Question 1

What is a visa sponsor licence?

Accepted Answer

A visa sponsor licence is a permission granted by the UK Home Office that allows an employer to hire workers from outside the UK. Employers must apply for and maintain a sponsor licence before they can issue Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) to prospective employees. The licence is tied to specific visa routes — for example, an employer might hold a licence for the Skilled Worker route, the Global Business Mobility route, or both.

Question 2

How can I check if an employer can sponsor visas?

Accepted Answer

The UK Home Office publishes a register of licensed sponsors, which is freely available on gov.uk. This site aggregates that official data so you can search by company name, city, industry, or visa type. If an employer appears in our database, they hold an active sponsor licence. You can also verify directly on the government's register of licensed sponsors.

Question 3

What visa routes are available for sponsored workers?

Accepted Answer

The main visa routes for sponsored employment in the UK include: Skilled Worker (the most common route for professional roles), Health and Care Worker (for NHS and social care roles), Global Business Mobility (for intra-company transfers), Scale-up (for fast-growing companies), Minister of Religion, and Creative Worker. Each route has different eligibility criteria, salary thresholds, and conditions. Browse all visa types here.

Question 4

What are the minimum salary thresholds for sponsored visas?

Accepted Answer

For the Skilled Worker visa, the general minimum salary threshold is £38,700 per year (as of April 2024), or the "going rate" for the specific occupation — whichever is higher. There are some exceptions: the Health and Care Worker visa has a lower threshold of £23,200, and new entrants (recent graduates or those under 26) may qualify at a reduced rate of £30,960. Some roles in national pay scales (like NHS positions) have different rules. These thresholds are updated periodically by the government.

Question 5

How often is the sponsor list updated?

Accepted Answer

The UK Home Office updates the register of licensed sponsors regularly — typically several times per month. Our site runs daily automated checks to pull the latest version, so the data you see here is as current as possible. When sponsors are added, removed, or have their ratings changed, those updates are reflected here within 24 hours.

Question 6

What does A-rated vs B-rated mean for sponsors?

Accepted Answer

Sponsors receive a rating from the Home Office based on their compliance with immigration rules. An A-rated sponsor is in good standing and can freely issue Certificates of Sponsorship. A B-rated sponsor has been found to have compliance issues and is on an action plan to address them. B-rated sponsors can still sponsor workers but with restrictions. If they fail to improve, their licence may be revoked. The vast majority of sponsors on our site are A-rated.

Question 7

Can I switch employers while on a sponsored visa?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can change employers while on a Skilled Worker visa, but your new employer must also hold a valid sponsor licence and assign you a new Certificate of Sponsorship. You'll then need to submit a new visa application (a "change of employer" application) and you should not start working for the new employer until your new application has been approved. You can use our site to browse sponsors by city or by industry to find potential new employers.

Question 8

How long does the visa sponsorship process take?

Accepted Answer

The timeline varies depending on the stage. Once an employer assigns you a Certificate of Sponsorship, you can apply for the visa. Processing times are typically: 3 weeks for standard applications from outside the UK, 8 weeks for applications made within the UK, or as fast as 1–5 working days with a priority or super-priority service (for an additional fee). Before all of that, the employer's internal hiring process and CoS assignment can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months.

Question 9

Which industries sponsor the most workers in the UK?

Accepted Answer

The industries with the highest number of licensed sponsors include Information Technology, Healthcare, Education, Professional Services (accounting, legal, consulting), and Hospitality. The tech and healthcare sectors have seen particularly strong growth in sponsorship numbers. You can explore the full breakdown on our Industries page to see which sectors are actively sponsoring.

Question 10

Which UK cities have the most visa sponsors?

Accepted Answer

London has by far the highest concentration of visa sponsors, followed by Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Edinburgh, and Bristol. However, sponsors exist in virtually every part of the UK — including smaller cities and towns. Our Cities page lets you browse all locations and see how many sponsors are active in each area.

Question 11

Is the data on this site official?

Accepted Answer

The data on Sponsored Jobs UK is sourced directly from the official Home Office register of licensed sponsors, published on gov.uk. We aggregate and present this data in a more searchable, user-friendly format — but the underlying information comes from the government. We update our database daily to stay in sync. While we strive for accuracy, we always recommend cross-referencing with the official register for the most critical decisions.

Question 12

How do I apply for a sponsored job?

Accepted Answer

To get a sponsored job in the UK, start by identifying employers who hold a sponsor licence — you can do that right here on our site by browsing by city, visa type, or industry. Then apply directly through the employer's careers page or job boards. During the hiring process, make it clear that you'll need visa sponsorship. If selected, the employer will assign you a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), which you'll use to apply for your visa through the official UK government portal. If you're relying on general job boards, our Indeed vs Sponsored Jobs UK comparison covers the search traps to avoid.

Question 13

Do I need a job offer before applying for a Skilled Worker visa?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Skilled Worker visa requires a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a licensed employer before you can submit your visa application. This means you must have a confirmed job offer from a sponsor-licensed employer first. The CoS is not a physical document — it's a digital reference number that your employer generates through the Home Office's Sponsorship Management System.

Question 14

Can small businesses sponsor visas?

Accepted Answer

Yes, businesses of any size can apply for a sponsor licence. The Home Office assesses whether the organisation is genuine, operating lawfully, and able to meet its sponsorship duties — not whether it's large. Small businesses, startups, and sole traders can all become licensed sponsors. Many of the sponsors listed on our site are small and medium-sized enterprises across diverse industries.

Question 15

What about the Global Talent Visa?

Accepted Answer

If you're an exceptional talent in tech, science, digital technology, or the arts, you may qualify for the Global Talent Visa — which lets you work in the UK without employer sponsorship. No job offer required. Read our Global Talent Visa guide or book a consultation to see if you qualify.

Question 16

Can I apply for a job by emailing Sponsored Jobs UK?

Accepted Answer

No. Sponsored Jobs UK is a job board, not the employer — emailing our site's contact address will not submit an application and will not reach the employer. To apply, open the job listing and click the Apply button, which takes you directly to the employer's own application page. Our contact email is for site feedback and technical issues only.

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