Rise
in Restricted
CoS Applications
24 February 2015
This February has seen the UKVI authorise the issue of one of the highest number of Restricted Certificates of Sponsorship on record.
Each year, the government limits the number of ‘Restricted’ Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) awarded to overseas migrants. The number of Restricted CoS available during the 2014/15 financial year is set at 21,500 (1,750 per month). Under the points-based system, the UKVI considers submissions made each month by employers for the issue of Restricted CoS and every application must score a minimum of 32 points in order to be considered for approval. Priority consideration is given to submissions covering:
- those roles on the shortage occupation list;
- those roles requiring a PhD which are in a research field; or
- those roles where a resident labour market test has been carried out.
Note: roles offering a higher level of salary will be awarded a greater number of points.
Over the past six months, there has been a steady increase in the number of Restricted CoS application submissions and February 2015 has been no exception. This month, the number of applications received actually exceeded the anticipated monthly average of 1,750.
Following their consideration, the UKVI subsequently awarded a total of 2,409 Restricted CoS for the month. This figure included the use of a residual balance carried over from the previous month (750) as well as 17 taken from the following month’s allocation of March 2015.
Should this trend in increased application numbers continue, we may see some qualifying CoS applications (i.e. those attaining the minimum requirement of 32 points) facing rejection on the basis that the demand has outstripped supply. In cases where sponsors are not awarded their allocations, their request will not be automatically rolled forward. Instead, employers will be required to manually re-submit their application for consideration in the following month’s quota.
Click here for month-on-month information concerning the allocations of Restricted Certificates of Sponsorship.
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