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UK visa sponsorship: a plain-English guide

What sponsorship means, how to check an employer, and what to watch out for.

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What “visa sponsorship” means

If you aren't a British or Irish citizen and don't already have permission to work in the UK, you usually need a work visa. For the main work routes, the Skilled Worker visa and the Health and Care Worker visa, your employer has to sponsor you. That means two things:

  • the employer holds a sponsor licence from the Home Office, and
  • it assigns you a certificate of sponsorship for the specific job, which you then use to apply for your visa.

The rules changed in July 2025

Since 22 July 2025, most new Skilled Worker visas need a job at degree level (RQF level 6) and a salary of at least £41,700, or £33,400 if you count as a new entrant, such as someone switching from a student visa. Some occupations below degree level can still be sponsored for a limited time if they are on the Temporary Shortage List, and health and care jobs on national pay scales follow their own pay rules. Care worker and senior care worker visas are closed to new applicants from overseas. People already sponsored before the change have transitional protection.

That is why some jobs on this site carry a Check eligibility label: the advert welcomes people who need sponsorship, but the advertised pay suggests the role may only suit someone who already has permission to work in the UK.

Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker?

The Health and Care Worker visa is a version of the Skilled Worker visa for eligible doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and other health and care roles with eligible employers, such as the NHS. It usually has lower fees and you don't pay the immigration health surcharge. Which roles qualify, and at what salary, changes from time to time, so always check the current list on GOV.UK.

A sponsor licence is not a promise

Tens of thousands of UK organisations hold a sponsor licence, but none of them has to sponsor every job. That's why TheVisaJobs only lists jobs where the advert itself says sponsorship is available. Even then, the employer decides after interview, and the job must meet the visa rules on skill level and salary.

How to check an employer

  1. Search the register of licensed sponsors on GOV.UK for the employer's legal name. Look for “Skilled Worker” in the route column. We do this for you and show a green badge when we find a match.
  2. Read the advert for a sponsorship statement. We quote it on every job page.
  3. If you're unsure, ask the employer in writing before you invest time in a long application.

Already in the UK on a Graduate visa?

If you hold a Graduate visa, you can usually switch to a Skilled Worker visa from inside the UK once an employer sponsors you. Many jobs on this site are open to people switching from student or graduate routes.

Warning signs of a scam

  • Someone asks you to pay for a job offer or a certificate of sponsorship. Sponsors aren't allowed to make you pay their sponsorship costs.
  • The “employer” can't be found on the sponsor register or has no real website.
  • You're offered a job without any interview, or pressured to decide quickly.

If something feels wrong, stop and check on GOV.UK.

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This guide is general information, not legal advice. Immigration rules change often, so check GOV.UK or speak to a regulated immigration adviser before you make decisions.