Harveys Legal
Book a consultation
Case study · Construction

Construction firm: one-off defined CoS for a senior international hire.

A construction business with an active sponsor licence needed to assign a defined Certificate of Sponsorship to a senior site manager applying from outside the UK. Their internal HR team had not used the SMS for over a year.

Client type
Mid-sized construction business
Size
60 employees, occasional sponsored hiring
Sector
Construction

Representative composite based on multiple matters. Client details anonymised. Outcomes vary by individual circumstances. Final decisions remain with the Home Office or relevant decision-maker.

Step 01The situation

The business already held an A-rated sponsor licence but had not made a sponsored hire in over twelve months. The candidate was a senior site manager based in South Africa. HR was uncertain whether the role and salary met the latest Skilled Worker thresholds, and whether the SOC code they had used before was still correct.

Step 02The risk

CoS errors are one of the most common causes of post-application problems — and the worker's visa application depends on the CoS being right.

SOC code mismatch leading to a visa refusal for the worker
Salary below the going rate for the applicable code, refused at decision
Defined CoS requested late, delaying the worker's visa application window
Compliance failure recorded against the sponsor for assigning a non-compliant CoS
Step 03What Harveys did

Harveys Legal scoped the matter as a per-task CoS engagement, completing the eligibility checks and assignment over five working days.

Eligibility review of the proposed role against current Skilled Worker requirements
SOC code verification and salary going-rate confirmation
Defined CoS request submitted through SMS — Home Office approval secured in 3 working days
CoS prepared with correct salary, hours, location, and date details
Assignment completed through SMS and reference number provided to the worker
Worker briefed on the visa application window and document requirements
Step 04The outcome

The CoS was assigned correctly on first attempt. The worker submitted their visa application within ten days of CoS issuance. Visa was granted within four weeks. The business now uses Harveys Legal on a per-task basis for occasional CoS support without the overhead of a full retainer.

Your adviser

Mehmood Rajoka

IAA-regulated UK Immigration Adviser · Firm Reg F202537009

Mehmood leads Harveys Legal's business immigration practice. He works directly with UK employers on sponsor licence applications, compliance, and Home Office audit readiness — focused on practical, commercially useful advice rather than legal theatre.

Regulated by
Immigration Advice Authority
Firm Reg No.
F202537009
Practice scope
UK business immigration
IAA
Regulated immigration advice

Harveys Legal is regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority.

Firm Reg No. F202537009. Verify on the IAA register before engagement.

Speak to Harveys Legal

One-off CoS or ongoing SMS support needed?

Whether you need help with a single assignment or regular CoS work, Harveys Legal supports licensed sponsors at the right level.

Book ConsultationView all case studies
Harveys Legal supports immigration applications, sponsor compliance preparation and related legal processes. Final decisions remain with the Home Office or the relevant decision-maker.