SMS System

Track Skilled Worker Visa Expiry Dates

Sponsors must track Skilled Worker visa expiry dates for every sponsored worker and plan renewals before permission ends. Unmonitored expiries are one of the most common revocation grounds — and the easiest to fix with a simple alert cadence built into your sponsor compliance workflow.

The 90/60/30 cadence used in practice

  • 90 days out — open the renewal conversation; confirm the worker wants to extend and the role still meets threshold.
  • 60 days out — assign the renewal CoS; the worker begins the application.
  • 30 days out — confirm submission, log the reference, monitor the decision.

How SMS System helps

  • Single expiry view — every sponsored worker's visa expiry, CoS use-by, and RTW follow-up date in one timeline.
  • Automated 90/60/30 alerts — email and in-app reminders to the AO, Key Contact, and Level 1 User.
  • Renewal log — application reference, decision date, new expiry stored against the worker for the next audit.

Primary source

Frequently asked questions

›Whose responsibility is it to track a sponsored worker's visa expiry?

The sponsor. UKVI's Part 3 sponsor guidance makes the sponsor responsible for monitoring sponsored workers and planning for renewals — failure to track expiries is a frequent compliance finding.

›What alert cadence do sponsors typically use?

90 / 60 / 30 days before expiry is the cadence used in practice — 90 days to start the renewal conversation, 60 days to begin the application, 30 days to confirm submission. SMS System uses this cadence by default.

›What happens if a sponsored worker's visa expires?

Their permission to be in the UK lapses, the worker loses the right to work, and the sponsor must end employment immediately and report it within 10 working days. Continuing to employ them is illegal working and carries civil and criminal penalties.

›Is visa expiry the same as CoS use-by date?

No. The CoS use-by date is when the worker must apply for the visa; the visa expiry date is when their UK permission ends. Sponsors must track both. See our Skilled Worker compliance guide for the distinction.

Track every sponsor licence deadline automatically

SMS System monitors CoS expiry, salary thresholds and the 10-working-day reporting clock so nothing slips.

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Related sponsor licence guides

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