A UK company can sponsor a Skilled Worker visa only if it holds a Home Office sponsor licence and appears on the official public register, which lists over 100,000 organisations. Being on the register means a company can sponsor — it does not guarantee that every role comes with sponsorship.
If you need a UK visa to work, the single most important fact about any job is whether the employer holds a Skilled Worker sponsor licence. Without one, they legally cannot sponsor you — no matter how well-qualified you are. The good news: the UK Home Office publishes the full list of licensed sponsors, and it is free to search.
What is a licensed sponsor?
A licensed sponsor is a UK organisation the Home Office has approved to employ workers from outside the UK under the Skilled Worker route (and other work routes). The official list — the Register of licensed sponsors: workers — is updated regularly and contains well over 100,000 organisations, from global banks to small care homes.
Which UK sectors sponsor the most visas?
Sponsorship is concentrated in sectors with skills shortages. In 2026 the most active sponsoring sectors include:
| Sector | Sponsorship level | Typical sponsored roles |
|---|---|---|
| Health & social care | Very high | Care assistants, senior carers, nurses |
| Technology & IT | High | Software engineers, data & cybersecurity specialists |
| Engineering | High | Civil, mechanical & electrical engineers |
| Finance & professional services | Medium | Bankers, accountants, consultants |
| Education | Medium | University lecturers, researchers, teachers |
Health and social care sponsors more overseas workers than any other sector, but its rules changed substantially in 2025 and differ from the standard Skilled Worker route. If that's your field, read our dedicated guide to care jobs with visa sponsorship before applying.
How to check if a company sponsors visas
- 1Open the official register of licensed sponsors on GOV.UK.
- 2Search for the employer's exact registered name (not a trading name or brand).
- 3Confirm the route column shows 'Skilled Worker' and a rating of 'A' (a valid, active licence).
- 4Cross-check the specific job — the role must meet the salary and skill-level thresholds for the Skilled Worker route.
The catch: the government register is a raw spreadsheet with hundreds of thousands of rows and no job data. It tells you a company can sponsor — not whether it is hiring, or for what. Once you've confirmed an employer holds a licence, our step-by-step guide to how to find visa sponsorship jobs in the UK covers turning that shortlist into applications.
The faster way
Hirely cross-references live job listings against the official Home Office register automatically, so every role you see comes from an employer with an active sponsor licence. Instead of scrolling a spreadsheet, you search real jobs that can actually sponsor you. Create a free profile to see sponsor-verified roles matched to your experience.