Post-Licence Priority Service for Sponsor Licence Changes

Post-Licence Priority Service for Sponsor Licence Changes

Waiting for UKVI to process a change to your sponsor licence can affect recruitment turnarounds, delay start dates and interfere with day-to-day compliance. With a cap on allocations, it is important to ensure documents are correct, complete and adhere to the strict post-licence priority service guidelines on service hours, allocation caps and the no rollover policy.

This guide helps you understand your eligibility, the requirements, caps and restrictions on priority requests. We cover the application guidelines and the requests you are permitted to make using the service. If you need support with accessing or submitting to the service or are struggling to get a priority allocation request to be considered, contact our IAA accredited immigration lawyers today.

What You Need to Know About the Post-Licence Priority Service

Requests can be processed sooner through the Home Office’s post-licence priority service. It permits eligible Worker and Temporary Worker sponsors to ask UKVI to consider certain Sponsor Management System (SMS) requests earlier. It does not replace the process of submitting the request in the SMS, and is an additional request made by email.

Fee for the Post-Licence Priority Service

The Home Office currently charges £350 per request. You must first submit the underlying change through the Sponsor Management System (SMS), then email UKVI’s priority team using the correct form. A priority request does not guarantee that UKVI will approve the change. If UKVI accepts the priority request, you must pay within 72 hours of receiving a payment link. 

Processing Time

While a typical SMS request takes up to 18 weeks to process, the priority service can fast-track requests to be considered within 5 working days. Some complex cases or further checks can take longer. 

Who Can Apply?

Fully active, A-rated Worker or Temporary Worker sponsors can make an eligible request. An eligible request can be a worker-specific, organisational request or amendment. The SMS request must not already be in progress or allocated to a case worker to be prioritised. Student sponsors and specified Global Business Mobility requests cannot use this service. Further details of the requests that can be prioritised in the table below. 

How to Apply

Submit the change as normal in the Sponsor Management System (SMS) first, then email the completed priority request form. Follow the form’s instructions for sending supporting documents to both UKVI addresses. You must submit the priority request during the hours that daily capacity is open.

Daily Capacity & Service Hours

7am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. At least 120 requests are accepted each day. Check the SMS message board for any change to the daily allocation. Requests sent outside service hours are not considered.

Submit Requests Early – Requests Do Not Carry Over

While 120 requests is a minimum, not a hard cap, the daily allocation can quickly be taken. It is recommended to make the request early. Most employers submit the email request, or queue the email to send at 7am. Requests do not carry over to the next working day, so you must resubmit if the daily cap is reached.

What Does Priority Service Guarantee?

Priority service typically guarantees faster consideration, but it does not guarantee acceptance or approval of the priority request or change. It does not guarantee that a decision can be reached in 5 days, but 5 days is the typical timeframe for a case worker to consider the request. 

Your Sponsor Duties Do Not Change

The priority service speeds up consideration of eligible requests. It does not change what you must report or replace your usual sponsor reporting duties. Employers must still report relevant changes through SMS or another prescribed route.

• Changes affecting a sponsored worker, or changes to key personnel, as well as events affecting the business status such as ceasing trading and insolvency, must be reported within 10 working days
• Relevant changes to the organisation, including a change of ownership or business premises must be reported within 20 working days. 

Some changes have different requirements, so check the rule that applies to your circumstances. Not all circumstances or requests are available to be considered for priority service allocation. You can see the requests eligible for prioritisation below.

Which Sponsor Requests Can be Prioritised?

Eligible requests for prioritisation include worker requests like additional CoS allocations or organisational requests like adding or changing users. UKVI lists the following as eligible requests for the priority service.

Worker (Allocation) Requests

Organisational Requests 

If your request is not one of the above, it cannot be considered for the priority service and must progress through the standard SMS processing system. 

Making Multiple Requests

You can submit more than one eligible post-licence priority request in a single email, provided they all relate to the same sponsor licence and none is already in progress or allocated to a caseworker. UKVI will not consider requests for diferent licences sent in one email.

The fee is £350 per request. Check the payment instructions carefully to make sure each accepted request is covered. If the amount appears wrong, contact UKVI promptly and keep a record of your query

Which Requests Cannot Be Prioritised?

There are several disqualified requests that cannot be prioritised and must be processed through the standard SMS. These include:

• Global Business Mobility route requests cannot be considered for priority service processing. 
• Defined CoS requests for workers applying from outside the UK
• Student sponsors have a separate priority service and request process
• Adding a route to a sponsor licence
• Other SMS changes that are not on the eligible priority list

List of Requests Ineligible for Post-Licence Priority Service

Post-Licence Priority Service Eligibility

To use the Worker and Temporary Worker priority service, your organisation must:

• hold a fully active, A-rated sponsor licence on an eligible Worker or Temporary Worker route;
• have submitted the relevant change of circumstances request through SMS before emailing UKVI;
• make the priority request before the SMS request is in progress or has been allocated to a caseworker;
• use an eligible request type and submit a complete priority service application; and
• provide any required submission sheet and supporting evidence.

The Worker and Temporary Worker service cannot be used for Student sponsor cases. Separate guidance applies to Student sponsors. UKVI also excludes post-licence priority requests connected with the Global Business Mobility UK Expansion Worker, Service Supplier and Secondment Worker routes.

For requests to replace an Authorising Officer, appoint a representative or update organisation details after moving premises, the form requires a printed submission sheet. Send it to [email protected] and attach it to the priority request email. If you close the SMS request without printing the sheet, the form says it cannot be obtained afterwards and the priority request will not be eligible.

CoS Allocation Priority Service: Undefined and Defined CoS

The CoS allocation priority service can help an eligible sponsor ask UKVI to consider an additional or annual allocation of undefined CoS. Undefined CoS are used for sponsored workers applying from within the UK. The priority service does not cover a defined CoS request for a worker applying from outside the UK.

Selecting the wrong type of CoS request can lead to rejection, and UKVI says a fee will not be refunded for a defined CoS request submitted through this service. 

How to Apply for the Post-Licence Priority Service

The priority request is a second step. You must first submit the underlying change in SMS.

1. Check the request type and your eligibility. Confirm that your sponsor rating, route and SMS request qualify. For a CoS allocation request, check whether you need undefined CoS.
2. Submit the change through SMS. Follow the relevant instructions in the SMS manual. Do not email the priority team before making the SMS request.
3. Complete the priority request form. Download the current form (PDF) from GOV.UK, complete it electronically and attach the documents or signed submission sheet required for your request.
4. Email UKVI during the service window. Send the completed form to [email protected]. Use this subject format: Priority service request: organisation name (sponsor licence number): request type. The organisation name should match the name on the sponsor licence.
5. Wait for UKVI’s response and payment link. The service is open from 7am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. UKVI says it accepts a minimum of 120 priority requests each day; the SMS message board is used to communicate any change to the limit. Requests can be unsuccessful if the daily limit has been reached, the request is ineligible or it is submitted outside the service hours. If you receive no response, UKVI says to assume the priority request has not been successful.
6. Pay within 72 hours if UKVI accepts the priority request. UKVI sends a confirmation email and a separate Worldpay payment link. The 72-hour payment window includes weekends. If payment is not made in time, the priority request expires and you must apply again to be considered.
7. Monitor the Authorising Officer’s email. UKVI sends the outcome to key personnel listed on the licence. It may ask for more information, so check inboxes and junk folders while the request is being considered.

What Documents and Information Are Needed?

The evidence and supporting submission document requirements vary by request. You should It lists identity and immigration-status documents for relevant personnel changes.

If the form says supporting documents are required (for your exact request), email them with the form to both [email protected] and [email protected].

Sending a required submission sheet to only one email address may leave the priority request incomplete or delay the start of the five working day consideration period. Email it to SCOC and attach it to your priority-service email, as UKVI instructs.

Examples of documents that may be required:

• For a move to new premises, UKVI asks for a lease or rental agreement, a signed affidavit or letter from a practising solicitor or notary confirming the lease details, or land registry documents if the premises are owned. Utility bills and bank statements are not accepted as evidence of the premises change.
• If adding a new level 1 user or changing their details, you should include the person’s full name and confirm whether they work for a legal representative organisation. If they do, confirm whether that organisation is already approved as a representative on the licence.
• If replacing the Authorising Officer or appointing a representative Include the electronically signed SMS submission sheet and the relevant supporting documents.
• Other requests may require supporting documents, identity checks or immigration-status checks. Each request differs, so it is important to check the form to see what applies to your request.

UKVI accepts supporting files in PDF, JPEG, PNG or Word format. File names should be descriptive and no more than 25 characters, and each file must be clear enough to read.

What Happens If Your Priority Request Needs More Information?

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) may ask for further information while considering your request. In this case, they will write to the Authorising Officer. Any request will ordinarily occur within 5 days. The Authorising Officer should check their email and junk folder regularly so the organisation can respond promptly. 

If the information is not provided when requested (within the deadline specified in the further information request), UKVI may reject the request without refunding the priority fee.

What Should the Priority Service Request Email Say?

The form itself asks for the sponsor licence number and name, current licence address, Authorising Officer or active Level 1 user, request type and the date of the SMS request. There is no need to repeat these details in a long email body. UKVI requires the subject line to show the organisation name as it appears on the licence, the sponsor licence number and the request type. It does not prescribe wording for the body.

To: [email protected]
Subject: Priority service request: [organisation name] ([sponsor licence number]): [request type]

The email does not replace the SMS submission or the completed form. There is no need to ask for a payment link: UKVI sends one if it accepts the priority request. If sending more than one request in an email, make sure they all relate to the same sponsor licence. UKVI will not consider forms for different licences in one email. The £350 fee applies to each request.

What if I Do Not Receive a Response to my Priority Email?

UKVI says to assume that the priority request has not been successful if you receive no response. Check that your email was sent within the service hours and that the form and subject line were complete before deciding what to do next.

What the Priority Service Does Not Do

The post-licence priority service:

• does not guarantee UKVI will approve the sponsor change or CoS allocation;
• does not make an ineligible request eligible;
• does not cover defined CoS requests or every SMS change;
• does not replace the underlying SMS submission;
• does not assign a CoS to a worker after an allocation is approved; and
• does not speed up a sponsored worker’s visa application.

If you need to assign a CoS after an allocation is granted, you must complete that step through SMS and meet the applicable sponsorship requirements.

When is a Priority Service Request Refundable?

When a refund may be due

UKVI’s refund policy provides for a refund if a straightforward request is not considered within five working days because of an official error, such as an IT failure, lack of resource or administrative error.

Duplicate or incorrect payments

The Home Office’s general refunds policy includes overpayments and incorrectly charged fees. If you are charged twice or the amount is wrong, contact UKVI with evidence of the payments.

No payment taken: no refund needed

UKVI sends a Worldpay link after accepting a priority request. If it does not accept the request—for example, because the daily limit has been reached—no payment is due. If you receive a link but do not pay within 72 hours, the request expires and you must apply again.

When a refund is unlikely

UKVI will not refund the fee if it asks for further information and does not receive it. It also expressly says that a Defined CoS request submitted for priority will be rejected without a refund. Complex cases or extra checks may delay consideration beyond five working days; that delay alone does not guarantee a refund.

Why Post Licence Priority Requests Fail

Before applying, check that the underlying request has been submitted through the Sponsorship Management System (SMS) and is eligible for priority treatment. Common problems include:

• Requesting priority for an ineligible change or for defined Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS). The additional CoS allocation service covers undefined CoS only.
• Applying after the SMS request has already been allocated to a caseworker.
• Sending an incomplete priority form or giving incorrect licence details.
• Omitting supporting documents or, where required, the signed submission sheet.
• Failing to update both systems. You must make a filing for the priority service after making an SMS filing. These are two separate submissions that require corroboration of details.
• Emailing outside the service’s operating hours of 7am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
• Not responding and paying via the payment link inside the 72 hour window
• Failing to respond to a request for further information.

Payment secures priority consideration; it does not mean the underlying change will be approved. An immigration lawyer can check the SMS request, form and evidence before submission, particularly where a change is time sensitive or its eligibility is unclear. 

How IAS Can Help

An incomplete form, a missing submission sheet or the wrong CoS request type can delay an urgent sponsor change. IAS can review your proposed request, check whether it appears to meet the priority service criteria, help prepare the form and supporting documents, and advise on the next steps after submission.

Our immigration specialists can also advise on wider sponsor licence matters, including CoS allocations and sponsor compliance. Contact IAS to discuss your priority sponsor request.