UK Visas and Immigration updated its guidance on the priority change of circumstances service for Worker and Temporary Worker sponsors on 27 April 2026, covering eligibility, how to apply, processing times and the fee.
Key facts
- Who: A-rated, fully active licensed Worker and Temporary Worker sponsors using the priority change of circumstances service
- From: Guidance page updated 27 April 2026; the source gives no separate in-force date
- Source: Worker and Temporary Worker priority change of circumstance service
The guidance covers a service that lets sponsors prioritise certain change of circumstances requests each day by applying by email. The source does not say which parts of the guidance changed in the 27 April 2026 update.
The service covers these requests: additional Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) allocation, annual CoS allocation, adding a new level 1 user, changing a level one user, replacing or amending the authorising officer, replacing or amending the key contact, adding a representative, and amending organisation details after a move to new premises. The guidance says the service does not guarantee a request will be approved. Post-licence requests for the GBM UK Expansion Worker, GBM Service Supplier and GBM Secondment Worker routes are not accepted.
To be eligible, a sponsor must be an A-rated, fully active licensed sponsor and must already have submitted the request on the sponsorship management system (SMS). The request must not be in progress or allocated to a caseworker. Priority is not available for Student cases. Requests for additional CoS must be for undefined CoS only; defined CoS requests are rejected and not refunded.
Applications go to postlicencepriorityservice@homeoffice.gov.uk with a completed Worker and Temporary Worker priority request form. The subject line must give the organisation name as on the licence, the sponsor licence number and the request type. Several requests may be sent, but only for the same licence. The service is open from 07:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday, and requests outside those hours are not considered. A minimum of 120 requests are accepted each day.
The fee is £350 per request. Eligible requests that have been paid for are considered within 5 working days, starting the working day after payment.
What this means for applicants
Sponsors must first submit the change on SMS, then email the priority request form for the same licence within opening hours. If the request is accepted, a second email contains a Worldpay link. Payment must be made within 72 hours of that email, including weekends, or the request expires and the sponsor must apply again.
To replace the authorising officer or appoint a representative, the sponsor must attach the electronically signed submission sheet and supporting documents. The 5 working days then run from the date UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) receives the sheet, if it has not already been received.
If no response arrives, the guidance says to assume the request was unsuccessful. Complex requests may take longer than 5 working days, and the authorising officer is written to by email. If requested information is not supplied, the request may be rejected without a refund. Outcomes are sent to the key personnel listed on the licence.
Related guide: Sponsorship requirements for Skilled Worker
Sources
- Worker and Temporary Worker priority change of circumstance service, UK Visas and Immigration, GOV.UK