Certificates of Sponsorship in 2026: Application to Approval - without the guesswork

CoS rejections are at an all-time high - and for care providers, the consequences hit harder than most. A failed application doesn't just mean resubmitting paperwork. It pushes back a worker's start date, leaves a rota gap that's already hard to fill, and in many cases costs you the hire entirely. Most rejections don't happen because providers aren't trying. They happen because the salary was a fraction under threshold, the role description didn't align with the correct SOC code, or the CoS wasn't requested early enough to absorb a delay. If you're using Birdie to manage your care operations, you already know how much hinges on having the right people in place.

This session is about making sure the sponsorship process doesn't become the bottleneck. The Borderless team walks through the full CoS process - what triggers the need for one, what a strong application contains, and how to build your workforce planning around realistic timelines. You'll leave with a clear picture of what a clean application looks like, and a planning framework built for the realities of running a care service.

What you'll leave with:

• When you need a CoS and how to assign one correctly - the difference between defined and undefined CoS, and which applies to the roles you're hiring for in care
• What a strong application looks like: salary thresholds for care roles, SOC code alignment, and the role description details that cause avoidable rejections
• Why CoS rejections are rising and what's changed - so you can spot the risk before it hits your application
• How to build realistic CoS timelines into your workforce planning, so a delayed application doesn't mean a rota gap
• The most common mistakes care providers make at the CoS stage, and the checks to run before you submit.