Sponsorship Certificate Allocation - expiry within days of receiving it

[Edward70]

I'm an employer with a license to sponsor visas. No issues for the last 10 years. But earlier this year my allocation lapsed in a certain category so I had to reapply and wait my 3-4 months. It came through without a problem, but when I went into the SMS the following week to issue the certificate, I found no allocation. On investigation with the Business Helpline, I've been told that because my annual allocation renewal fell just after I received my new allocation, it had already been reset to 0 before I logged in. And that there is nothing they can do: I just have to apply again. It's how the computer system now works. I'm sure it's just a teething issue with a new computer system and will get fixed in due course - it's catching out lots of people apparently - but that doesn't help me now.

I haven't got time to wait: the employee (who has now lived and worked here with us for 5 years in diff visa caterogories - no ILR yet) has visa running out in just a few weeks. The premium service doesn't work - it's just overloaded. 14 weeks is too much. And to cap things off the individual is getting married here to a Brit in a few weeks time.

Business Helpdesk simply sent me a standard document (after 12 days) without addressing the issue. Business Helpline (after being pressed as hard as could be incl consulting with colleagues) simply cannot do anything. Complaints is a 4 week service. The marriage thing won't help in the short term.

Any ideas from other employees who've come across this?