Guidance

Worker and Temporary Worker priority change of circumstance service

Updated 21 November 2024

1. About the service

The priority change of circumstances service allows sponsors to prioritise certain requests each day, by submitting an application via email.

These requests are:

• additional certificate of sponsorship (CoS) allocation
• annual certificate of sponsorship (CoS) allocation
• add a new level 1 user
• change level one user
• replace the authorising officer (AO)
• amend the authorising officer (AO)
• replace the key contact (KC)
• amend the key contact (KC)
• add a representative
• amend your organisation details – moved to new premises

Please note: This service does not guarantee your request will be approved. Post License request for GBM UK Expansion worker route, GBM Service Supplier route and GBM Secondment Worker Route will not be accepted on priority services.

2. Eligibility

To be eligible for this service:

• you must be an A-rated Worker or Temporary Worker, fully active licensed sponsor
• you must have submitted a request via the Sponsor Management System (SMS) prior to emailing the Worker and Temporary Worker priority service mailbox
• the request must not be in progress/or allocated to a caseworker
• you must have printed the submission sheet if your request is to replace the authorising officer or appoint a representative
• you cannot be a premium sponsor, or requesting priority for a Student case (If you are a premium sponsor, please contact your account manager)
• if the request is for additional certificates of sponsorship, they must be for undefined CoS only (please note: any defined CoS requests will be rejected, and a refund will not be issued)
• you must submit a fully completed application to the priority service team

3. How to apply

Full guidance on how to submit a change of circumstances request on the sponsorship management system (SMS) can be found within the SMS manual.

Once you have submitted your SMS change, you can now email postlicencepriorityservice@homeoffice.gov.uk, with a completed Worker and Temporary Worker priority request form as an attachment. Please ensure to include your organisation name (as detailed on your licence), sponsor licence number and priority request type in the email subject line. Example below:

Priority service request: organisation name (sponsor licence number): request type

You can apply for multiple priority requests however they must be on the same licence. Multiple request forms for different sponsors on the same email will not be considered.

The priority service is open from 7am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Any requests made outside of this time will not be considered.

A maximum of 100 priority service requests will be accepted each day. Any amendments to the limit will be communicated through the SMS message board.

If your request has been successful, you will receive:

• an email from the priority service team to advise that your request has been accepted, along with further instructions
• a second email containing a Worldpay link - check your spam or junk folder if it does not arrive

You have 72 hours from when you receive the second email to make a payment. This includes weekends. If we do not receive your payment within that time, your priority request will expire, and you will need to apply again to be considered.

There are several reasons why your request may not be successful:

• your request is ineligible for the service – see the eligibility criteria above
• we have reached our daily allocation limit
• you have submitted a priority request outside the services operating times

If you do not receive a response, please assume that your request has not been successful.

If your request is to replace the authorising officer or to appoint a representative, you will need to send the submission sheet to us. Attach the electronically signed submission sheet, along with all relevant documentation, to your priority request. If you are not sure what documentation you need to provide, please check the Worker and Temporary Worker priority request form for guidance.

4. Processing times

Eligible requests that have successfully made payment will be considered within 5 working days.

The 5 working days consideration period begins the following working day from when the payment is made. For example, if you were to make a payment on Monday, the 5 working day timescale will begin on Tuesday.

If you are required to send a submission sheet, the 5 working days begins from the date that UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) receives your submission sheet if it has not already been received.

You may not receive an outcome within the 5 working days if your request is complex or extra checks are required. We will write to the authorising officer via email in this instance.

We may request further information within the 5 working day timescale; if we do not receive this information in due course, we may reject the request and no refund will be issued. For this reason, please ensure the authorising officer checks their email, including junk mail regularly.

If your consideration is delayed for other reasons outside of normal caseworking processes (eg a technical error), you may be eligible for a refund.

The outcome will be sent via email to the key personnel listed on the licence.

This service does not guarantee your request will be approved.

5. Fee

The charge for the service is £200 per request.

6. Contact

The Worker and Temporary Worker priority request inbox is for requests only; sponsor maintenance queries will not be replied to or forwarded and should be directed to scoc@homeoffice.gov.uk.

If you have any technical problems with the service, contact the business helpdesk:

Telephone: 0300 1234699

Email: BusinessHelpdesk@homeoffice.gov.uk