If your business holds a UK Sponsor Licence and employs Skilled Workers from overseas, navigating the Sponsorship Management System (SMS) can feel like stepping into a labyrinth of PDFs, forms, and conflicting instructions. The truth is, the official UKVI SMS User Guides are undeniably useful—but they’re also fragmented across multiple webpages, each focusing on a different aspect of sponsor responsibilities. At First Migration, we understand that our corporate clients don’t have the time to piece everything together. That’s why we’ve created this clear and comprehensive guide to help you make sense of the UKVI’s SMS documentation (with the links you need) - and more importantly, to explain what each guide does, when you need it, and where to find it. Let’s simplify your SMS experience.
The Sponsorship Management System (SMS) is your online control panel for managing your Sponsor Licence and your sponsored workers. It’s where you report changes, assign Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS), update key personnel, and ensure full compliance with your sponsor duties.
However, instead of one clear manual, the Home Office offers multiple separate guidance documents. Below is a breakdown of the most relevant ones and how they fit into your sponsor journey.
The starting point for any sponsor is the SMS User Manual. This foundational guide covers:
This manual should be bookmarked by anyone in your business acting as a Level 1 or Level 2 user. If you’re new to sponsorship, it’s your essential first read.
For ongoing licence management, refer to the Manage Your Sponsorship Licence manual, which provides detailed guidance on maintaining compliance and managing your licence effectively.
Need to notify UKVI of changes to your company’s address, ownership, or key personnel? The Priority Change of Circumstances guidance explains how to submit certain updates more quickly via the priority service, for a fee.
This is a crucial tool if you’re in the middle of a visa application and need to expedite an internal change that could delay progress.
If your Level 1 user has changed or your SMS access needs to be renewed, you’ll need the Apply and Renew Sponsorship Management System Access guide.
It details how to add or replace Level 1 and Level 2 users, especially after staff changes or when planning for succession.
Arguably, one of the most important areas of compliance is reporting key changes in your sponsored workers’ circumstances. The Reporting Worker Activity guide covers:
Failure to report these changes can lead to licence suspension, so this guide should be regularly reviewed by HR or anyone handling migrant staff.
Sometimes, your needs fall outside the typical scenarios. The Miscellaneous CoS Functions guide helps you handle less common functions like:
There’s also the Restricted CoS Guide, which is less frequently used since the end of the quota system but still applies in certain transitional or legacy cases.
While the UKVI’s manuals are essential, they can be overwhelming, especially when compliance risks and visa timelines are at stake. At First Migration, we help employers make sense of it all. Whether you need us to act as your Level 1 user, manage your SMS entries, or review your processes for peace of mind, we’re here to ensure full compliance and zero stress.
Submit a callback request, email us at contact@firstmigration.com, or call us directly to speak to a consultant today.
Let us take the complexity out of sponsorship, so you can focus on growing your team and your business.
First Migration is a private visa and immigration company offering consultancy services. We are regulated and authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority with the registration number F200700083.
If you want to apply for a UK visa, you can do so directly on the UKVI website.
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