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Executive Summary
- Only in-country switchers, Health and Care, GBM, Temporary Worker, extensions and changes consume undefined CoS.
- Overseas Skilled Worker hires use Defined CoS and must be stripped out of the count.
- Extensions are the most common omission, pull a visa-expiry-by-month report before finalising.
- Under-request and a mid-year top-up can take 12 to 18 weeks, so build a 10 to 15% buffer.
How should a company calculate how many undefined CoS allocations to request based on hiring plans?
Answer:
- Build a bottom-up forecast of hires that actually consume an undefined CoS: in-country switchers (Graduate, Student, dependants moving to Skilled Worker), all Health and Care Worker hires, GBM and Temporary Worker routes, plus every sponsored worker whose visa expires that year and any changes of employment.
- Exclude Skilled Worker hires from overseas, they use Defined CoS.
- A UKVI-defensible formula: (in-country new hires) + (extensions due) + (changes of employment) + (GBM/Temp intake) + (attrition × sponsored headcount), then add 10 to 15% contingency.
- Cross-check against last year's actual usage and keep evidence ready for any large increase.
Undefined CoS Allocation at a Glance
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Destination | United Kingdom |
| Permit Type | Undefined Certificate of Sponsorship (annual allocation) |
| Scenario | Sizing the annual undefined CoS request from hiring plans |
| Work Authorization | Undefined CoS enables in-country switches, extensions, Health and Care, GBM and Temporary Worker sponsorship |
| Key Constraints | Overseas Skilled Worker hires excluded (use Defined CoS); UKVI reduces unevidenced requests |
| Complexity | Medium, the counting rules and Defined/Undefined split trip up most first forecasts |
| Timeline Risk | High, mid-year top-ups can take 12 to 18 weeks |
| Dependency Risks | Extensions tied to visa-expiry dates; changes of employment; attrition backfill |
| Typical Timeline | Annual allocation at renewal; ad hoc increases via SMS, faster with evidence |
| Submission Authority | UKVI via the Sponsor Management System (SMS) |
| Key Challenges | Missed extensions, Defined/Undefined miscount, unevidenced increases, insufficient buffer, attrition estimation |
| Example Scenarios | Graduate visa holders switching to Skilled Worker; care provider scaling Health and Care hires; sponsored staff due for extension mid-year |
| Expected Outcome | An allocation that covers real demand plus buffer, granted without UKVI reduction |
Sizing Your Undefined CoS Request So It Survives UKVI
The Legal Position
Undefined CoS cover sponsored roles assigned to people already in the UK, plus routes outside Skilled Worker from overseas. UKVI grants an annual number and reviews it at renewal. In practice they will reduce an inflated request that has no workforce evidence behind it.
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The Method
Build your undefined CoS forecast from the bottom up rather than relying on last year’s allocation alone. Start with your expected in-country new hires, then add existing sponsored workers whose visas are due to expire during the CoS year and are likely to need an extension.
A practical forecasting formula is:
Undefined CoS requirement = in-country new hires + extensions due + changes of employment + GBM/Temporary Worker intake + (expected attrition × sponsored headcount)
Once you have the base requirement, add a 10–15% contingency buffer to account for hiring changes, replacement needs and other movements that are difficult to predict at the start of the allocation year.
Finally, cross-check your forecast against your actual CoS usage from the previous year. This gives you a useful reality check and helps explain why your requested allocation is reasonable if UKVI asks for supporting evidence.
If your allocation later proves insufficient, you can request additional undefined CoS through the Sponsor Management System (SMS). GOV.UK states that these requests usually receive a decision within 12 weeks, although processing can take longer if further checks are required. An eligible priority service may allow a faster decision. (GOV.UK)
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HR Guidance
- Pull a visa-expiry-by-month report before you finalise, extensions are the single most missed input and every sponsored worker eventually needs another CoS.
- Separate overseas Skilled Worker hires into the Defined CoS pipeline so you do not double-count them in the undefined request.
- Assign CoS only once a start date and payroll date are confirmed, because an assigned CoS starts a clock the worker must act within.
- Attach a business plan, workforce forecast or contract win to any request materially above last year's usage.
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Key Risks
- Forgetting extensions leaves existing sponsored staff unable to renew, risking a break in work authorisation and lost headcount.
- Under-requesting forces a mid-year top-up, stalling confirmed hires and start dates.
- Over-inflating without evidence prompts UKVI to cut the number, leaving you short of what you genuinely planned for.
About Jobbatical Expertise in United Kingdom
Jobbatical has supported over 17,000+ international relocations across more than 45 countries, helping HR teams manage immigration operations, onboarding continuity, permit tracking, and compliance coordination.
FAQs: Calculating Undefined CoS Allocations in the UK
This covers the following use cases:
- How many undefined CoS should we request at our sponsor licence renewal?
- What is the formula for calculating undefined CoS allocation from a hiring plan?
- Do Skilled Worker hires from India or the Philippines count towards undefined CoS?
- Why did UKVI reduce our undefined CoS allocation request?
- How do I include visa extensions in my CoS forecast?
- How long does a mid-year undefined CoS top-up take with UKVI?
- Do Health and Care Worker hires use defined or undefined CoS?
- How much contingency buffer should I add to my CoS allocation request?
- What evidence does UKVI want to justify a larger CoS allocation?
- How do Graduate and Student visa holders switching to Skilled Worker affect my allocation?
- Should a US company sponsoring GBM transfers count them in undefined CoS?
- How do I avoid running out of certificates of sponsorship mid-year?
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