How to find UK visa sponsorship companies: List and tips

Visa sponsorship isn’t always the easiest route towards living and working in the UK, but if you secure the right role, it can be incredibly rewarding.

Finding sponsorship jobs is easier when you have a few resources and tips up your sleeve. Knowing some of the major companies that are known for sponsoring visas, like the National Health Service (NHS) Rolls Royce, and PwC, can make your search less taxing.

In this guide, we cover work visas in the UK, recent changes, and share the UK government list of licensed sponsors.

We’ll also show you how you could save on your relocation costs to the UK with the Wise account.

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How UK visa sponsorship works for international workers

To relocate to the UK on a work visa, you need to secure sponsorship with an employer. A UK employer (the sponsor), must offer you an eligible job and provide a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) confirming the role details. You can then use the CoS number to apply for your visa.

Not all UK employers are sponsors. Organisations must hold a sponsorship license to be able to hire international workers. Some licenses are for temporary work visas, while others are for skilled work – your employer must hold the right visa for the type of work you’re going to do.

What is the Skilled Worker Visa in the UK?

The Skilled Worker visa is one of a few visas available to international workers. Securing a Skilled Worker visa allows you to work in the UK for an eligible employer for up to five years, and you can always request to extend it.

The eligibility criteria for a skilled worker visa is that you must¹:

• Work for a UK employer approved by the Home Office
• Have an Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from your employer
• Do a job classified as an eligible occupation – full criteria is on the GOV.UK website
• Meet the salary requirements for your job role

You’ll also be expected to speak, read, write, and understand English.

If you’re not eligible for a Skilled Worker visa, you might be able to apply for another type of visa, such as a Health and Care Worker visa, UK Expansion Worker visa, or Creative Worker visa.

How does the UK visa sponsorship process work?

Before you can secure a visa, you need to find an eligible employer in the UK who can offer you sponsorship.

Once you have a job offer from an eligible employer, and a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), you can apply for a visa using the CoS reference number. You’ll also need to provide proof of your knowledge of English, identity documents, your job title and salary, your job’s occupation code, and the name of your employer and their sponsorship license number.¹

You can apply for a visa online, up to three months before your job is due to start. If you’re based inside the UK, you should get a decision within eight weeks. If you’re outside of the UK, you should get a decision within three weeks.

Changes to UK sponsorship rules in 2025/2026

Some UK sponsorship rules have changed, while others are yet to come into place. Here are the key updates²:

• The list of eligible jobs for a Skilled Worker visa has been reduced and salary thresholds have increased – check the Skilled Worker visa temporary shortage list
• Overseas recruitment of social workers ended in summer 2025
• The immigration skills charge, a fee paid by employers, also increased in 2025
• New applicants for Skilled Worker, Scale-up, and High Potential Individual visas will now need a higher level of English (previously B1, now B2)
• Changes to permanent residence rules are also due to come into place in April 2026

More changes are on the horizon, so be sure to keep track of UK government updates on the topic.

Top companies on the UK sponsorship company list

Some of the UK’s most significant employers offer visa sponsorship. And there are plenty of ways to research sponsorship companies and eligible roles.

Major UK employers that offer visa sponsorship

You could secure visa sponsorship with one of the following major UK employers:

• National Health Service (NHS)– for Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker visas
• PwC
• Rolls Royce
• Microsoft

Visa sponsoring companies by industry

Visa sponsorship is available across industries and company types, so if you have specialist sector-based skills, you might consider some of the following options.

Sector/industry	Companies
Tech	Microsoft, Amazon, Apple
Health and care	NHS3, Bupa4, AXA5
Banking, and corporate	PwC6, Barclays7, Deloitte8
Retail	Coop9, Tesco10, Boots11

How to find the full UK sponsorship company list

There are multiple sources you can use to find a UK sponsorship company. Here are some options.

Official government register of licensed sponsors (SponsorIntel)

You can use the official government register of licensed sponsors to find companies that might be a match. But there are also sites like SponsorIntel, which make the same government information more searchable and readable. Currently, there are more than 120,000 organisations listed on SponsorIntel.

Note that both sites list companies, not job roles.

Websites specialising in UK visa sponsorship jobs

Here’s a list of websites where you can find visa sponsorship roles:

• Findajob.dwp.gov.uk - by searching for ‘visa sponsorship’
• Student Circus
• NHS jobs - by searching for ‘visa sponsorship’
• Poli
• UK Visa Jobs

Tips for securing visa sponsorship in the UK

Landing a new job can be stressful in itself – without your visa application relying on it. Here are some tips for getting ready to work in the UK.

Optimising your CV and LinkedIn for UK employers

Make sure your CV and LinkedIn profile is fully up to date, with relevant experience and qualifications relating to your desired role. Update your LinkedIn profile picture, and mention your interest in UK-based roles in your ‘About’ section. Make sure your profile is findable on LinkedIn, so potential employers can see you.

Understanding different UK visa routes

The UK has a range of work visa routes:

• Skilled Worker visas, for individuals who secure a job on the eligible list of occupations, and meet the minimum salary requirements
• Health and Care Worker visas, for doctors, nurses, and those working in health and social care
• UK Expansion Worker visas, for individuals coming overseas to set up a branch of a business that doesn’t already trade in the UK
• Creative Worker visas, for actors, dancers, film crew members, musicians, and other creative industries

What to ask potential UK visa sponsors

Make sure you’re clear on what a potential visa sponsor offers by asking:

• Has the company offered visa sponsorship before? If so, what did the process and timeline look like?
• Is the role eligible for sponsorship, and does it meet the UK government criteria?
• Is the role for a fixed term, and if so, what happens next when the term ends?
• What opportunities are available for long term development and future roles with the company?

Growing tech hubs and regional sponsors

You might find success with visa sponsorship by focusing on regional tech hubs, like Cambridge, London, or Manchester. In these areas you’ll find a concentration of tech companies, where visa sponsorship could be more accessible, and the opportunity for future roles with other businesses is more within reach.

Opportunities in research and education

If you’re a researcher or academic, you may be able to get visa sponsorship through a UK university, via the Global Talent visa. You’ll need an eligible job offer in research or academia to qualify.

And if you’re open to continuing your education in the UK, securing a Student visa could be an eventual route to a work visa. Extra qualifications may help you land skilled work in the future, that could enable you to secure a visa.

Save on your relocation costs to the UK with Wise

Getting visa sponsorship is a rigorous process, but there are plenty of routes towards living and working in the UK. Researching industries, companies, and potential roles will help you envision your new life in the UK.

Moving to or from the UK is a lot less stressful once you’ve already figured out how to manage your finances. A Wise account can help you save on your relocation costs to the UK.

You get the mid-market rate with Wise and low, transparent fees* so there are no expensive hidden surprise exchange rate mark ups.

And you can hold multiple currencies in a single account, which means moving between the UK and other countries is easier on your finances.

Open your Wise account 🌍

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Sources used:

1. GOV.UK - Skilled worker visa information
2. Commons Library - changes to UK visa and settlement rules
3. GOV.UK - health and care worker visa
4. Bupa - sponsorship and work permits
5. AXA - sponsorship and work permits
6. PwC - sponsorship and working permits
7. Barclays - sponsorship and work permits
8. Deloitte - sponsorship and work permits
9. Coop - skilled worker visa sponsorship
10. Tesco - sponsorship
11. Boots jobs - sponsorship

Sources last checked on date: 22 January 2026