence paperwork. We are not a law firm and we are not registered with the OISC (now the Immigration Advice Authority) or the SRA — we do not provide immigration or legal advice. For any regulated advisory work — eligibility opinions, refusals, appeals, judicial review, contested compliance action or personal immigration applications — we partner with OISC/IAA-registered and SRA-regulated immigration consultants. PriorityCOS acts only as a lead-generation agency that refers you to that regulated firm; the advice and client relationship sit with them.

Question 20

Do you work with sponsors outside London?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We are based in Hounslow, West London, but work with UK sponsors nationwide — care providers, IT consultancies, hospitality groups, construction, and SMEs. Everything is handled remotely via WhatsApp, email, and your own SMS account.

Question 21

How do I get a Priority Certificate of Sponsorship in the UK?

Accepted Answer

To get a Priority Certificate of Sponsorship in the UK, your business must already hold an A-rated sponsor licence and submit a CoS request through the Sponsorship Management System (SMS). You then need to secure one of the limited Home Office Priority Service slots released each working day. PriorityCOS pursues a slot for you on a pay-on-success basis — flat £299 service fee, plus the Home Office's £350 priority fee paid directly to UKVI once a slot is granted, and your CoS is processed within 5 working days.

Question 22

How do I apply for a Priority CoS through the SMS portal?

Accepted Answer

Your Level 1 User logs into the Sponsorship Management System, raises a Defined or Undefined CoS request with the worker's role, SOC 2020 code, salary and dates, and submits it. UKVI then asks whether you want to use the Priority Service — when slots are open you select it and pay the £350 priority fee. PriorityCOS handles the slot pursuit for you each working day until that priority option becomes available, so you don't lose days refreshing the portal yourself.

Question 23

How much does a Priority CoS cost in 2026?

Accepted Answer

In 2026 a Priority CoS involves two payments: a £350 Home Office Priority Service fee paid directly to UKVI when the slot is granted, and PriorityCOS's flat £299 service fee, payable only on success. The Immigration Skills Charge (£364/year for small sponsors and charities, £1,000/year for medium and large sponsors) is paid separately when the CoS is assigned. Optional Eligibility & CoS Review is £199 + VAT.

Question 24

Can I get a Certificate of Sponsorship in 5 days?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Once a Home Office Priority Service slot is secured against your CoS request and the £350 UKVI priority fee is paid, the Home Office aims to process the CoS allocation within 5 working days. Without the priority service, standard CoS allocation requests can take several weeks. PriorityCOS exists to win that priority slot for you so the 5-day clock starts as soon as possible.

Question 25

Is there a fast-track Certificate of Sponsorship service?

Accepted Answer

Yes — UKVI runs a Priority Service for CoS allocation requests that fast-tracks processing to 5 working days. Slots are released in limited numbers each working day and are typically taken within minutes, which is why a daily slot-pursuit service like PriorityCOS exists. There is no separate 24-hour or same-day route for CoS allocation; the Priority Service is the official fast-track option.

Question 26

Why is my Certificate of Sponsorship request taking so long?

Accepted Answer

Standard CoS allocation requests sit in a UKVI queue that can take several weeks, especially for Defined CoS where each case is reviewed individually. Common delays include the request being parked for further checks, missing salary or SOC code information, or simply queue volume. Moving the request onto the Home Office Priority Service brings the decision down to 5 working days from the date the £350 priority fee is paid.

Question 27

Who can apply for a Priority CoS allocation slot?

Accepted Answer

Any UK organisation that holds a valid A-rated sponsor licence and has an active Level 1 User on the Sponsorship Management System can request a Priority CoS allocation slot. The licence must not be suspended or downgraded to B-rated. There is no minimum company size — small care providers, IT consultancies, hospitality businesses, construction firms and SMEs all use the priority service.

Question 28

How do I check my Certificate of Sponsorship status?

Accepted Answer

Your Level 1 User can check the status of any CoS request inside the Sponsorship Management System under 'Workers' and 'View Certificates of Sponsorship'. Once a Priority Service slot has been used, UKVI updates the status from 'Pending' to 'Allocated' (or returns it for further information) within 5 working days. PriorityCOS also confirms slot allocation and CoS issuance updates with you over WhatsApp.

Question 29

What is the difference between a CoS, a Priority CoS and a sponsor licence?

Accepted Answer

A sponsor licence is the Home Office permission your business needs to hire foreign workers under the Skilled Worker or other sponsored routes. A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is the electronic record assigned to each individual worker via the SMS portal. A Priority CoS is not a different type of CoS — it is a standard CoS request put through the Home Office's Priority Service so it is allocated within 5 working days instead of the standard timeline.

Priority CoS allocation: pay on success, processed in 5 working days

Priority CoS service