Certificate of Sponsoship Start Date?????????

Urgent help required. Please help. I am on post study work visa & working for my employer for past 1.5 year & continuing the same job under permenant contract. My current visa Tier 1 (post study work) expires on 05/11/2010. My employer wants to issue me with a certificate of sponsporship but not sure wat start date to put in?

They want a swift transition between changes and do not want me to have any breaks.

My questions:

1. If my employer puts the start date in as 01/06/10 Can i apply for the visa before that date and if i get it can i work with them before that start date.

2. I presume it will not affect my job as i have my current visa which is valid.

3. Am I correct in saying that the CoS is valid for 3 months from the date of issue and i have to use/apply using it.

Are they already registered with UKBA and can they give you COS at the moment right away?

You can keep working with the company even after you submit your tier 2 application (while still on psw visa)

Ask them to issue a COS with ANY starting date really....

You need to be clear that:

1) once COS is issued, you must apply for tier 2 app within 3 months of COS issue date.

2) Send your COS number along with your tier 2 app.

3) Make sure you satisfy your tier 2 app requirements.

While all this is happening, you can keep working as you have psw visa already.

Regards.

PS. Your tier 2 visa will be granted for 2 years (according to new rules)