Two online “COS (Certificate of Sponsorship) Application Workshops” were conducted on 24th January and 1st February 2024 by SESCA in collaboration with JMW Solicitors’ Corporate Immigration team. The workshops aimed to provide insights into the evolving COS application landscape and assist attendees in navigating the Home Office’s changing approach.
Demand for these workshops was unprecedented, with a total of 224 participants attending! Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 71 completed evaluation forms received.
Guidance Provided:
Despite substantial changes by the Home Office to the COS Application process, leading to notable processing delays, official guidance remains absent. The team from JMW Solicitors has provided invaluable advice, emphasizing:
- Planning ahead to allow for longer lead times of at least 8 weeks.
- Applying only for genuine vacancies and avoiding batch applications for certificates.
- Providing detailed job descriptions and ensuring the validity of contracts.
This guidance has been incorporated into a new COS Application Process section on the SESCA website.
Key Findings:
- Attendees mainly comprised registered adult social care providers, with 59% operating in Hampshire and Kent.
- 39% had attended SESCA’s previous International Recruitment events, highlighting SESCA’s role as a key source of information.
- 83.1% possessed a Sponsor Licence, and 69% had recruited staff from overseas, indicating active engagement in international recruitment.
- Recent changes in the COS application process were noted, with 54% experiencing delays.
- Satisfaction rates were remarkably high with 91% of respondents being somewhat or very satisfied.
Feedback for Home Office:
Participants expressed concerns about compliance checks, the stressful nature of the application process, delays, lack of guidance, recruitment difficulties, and the impact on businesses.
Quotes from Attendees:
“It is a must attend workshop, especially that there’s no one to talk to at the home office. It has been a source of hope for me. All I needed to hear.”
“There is a significant delay in providing additional COS, and the session was great to understand why and how to mitigate the errors we make in the application.”
“I hope you can be our voice at the home office. You can relay to them our difficulties. Thank you. Amazing everything, including training. Well done, an amazing team for bringing us knowledge.”
Conclusion:
The workshops received resoundingly positive feedback, providing valuable insights into the evolving COS application process. Feedback will be shared with the Department of Health and Social Care in the hope of improving the current process.
We may run further COS Application workshops, please keep an eye on the Events section of the SESCA website for updates.