How do I sponsor a migrant?
How to cancel a certificate
This page explains how we or you can cancel a certificate of sponsorship under the points-based system to study or work.
On this page
How you can change a certificate of sponsorship
You must make sure that the migrant's details are right when you create a certificate of sponsorship.
If the details are wrong, you must cancel the certificate and assign a new one if needed to make sure the details are the same as the one in the migrant's application. You will need to pay for a new certificate of sponsorship.
When we will cancel a certificate of sponsorship
We can cancel a certificate of sponsorship at any time if we find that you were not entitled to issue it, for example if it was issued through misrepresentation or fraud.
How you can cancel a certificate of sponsorship
You can withdraw a certificate of sponsorship at any time using the the sponsorship management system.
How the migrant can cancel a certificate of sponsorship
If a migrant does not want to take up employment or join the course, they can contact the sponsor in writing or by email, to cancel or withdraw the certificate of sponsorship before applying for another job or course.
You must action this request within five working days. If you do not, then the migrant will be expected to send a reminder after which you have a further five working days to action the request.
If you refuse or fail to cancel or withdraw the certificate of sponsorship within the allowed time, the migrant can contact the Sponsor Licensing Unit who will cancel or withdraw the certificate of sponsorship for the migrant, after discussing with you. You must be aware that failure to take action when receiving such a request from the migrant, within the allowed time, may lead to us taking further action against you. When a certificate of sponsorship is cancelled or withdrawn, the fee will not be refunded.
What happens to the migrant if the certificate of sponsorship is cancelled
Once a certificate of sponsorship has been cancelled, we will automatically refuse the migrant's application for permission to enter or stay in the United Kingdom that would rely on that certificate of sponsorship, but has not been made yet.
If the migrant is already in the United Kingdom with permission to enter or stay, we will cancel or reduce their leave if we find that the certificate of sponsorship on which the permission to enter or stay was based was improperly issued and their permission to be in the United Kingdom will be:
- reduced to 60 days (to give them a chance to find a new sponsor) if they were not actively involved in the certificate of sponsorship being issued improperly; or
- immediately ended (curtailed) if they were actively involved.
Do it online
Terms explained
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Sponsorship management system
An IT system used by organisations that sponsor migrants under the points-based system. It allows sponsors to allocate certificates of sponsorship to migrants, carry out the administrative functions necessary to comply with their sponsor obligations and duties, and communicate information to us.