SMS help

In this section you can create and assign CoS to migrants, individually or in batches. You can also search for CoS and batches that you have created but not yet assigned, which include all CoS with statuses of either 'Work in progress' or 'Ready to go'.

In addition, you can delete single CoS that have not been assigned, i.e. have a status of either 'Work in progress' or 'Ready to go'.

Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) guidance - applies to CoS in Skilled Worker and GBM - Senior or Specialist Worker only

Only choose an 'ISC exempt' category if any of the below conditions apply:

• the migrant will be applying outside the UK and the CoS is for an employment period of less than 6 months;
• the CoS will support an extension or change of employment - new SOC code application for a migrant whom you are currently sponsoring, and the initial CoS you assigned to them was as a Tier 4/Student Route graduate switching to Tier 2/Skilled Worker;
• the CoS will support a change of employment - new SOC code application for a migrant whom you are currently sponsoring, and the end date of the new CoS is no later than the end date of the previous CoS you assigned to them;
• the CoS will support an extension or change of employment - new SOC code application for a migrant who is currently in Tier 2, either working for you or another sponsor, and the CoS which led to their initial Tier 2 grant was assigned to them before 6 April 2017.

All CoS in the Skilled Worker (graduate in Tier 4/Student Route switching to Skilled Worker) sub-category are exempt from the ISC.

Jobs in a PhD-level occupation listed in Appendix J of the Immigration Rules are exempt from the ISC.

If you assign a CoS in an ISC exempt category when none of the above conditions apply, your sponsored worker's application will be delayed and we will contact you for the outstanding payment. Such applications will be refused if the ISC is not paid.

If you need help completing any of the functions in SMS, please refer to the SMS user guides.