Select an occupation code because it accurately describes the real job. Then check eligibility and salary under the appropriate rules. Reversing that sequence—finding a convenient rate and reshaping the duties to fit—creates a weak sponsorship record and may misrepresent the role.
Start with the work the business needs
Ask the hiring manager to describe the main tasks, outputs, required knowledge, decision-making responsibility and reporting line. Include normal weekly hours and work locations. Separate essential work from occasional cover, future aspirations and responsibilities that belong to somebody else.
Use plain language before copying an occupational description. A business analyst, product manager and software engineer may work on the same product but perform different work. A broad technology title does not establish which occupational classification fits.
Compare plausible codes systematically
Use the occupation tools and official tables linked from GOV.UK’s job guidance to identify plausible options. Record why each is a candidate, then compare it with the duty profile. Keep rejected options and the reason for rejection in the decision note; this makes the final selection explainable.
Do not copy numerical examples from an old article without checking the current classification. Code labels and tables can change, and an example from another employer may describe a different role. This guide deliberately avoids assigning a code based only on an illustrative job title.
Test eligibility after classification
The current worker guidance distinguishes higher-skilled and medium-skilled roles, with limited routes and historical conditions for some medium-skilled work. Check the actual code, list and application circumstances. A code appearing somewhere in a large table does not mean every new applicant can use it.
Next identify the applicable salary option, going rate and hours basis. Keep the calculations separate from the classification rationale. If the role cannot meet the relevant salary requirements, that is a business decision to resolve; it is not a reason to select an inaccurate code.
Use evidence from the business
Support the job description with an organisation chart, product or service explanation, reporting structure and relevant work plan. These should describe reality. A very small team can have specialist work, but an elaborate management hierarchy in a two-person business needs a credible explanation.
For a new position, state what work exists now and what is planned. Be honest about supervision and the employee’s responsibilities. Avoid promises of later duties being used to justify a role that will initially be materially different.
Run a manager and sponsorship review
The manager confirms the actual work. HR confirms contractual terms. The sponsorship lead reviews the code and applicable requirements. Record who accepted which facts. No single team should quietly assume another has checked everything.
Use a short challenge meeting: What would the worker do on an ordinary Tuesday? Which tasks consume most time? Who reviews the output? What training or registration is necessary? Would the job description still be accurate if the preferred candidate withdrew? These questions help test whether the role has been constructed around genuine work.
Monitor the role after appointment
Classification is not finished when a CoS is assigned. A promotion, change in duties or transfer can create a new review. Add a sponsorship checkpoint to job-change approval so payroll and managers do not implement a material change before its immigration implications are understood.
For example, an employee who gradually stops technical work and takes on a different operational role may no longer match the original description, even if the title remains unchanged. Keep the facts of the new role and seek the correct reporting or application analysis.
Keep a concise decision note
The finished record should identify the selected code, duty evidence, current table, salary review and rejected alternatives. It should also list review triggers. That gives a future HR colleague a starting point and prevents an old code being reused automatically for every vacancy with a similar title.
The worksheet below is a classification preparation tool. It does not choose a code or confirm sponsorship eligibility. Complex, mixed or third-party roles deserve specialist review before the business commits to sponsorship.
Worked review: the same title hides different jobs
An illustrative employer uses “operations consultant” for several positions. One role designs a specialist process and leads implementation, while another performs recurring administrative support. The draft sponsorship file assigns the same code because the payroll title matches.
The hiring manager prepares separate duty profiles and explains the work’s outputs, complexity and supervision. The sponsorship reviewer compares plausible classifications against current official material. The record keeps the reason for the final selection and why other options were rejected.
If one role does not meet the relevant requirements, the business does not simply borrow the other’s description. It reviews the genuine job and recruitment plan. The objective is accurate classification, not ensuring every preferred hire reaches the same conclusion.
A short manager interview
Ask the manager to describe a typical week, the decisions the worker makes independently, the specialist knowledge needed and how performance is judged. Compare that account with the written job description. Differences can reveal an old template or an aspirational duty that will not actually be performed.
After appointment, repeat the interview when a role changes materially. A title can remain constant while the work moves into another function. Connect the review to change control so any required sponsorship action is considered before the business implements the new duties. Keep the original and revised rationale as separate dated records.
Sources and review date
Official rules and guidance checked on 15 October 2026. Recheck the linked page before making an application or financial commitment.
This article provides general editorial information. A regulated immigration adviser can assess how the rules apply to your circumstances.
A useful next step
Use the Occupation code decision record to turn this guide into a working plan. Continue with Defined and undefined CoS: plan capacity around the actual application when you are ready to organise the next part of the file.