In some previous videos we have discussed the issue of certificate of sponsorship (COS) in details, but recent developments have made it necessary to revisit it now.
People have continued to fall victim to COS racketeers whose only interest is nothing but how much they can make from you. If you want to play safe and avoid becoming a victim to these individuals, then you need to listen carefully to this episode of our immigration briefing.
So, what are the things we shall be covering in this episode?
- We shall discuss the option of buying or paying for COS and whether this is something you should consider in 2024.
- Then we shall look at the things you should look out for if you decide to buy COS.
- We shall also look at instances of COS fraud that has come to our attention.
- Lastly, we shall look at the current UK government policy about COS.
Hello and welcome to Global Immigration Briefing. I am Richard Duke, your host. On this briefing I try to bring you up to date with latest immigration news and developments from the UK, the US, Canada, the EU and around the world.
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Now let’s get down to business.
Should I pay for COS in 2024?
There are many sides to this question, which makes it difficult to provide a Yes or a No answer. But if we must choose either of yes or no, then the obvious choice would be a capital NO, categorically speaking. My answer would be surely a no for very obvious reasons, which you will understand as we go further in this episode.
However, this does not mean that those who choose to buy COS are entirely stupid. It is their choice, and they surely have their reasons, but whether these reasons are viable is yet another thing. They think they are constrained and have no other choice than to buy COS. This is especially because most of the people who wish to relocate to the UK lack the requisite understanding of how best to go about it.
In other to understand whether spending so much money to buy COS is a wise decision, you must first understand what is the purpose of COS. Why did government introduce COS? By the design of government, it is meant to bring foreign workers to come into the UK to fill up vacancies where there are not enough local workers. In other words, the services of foreign workers are really needed in the UK. So, if this is the case, why then should you have to pay for it? That is the question.
Our research shows that most people never want to patiently go in search of these vacancies, which are all over the internet. In some other cases, rather than upskill or retrain to acquire the right skill that are required by these employers, some people prefer to go buy COS from employers who are ready to accept them the way they are and forgetting the danger in such arrangement.
The danger in this arrangement is exactly why there are many Africans in the UK today who paid thousands of pounds for COS, only to arrive in the UK to find out there are no jobs waiting for them. They are not only jobless currently, but some are also hungry and homeless here in the UK. These are people who had so much going for them back in their home countries.
So, to round up this subheading, we can tell you this for free, you are more likely to arrive in the UK to start the job you are promised by your employer who did not charge you for the COS. This is commonsensical and can hardly be subjected to any argument at all. Think of it – if a company truly need you – why would they charge thousands of pounds before issuing you COS? Why? Think with your head.
There are companies still employing foreign workers without charging for COS. Not only that, but they also even go further to provide you free accommodation for the first month you will work for them. Thereafter, you can take over full responsibility because you have started earning wedges. This is exactly how things were designed by the UK government.
But unfortunately, due to the desperation and the crookedness of our people this has been bastardised. And today many are suffering from the fraud that has arisen from the process. While the fraudsters smile to the bank with what they con from their victims.
However, let us also add that everything we have said does not mean that everyone or every company that charges you for COS is fraudulent. No. that is not the case. There are still genuine COSs that you can buy with money. But it is more likely that the fraudulent ones are amongst those you pay for than those that are offered for free. That makes common sense. Does it not? And that is how we naturally move to the next topic.
What are the things you should look out for if you decide to buy COS?
Like I said already, the fact that you have been asked to pay for COS does not mean it is fake. It also does not necessarily mean you will not be offered a job when you arrive in the UK, just like many people are currently suffering now after paying huge sums of money. However, been asked to pay for COS is a red flag that must put you on your toes right from the beginning of the transaction.
Like we said before, it is not advisable to pay for COS. But if you don’t mind paying for one, then there are things you must cover before you part with your money. We will discuss them shortly but note that we would not need to add the necessity to ensure you are dealing with a licensed sponsor. It is taking for granted that you should know that. Other relevant issues to cover are as follows:
Availability of Job
This means you must first discuss to understand and agree everything about what job the employer is offering. These things you must understand are:
- The nature of job you are coming to the UK to do.
From our understanding most COSs that Nigerians buy are from the healthcare sector, but in this sector, there are different job descriptions. We will not discuss anyone in particular, but whatever your employer is offering you must be very clear to you. You must understand the exact nature of job you will be doing when you arrive in the UK.
- How many hours of work you will you get in a week.
This is important because as we will show you later in the course of this episode, there are people in the UK today who are lucky to get only a few hours of work in a whole week, when the law allows them to work full time of up 48 hours a week on the average.
- How much you will be paid pay hour.
You must also ask about this because currently there are people who are forced to work for less than the national minimum wedge, and there is little or nothing they can do about it, because it already too late for them to complain.
- Availability of accommodation
Ordinarily, we would not consider this of much importance because the law does not really require employers to provide accommodation to foreign workers they are sponsoring. However, there have been cases where accommodation is used by some COS racketeers to sweeten the deal for their victims, who pay huge amount for the COS on the promise of accommodation when they arrive. Unfortunately, this accommodation where it does exist ma
y be an overcrowded room that you can hardly find a space to sleep.
- Length of contract
COS can be for different duration, ranging from 2years to 5 years. If it is within your power, which I think it is, negotiate for 5years sponsorship direct. The advantage is that by the time you arrive in the UK, you will never have to face the problem of renewing your papers again. After 5years you will simply go for you Indefinite Leave to Remain, no questions asked. Wouldn’t you like that?
Of course, I know you do. So, it is all about understanding and knowing the right questions to ask when negotiating for COS. You cannot cough out so much money for COS only to end up in the UK, homeless, jobless, and hungry. Remember, before we finally finish this COS episode, we will take you through the companies that are more likely to offer free COS and free accommodation when you arrive in the UK.
Is the Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) Same as a Visa?
This is an important issue to address because the way many people desperately seek for the COS, it seems they may be confusing the two. The COS is not a UK visa. They are two different things. Even with a COS you still require a visa before you can be allowed into the UK to work or for whatever purpose. One other thing you must also understand is that getting a COS does not guarantee you a visa.
When you understand this then you will be able to approach your negotiation for COS with greater caution, knowing fully well that securing it does not mean the end of your problems.
You might get a genuine COS and still be denied a visa. COS is only but one requirement for getting a visa. There are other supporting documents you will surely need when applying for your visa. These other documents will depend on your individual circumstances. Everyone is not the same.
The purpose of our immigration briefing is always to give a clear picture of what is going on with UK immigration rules and how they affect you. I provide you all the news updates, changes in rules and analytical insights right here on this channel.
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