What is the UK Register of Licensed Sponsors?

The UK Register of Licensed Sponsors is the official Home Office list of organisations authorised to sponsor overseas workers under the Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, and other Worker and Temporary Worker visa routes. It is updated daily and currently lists over 141,000 sponsors.

How do I check if a UK company is a licensed sponsor?

You can search the UKBuddy Sponsor Licence Search tool by typing the company name. If the company appears with "Worker (A rating)" and the route "Skilled Worker", they are currently licensed. You can also download the official CSV from GOV.UK and search in Excel.

What is the difference between an A-rating and B-rating sponsor?

A-rated sponsors are fully compliant with Home Office requirements and can issue new Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) freely. B-rated sponsors have areas of non-compliance and are on an action plan — they generally cannot issue new CoS until they regain A status. Always target A-rated sponsors when job hunting.

How often is the UK sponsor licence list updated?

The Home Office updates the register almost every working day. This tool syncs with the official CSV weekly and shows the last updated date on the search page. Always use a live source rather than cached copies from months ago.

Can a B-rated sponsor still sponsor new workers?

Usually no. A B-rated sponsor is placed on an action plan and is typically unable to assign new Certificates of Sponsorship to new workers until they return to A status. They can still extend existing sponsored workers' visas.

What is the minimum salary for a Skilled Worker visa in 2025?

From 22 July 2025, the general threshold for most new Skilled Worker visa applications is £41,700 per year or the going rate for the occupation code, whichever is higher. Some roles on the Immigration Salary List may qualify at a lower rate.

How many UK companies are licensed to sponsor Skilled Worker visas?

As of May 2026, over 141,165 organisations are on the register, with more than 40,000 holding an A-rating for the Skilled Worker route. The list includes NHS trusts, universities, tech startups, and FTSE 100 companies.

How do I find out which graduate schemes sponsor visas before spending hours on an application?

This topic has 0 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 4 months, 3 weeks ago by UK.

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Author Posts

3 May 2026 at 11:08 pm #20899

UK Keymaster

35 Buddy Points

Starter Buddys:

Starter Buddy

My frustration:n

I have wasted significant time on applications only to find at the offer stage that the company does not sponsor
Some companies say “we consider visa sponsorship on a case by case basis” — what does that actually mean?

nnThe most reliable approach:n

Search the Home Office register of licensed sponsors — publicly searchable, tells you immediately whether a company holds a sponsor licence
Having a licence does not guarantee they will sponsor every role — ask directly at first contact

nnUKBuddy Sponsorship Finder Tool

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