Update: Sponsor Management System outage immediately ahead of work route salary rises
02 April 2024
Update (2 April 2024): The Home Office is switching off the Sponsor Management System (SMS) from 19:00 on 3 April 2024 until 9:00 on 5 April 2024. The planned system outage was previously due to take place from 19:00 on 2 April until 9:00 on 4 April 2024. The delay gives sponsors one more day to issue Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) before salary threshold rises take effect for work routes from 4 April 2024.
Sponsors thought they had until 19:00 on 2 April 2024 to assign a CoS to benefit from a lower minimum salary requirement and other more advantageous provisions available in the current Immigration Rules. In the morning of 2 April 2024, the Home Office announced that they have delayed the system outage by 24 hours.
The Home Office contacted Key Personnel listed on the sponsor licence by email to inform them of this change. At the time of writing, they have not yet updated the Sponsor Guidance.
SMS system outage details
According to the Home Office’s correspondence with system users on 2 April 2024, the system outage will now run from 19:00 on 3 April 2024 until 9:00 on 5 April 2024. The outage is necessary for the Home Office to implement forthcoming changes to the Immigration Rules.
During this period, sponsors cannot:
- Apply for a new sponsor licence, apply to add routes to an existing licence, or renew an existing licence;
- Apply for a defined CoS for a Skilled Worker based overseas. Any pending defined CoS applications to the Home Office will be cancelled at 19:00 on 3 April 2024. On or after 9:00 on 5 April 2024, a new defined CoS application can be submitted, but it must meet the eligibility requirements under the new Immigration Rules.
- Apply to increase or renew an allocation of undefined CoS for a Skilled Worker already in the UK or a worker sponsored in another work route. Any pending undefined CoS allocation requests will be cancelled at 19:00 on 3 April 2024. On or after 9:00 on 5 April 2024, a new undefined CoS allocation can be requested, but to be able to use it, the allocated CoS must be completed with details of roles that are eligible for sponsorship under the new Immigration Rules.
- Assign any CoS. More on this below.
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Reminder: What is a CoS? A CoS is a digital record containing the details of the role and worker an employer wishes to sponsor. There are two types of CoS.
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Sponsors should ensure a CoS is assigned before 19:00 on 3 April 2024 to benefit from the current Immigration Rules
A worker with a CoS assigned before 19:00 on 3 April 2024 will be able to use this to support a visa application for entry clearance or permission to stay, provided it is used within three months of assignment.
The assigned CoS can refer to the current occupation codes (based on SOC 2010) and current salary thresholds. The worker can use their assigned CoS to submit their visa application after 4 April 2024. The key point is ensuring the CoS is assigned before 19:00 on 3 April 2024.
An undefined CoS that has a status of ‘work in progress’ or ‘ready to go’ before the system outage must be updated so that the role meets the eligibility requirements under the new Immigration Rules. This means using the new occupation codes (based on SOC 2020) and much higher salary thresholds.
For more information about the forthcoming changes to the Immigration Rules coming into force on 4 April 2024, see our previous article.
What actions should sponsors take now?
If you have applications that could be affected due to time running out, please urgently contact a member of our immigration team.
Join us for a deep dive of the Rule changes in our Immigration Law Academy taking place on 16 April 2024. For further information and to book, click here.
If you have any queries about this update or need assistance with a work route application, please contact a member of our immigration team.