What a sponsor must decide and report when a sponsored worker does not start within the Home Office's 28-day period.
01
Calculate the 28-day period from the correct event.
The current sponsor guidance says a worker should normally begin the sponsored role no later than 28 days after the latest of the relevant CoS start date, the valid-from date on the eVisa or applicable vignette, the notified grant date, or the specified Creative Worker concession event.
The calculation should be recorded. Counting automatically from the CoS date can produce the wrong answer where permission was granted or notified later.
02
After the period, the sponsor must make a substantive choice.
If the worker has not started by the end of that period, the sponsor must either report the new start date and reasons if it wishes to continue sponsorship, or stop sponsoring the worker. The report is due by the end of ten working days after the 28-day period.
Continuing sponsorship does not make the delay acceptable. UKVI may cancel the worker's permission if it does not consider the reason valid, so a right-to-work check remains essential before employment begins.
03
Evidence the reason, not only the revised date.
The guidance gives examples including serious travel disruption, a contractual notice period, administrative delay obtaining an exit visa, illness, bereavement and compelling family or personal circumstances. The list is not exhaustive and each case is considered on its facts.
The sponsor should retain the chronology, communications and documents supporting the reason, the decision to continue or withdraw sponsorship, the SMS submission and the eventual right-to-work check.