Knowledge Base · Certificate of Sponsorship
How to Verify a UK Certificate of Sponsorship
To verify a UK Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), confirm three things: the issuing employer holds an active UKVI sponsor licence, the salary on the document meets the current Skilled Worker threshold for the stated SOC code, and the document itself shows no signs of tampering. SponsorShield checks all three automatically — upload your CoS PDF for a free risk verdict in under 60 seconds.
1. Check the employer is on the UKVI sponsor register
Every organisation legally entitled to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship must hold an active licence on the official UKVI Register of Licensed Sponsors, published on gov.uk. Search the exact employer name as it appears on your CoS. If the company is not listed, or the licence shows as suspended or revoked, the document cannot be genuine — regardless of how official it looks.
Be aware that scammers frequently use the name of a real, licensed company to make a forged document appear legitimate. A match on the register does not, by itself, prove the specific CoS you were given is genuine.
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Your CoS must show a salary at or above the relevant threshold for your job's SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code — see our sponsor licence guide for current thresholds. A salary below the published going rate is one of the most common indicators used in fraudulent CoS documents, because scammers often underquote to make a fake job offer seem more "available".
3. Check the document itself, not just the details
Genuine CoS records are generated through the UKVI Sponsorship Management System and typically arrive as a structured PDF summary from your employer's HR or immigration team. Inconsistent fonts, metadata showing creation in consumer software (Word, Canva, Photoshop), and unusual formatting can indicate the underlying record was fabricated rather than exported from the official system. This is exactly what SponsorShield's CoreFlux™ Risk Engine checks for automatically.
4. Never pay for a Certificate of Sponsorship
A legitimate employer issues a CoS as part of the job offer — it is never sold, and you should never be asked to pay a "CoS fee", "visa processing deposit", or similar charge to receive one. If you have been asked for payment, stop immediately and read our UK sponsorship scam guide.
SponsorShield is an independent verification support service. We are not OISC-regulated and do not provide immigration or legal advice. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to UKVI, GOV.UK, the Home Office, or any UK government body. This guide is general information only — always consult an OISC-registered immigration adviser before making immigration decisions. Never pay anyone for a Certificate of Sponsorship.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-19. Data sources: UKVI Register of Licensed Sponsors (gov.uk), Companies House public register, published Home Office salary thresholds. This page is informational only and does not reflect real-time UKVI data — always cross-check current status on gov.uk before relying on it.
Published by SponsorShield. Reviewed for verification accuracy against current UKVI and Companies House data. Not immigration or legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)?+
A CoS is a digital record (not a physical certificate) created by a UK-licensed employer through the UKVI Sponsorship Management System. It contains a unique reference number, your job details, salary, and SOC code, and is required to apply for a Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa.
How do I know if my CoS reference number is real?+
A genuine CoS reference is a unique alphanumeric code issued by the Home Office. It cannot be verified by format alone — you must confirm the issuing employer holds an active UKVI sponsor licence and that the salary and SOC code on the document meet the current thresholds.
Can I verify my CoS directly with UKVI?+
UKVI does not offer a public lookup tool for individual CoS records. The most reliable independent steps are: confirm the employer appears on the official Register of Licensed Sponsors at gov.uk, and check the salary against the published going rate for the SOC code.
What if my employer is not on the sponsor register?+
If the named employer does not appear on the UKVI Register of Licensed Sponsors, they cannot legally issue a Certificate of Sponsorship. Treat this as a serious red flag, stop any payments immediately, and report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
Does SponsorShield replace official UKVI verification?+
No. SponsorShield is an independent screening tool that checks your document against the same public data points — the UKVI register, salary thresholds, SOC codes, and PDF forensics — in one place, in under 60 seconds. It is not a government service and carries no official legal status.
Related Reading
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