Dates on Certificate of Sponsorship

[mirosgrimaldi]

Hi there, I have a query and hope that someone can help me on this. In my certificate of sponsorship, the starting date for my prospective position is 14/03/11 but the validity of the certificate is until June 2011. I have all papers ready but one which I'm getting this afternonand sending application first time tomorrow morning (15/03) I am switching my status and been with company for a few years and the position we are submitting is the same as my current one, etc. Should I be worried since my application will only be sent tomorrow which is 1 day after the starting date shown in the certificate? My leave to remain is still until end of July. I hope someone can help me with an answer. Thanks. Miros

[arsenal49]

you can make application anytime while your COS is valid (i.e 3 months must not have passed from the date it was assigned to you)...

[mirosgrimaldi]

Thanks very much 4 kind reply. Sorry if I'm a bit thick but you mentioned that it mustn't passed the assigned date. The certificate it says 'assigned' and the assigned date is 7th March and valid until June, so I got confused when u mentioned the assigned date. Does it mean that I can still use it until the valid date in June, regardless of the date the certificate was assigned? Thanks again. Miros

[arsenal49]

you have a valid COS (theoretically speaking) from 7th March till 7th June.

But new rules will come into force at the start of April when they will issue new Code of practice. It is HIGHLY likely that the current job title/soc code will not exist anymore (beyond 6th April), so when the caseworker will try to find the code (on your COS) , he/she wont be able to find it and as a aresult you will get the refusal.

So, you must apply before April 6th.

I personally dont know the situation regarding when the panel would meet to decide on applications received between now and 6th April. That is something you should find out for yourself.