Skilled worker visa category for CoS of 4yrs

Hi,

My employer has recently acquired the license to sponsorship for 4 years and the validity is till Oct 2025.
They have issued me a CoS valid upto the same date Oct 2025. So should I apply for 4 yrs visa as there is only 2 options- 3 years or more than 3 years and pay the visa fee and IHS fee for 4 years. Or can I request my employer to add sponsor note so that I can apply for 5 years visa and pay the IHS and visa fee for 5 years.Since in both scenarios the Visa fee will be the same.
I am not sure if sponsor note will be accepted as they have license only valid for 4 years.
Please advice if I should request them for sponsor notes for 5 years or for 3 years?
Further even if I apply for 3 years visa , I will have to extend my Visa only for 1 year after completion of 3 years as my employer license is only for 4 years. Once they renew their license I will have to apply once again for 1 year.
In both the cases I will be paying extra amount.

They would need to withdraw the CoS and assign you a new one if you/they want a 5 year visa.

A license can be renewed, it has no effect on the CoS length.

Thank you for the response!
Even if their license is valid for 4 years can they issue me a CoS for 5 years?

Yes.

Thank you for your response.

Will sponsor note suffice on the existing CoS or a new CoS with 5 Year validity should be issued?

If I apply for 5 years say till Oct 2026, how long will I be granted visa ? Exactly till Oct 2026?
In that case when should I start applying for ILR?Immediately after Oct 2026
Or should I once again obtain 1 yr Skilled worker visa for back up options?

Hi how long did your employer take to get the sponsorship license? Did they receive any intimation in the waiting period? My employer has applied and on the 6th week of waiting with no intimation from the home office yet