Refusal to Allocate Unrestricted Certificates of Sponsorship

We were instructed to assist and represent a restaurant against the Home Office decision refusing our client’s request for additional allocation of certificates of sponsorship (CoS). Our client submitted the application via priority service in order to recruit a Specialist Chef however the application was refused on the ground that our client provides a take-away service.

We argued on behalf of our client that our client does not provide take-away services and supported our submissions with the relevant documentary evidence. The Home Office clearly failed to set out the reasons with sufficient specificity and clarity as to why the application was refused, and the decision clearly conflicted with the requirements of the sponsor guidance.

We requested that the Home Office re-consider our representations along with the supporting documentary evidence and withdraw the refusal decision. The Home Office reconsidered the representations and withdrew the application. Our client, a five-star restaurant, was granted additional allocation of CoS. The decision and outcome were very important to our client. As an international business it was important that our client is able to employ most experienced and knowledgeable chefs.