Compliance / Pay compliance
Sponsored pay that matches the certificate
A sponsored worker’s pay has to keep matching their Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) and the salary rules for their route. Borderless checks the gross pay on each payslip against the CoS salary across the required pay window, and flags anything that falls short, so you can act before it becomes a breach.
Pay checks · October
Northgate Care Ltd
86 sponsored workers · HiBob
Checked
83
pay matches the CoS
3
to review
0
breaches
Joseph Adeyemi · Hours
30 paid hours · CoS says 37.5
Review
Amara Okoye · Unpaid leave
16 of 20 days used this year
Watch
Ravi Patel · Pay rise
No report needed
Noted
Pay matches the CoS
83 workers · gross pay and hours
Lul S., your immigration adviser, reviews anything that goes to the Home Office
Priya S. · 08:02
October payslips for 86 workers uploaded
Halo · 08:20
83 payslips match, 3 flagged for review
Lul S. · Adviser
Joseph A.’s hours change reviewed
Iris AI agent
Helps prepare it
Your adviser
Reviews it
You
Approve it
Sponsors checking pay with Borderless
Every payslip checked against the certificate
Payslips come in
Your team uploads payslips as PDF, PNG or JPG files, or documents come in from your HR system.
Each payslip is checked
Gross pay is read from each payslip and checked against the CoS salary, over the right window for how the worker is paid.
Your adviser reviews each flag
An IAA-regulated immigration adviser tells you whether it needs a report, a new CoS, or nothing at all.
You approve, and it’s logged
Any report goes in only once you approve it, and every check is logged for an audit.
Connect
Check
Review
Approve
Payroll comes in
Payslips and pay changes, as they happen
Workday
HiBob
BambooHR
Sage HR
Sona
85 of 86 payslips in
From HiBob · 08:02
Synced
1 payslip missing
Request sent to payroll
Requested
Checking each payslip
Against the CoS and the salary rules
Halo is checking
Basic gross pay
Matches
Paid hours · 30 of 37.5
Lower
Going rate per hour
Meets
Unpaid leave · 2026
Within limit
Hours lower than the CoS
Joseph Adeyemi · flagged for review
1 to review
Your adviser reviews the flag
Report it, a new CoS, or nothing at all?
Reviewed by Lul S.
Immigration adviser · IAA regulated
Reviewed
Reason asked from Priya S.
Hours cut from November
Answered
Pay below the CoS
Report within 10 working days
Drafted
You approve, and it’s logged
Nothing goes to the Home Office until you say so
Pay change reported
Day 3 of 10 working days
On time
Logged to your audit trail
What was paid, checked and reviewed
Ready to report once you approve.
Approve
What counts as salary
Not everything on a payslip counts
For Skilled Workers, the salary rules look at guaranteed basic pay. These are the details that catch sponsors out.
Counts
Guaranteed basic gross pay
Basic pay before tax, including the worker’s own pension and National Insurance contributions.
Doesn’t count
Overtime, shifts and bonuses
Overtime, shift pay and bonuses don’t count, even when they’re guaranteed. Nor do most allowances, such as accommodation or cost of living.
Hours
Every hour at the going rate
Pay in each pay period must meet the going rate for every hour worked. Only the first 48 hours a week count towards the salary.
Deductions
Money paid back to you
Deductions and loan repayments to the sponsor come off the salary, unless they pay for an optional benefit, such as salary sacrifice, that the worker chose.
How you pay
Into their own bank account
Salary must be paid into the worker’s own bank account. Paying in cash is likely to lead to your licence being revoked.
The basics
Minimum wage and working time
Every sponsored role must meet National Minimum Wage and Working Time rules. A worker can choose to work over 48 hours a week, but you can’t require it.
What gets flagged
Caught before it’s a breach
Most pay problems start small. These are the ones that payslip checks bring to light, so you can deal with them early.
01
Reduced hours
Fewer paid hours than the CoS means less pay. Pay that falls short over the window is flagged, so your adviser can tell you whether it needs reporting.
02
Pay cuts
A cut from the salary on the CoS is reported within 10 working days. If the new pay no longer meets the salary rules, sponsorship has to stop.
03
Unpaid leave
More than four weeks unpaid or on reduced pay in a calendar year normally ends sponsorship, unless an exception such as sick leave applies.
04
Missing payslips
A missing payslip is a gap in the worker’s records. Missing pay periods show up on a calendar view, so you can see what to upload.
05
A record for auditors
Every payslip check is logged, so you can show the Home Office what was paid, what was checked and who reviewed it.
06
Pay rises
Usually there’s nothing to report, and the higher pay still clears the check.
Questions we’re often asked
What salary does a Skilled Worker need?
For most new Skilled Worker applications, the higher of £41,700 a year or the going rate for the job, as of October 2026. Lower rates can apply in some cases, such as some extensions and roles in healthcare or education. Your adviser checks which rules apply to each worker.
Can the Home Office see what we actually pay?
Yes. It can check pay with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). If a worker is paid less than their CoS says, and the lower pay wouldn’t qualify for their visa, their permission can be cancelled.
What happens when a sponsored worker takes unpaid leave?
Short spells don’t need reporting. More than four weeks unpaid or on reduced pay in a calendar year normally means you stop sponsoring them, unless an exception applies, such as statutory maternity leave, sick leave or jury service.
Can we cut a sponsored worker’s pay?
Only in limited cases, and you must report it within 10 working days. For a Skilled Worker, check first whether they need a new CoS and visa application. If the new pay no longer meets the salary rules, you must stop sponsoring them.
How do payslips get into Borderless?
Your team can upload them, and documents held in HiBob or Sona can come in through our HR integrations on Pro and Expert plans.
Check every payslip, every month
Book a tour of the platform, from payroll to the audit log, with time for your questions.