What is the UKVI Sponsorship List?
The UKVI sponsorship list — officially known as the Register of Licensed Sponsors — is a public database maintained by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), the division of the Home Office responsible for managing immigration to the United Kingdom.
This register contains every organisation in the UK that holds an active sponsor licence, giving them legal permission to employ foreign workers on sponsored visa routes. The UKVI sponsorship list is the definitive, authoritative source for verifying whether a company can legally sponsor your work visa.
As of April 2026, the UKVI sponsor register includes over 125,259 licensed organisations across all industries and regions of the United Kingdom, ranging from small independent businesses to major multinational corporations, NHS trusts, and universities.
The register was originally published as the "Tier 2 Sponsor List" under the old immigration points-based system. When the Tier 2 visa was replaced by the Skilled Worker visa in December 2020, the register was renamed but continues to serve the same fundamental purpose: allowing the public to verify which employers have been approved to sponsor foreign workers.
Who Maintains the UKVI Register?
The UKVI sponsorship list is maintained by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), which sits within the Home Office. UKVI is responsible for:
- Granting sponsor licences: UKVI reviews and approves applications from UK employers who wish to hire foreign workers. The application process involves demonstrating that the organisation is a genuine business, has appropriate HR systems in place, and can meet its sponsorship duties.
- Monitoring compliance: Once a licence is granted, UKVI conducts ongoing compliance checks. This includes unannounced visits to sponsors, document audits, and monitoring whether sponsors are meeting their reporting obligations.
- Revoking and suspending licences: If a sponsor fails to meet their obligations, UKVI can downgrade their rating, suspend their licence, or revoke it entirely. When a licence is revoked, all sponsored workers under that employer may have their visas curtailed.
- Publishing the register: UKVI regularly publishes an updated version of the Register of Licensed Sponsors on GOV.UK as a downloadable CSV file. This is the raw data source that tools like ours use to make the information searchable.
What's Included in the UKVI Register?
For each sponsor listed on the UKVI sponsorship list, the register contains the following information:
- Organisation name — The official registered name of the sponsoring organisation. This is usually the legal entity name, which may differ from a company's trading name.
- Town/City — The primary location where the sponsor is based. Note that some sponsors operate across multiple locations but are listed under their registered office.
- County/Region — The broader geographical area, useful for filtering sponsors by region.
- Licence type — Either "Worker" (for Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker visas) or "Temporary Worker" (for seasonal and temporary visa routes). Some sponsors hold both types.
- Rating — The compliance rating assigned by UKVI: A-rated (fully compliant) or B-rated (compliance action plan in place).
- Visa route — The specific sponsored visa routes the company is licensed for, such as Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, Senior or Specialist Worker, or Temporary Worker.
How to Search the UKVI Sponsor Register
There are several ways to access and search the UKVI sponsorship list, each with different advantages. Here's a comparison to help you choose the best option for your needs:
- Instant company search by name
- Filter by city, industry, and visa route
- Updated daily automatically
- Individual sponsor profile pages
- Free and no download needed
- Raw spreadsheet format (CSV)
- No built-in search or filters
- Manual download required each time
- Requires spreadsheet software to open
- Updated periodically by UKVI
Understanding UKVI Sponsor Ratings
Every sponsor on the UKVI register is assigned a compliance rating that tells you how reliably they manage their sponsorship responsibilities. Understanding these ratings is essential before you apply for any role:
A-Rating: Fully Compliant
The sponsor has met all UKVI requirements and is in good standing. An A-rated sponsor can actively issue Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) to hire foreign workers. This is the ideal rating you want to see when evaluating a potential employer.
A-rated sponsors have demonstrated that they:
- Keep accurate records of their sponsored workers
- Report changes to UKVI within required timeframes
- Only assign CoS for genuine vacancies that meet salary and skill requirements
- Have appropriate HR systems and processes in place
B-Rating: Compliance Issues Identified
The Home Office has identified problems with the sponsor's compliance. B-rated sponsors are placed on an action plan and given a limited time to fix the issues. During this period, they typically cannot issue new Certificates of Sponsorship.
Common reasons for a B-rating include:
- Failing to report when a sponsored worker stops coming to work
- Not keeping adequate records of right-to-work checks
- Paying sponsored workers less than the required salary
- Assigning CoS for roles that don't genuinely exist
Our recommendation: Exercise caution when considering B-rated sponsors. They may not be able to issue new visas, and there is a risk their licence could be revoked entirely.
You can check any company's current rating instantly using our daily sponsor licence checker. We strongly recommend only applying to A-rated sponsors to minimise risk to your visa application.
How Often is the UKVI List Updated?
UKVI publishes the official Register of Licensed Sponsors on GOV.UK and updates it at regular intervals. The exact frequency can vary, but updates typically happen multiple times per month as new licences are granted and existing ones are revoked or modified.
Our database pulls from the official UKVI data source every day, so you always have access to the most current data available. This daily refresh is critical because:
- New companies gain sponsor licences every week — Being first to identify new sponsors gives you a competitive advantage in your job search.
- Licences can be revoked or suspended at any time — Revocations happen regularly, and applying to a company with a recently revoked licence wastes your time and could jeopardise your visa plans.
- Company ratings can change — An A-rated sponsor could become B-rated following a compliance audit, affecting their ability to sponsor new workers.
- Outdated data is risky — Using a sponsor list that's weeks or months old could lead you to apply for roles at companies that can no longer sponsor visas, leaving you with a wasted application and potentially a refused visa.
Use our Recent Changes page to see which sponsors have been added or updated in the past 7 days.
Types of Visa Routes on the UKVI Register
The UKVI sponsorship list covers several different visa routes. Understanding which route applies to your situation is important when searching for sponsors:
- Skilled Worker visa — The main route for professionals. Requires a job offer at RQF Level 3 or above (equivalent to A-levels) with a salary meeting the threshold. This replaced the old Tier 2 General visa. See our eligibility and salary guide.
- Health and Care Worker visa — A sub-route of the Skilled Worker visa for healthcare professionals. Offers lower fees, no Immigration Health Surcharge, and often faster processing. Learn more in our visa routes guide.
- Senior or Specialist Worker visa — Part of the Global Business Mobility route, for senior employees being transferred within a multinational organisation.
- Temporary Worker visas — Covering seasonal workers, charity workers, creative workers, and religious workers. These have separate requirements and shorter durations.
- Scale-up visa — For workers joining fast-growing UK businesses. After 6 months, the individual no longer needs sponsorship.
Browse UKVI Sponsors by Category
Explore the UKVI sponsorship list by location or industry to find opportunities most relevant to your skills and preferences:
Popular Locations
- London — Home to the most sponsors in the UK, particularly in finance, tech, and professional services.
- Manchester — Fast-growing tech and digital hub with increasing sponsor numbers.
- Birmingham — The UK's second-largest city with strong healthcare and manufacturing sponsors.
- Edinburgh — Scotland's capital with a diverse mix of finance, tech, and healthcare sponsors.
- Glasgow — Strong NHS and care sector sponsorship presence.
- Leeds — Growing professional services and tech sector with active sponsors.
Top Industries
- All Industries — Browse all sponsor categories.
- Technology & IT — Software, data, cybersecurity, and digital services.
- Healthcare & NHS — Hospitals, clinics, and community health.
- Finance & Banking — Banks, fintech, and financial services.
- Care Homes — Residential care and nursing homes.
- Education & Universities — Higher education and schools.
How to Use the UKVI Sponsorship List Effectively
Simply browsing the UKVI sponsor list is not the most effective job search strategy. Here are expert tips for making the most of this resource:
- Filter before you search — Rather than scrolling through 124,000+ sponsors, use our filters to narrow down by your target city, industry, and visa route. This gives you a manageable shortlist of relevant sponsors.
- Cross-reference with job boards — Once you've identified sponsors in your area and industry, search for their vacancies on job boards like Indeed, LinkedIn, or industry-specific platforms.
- Check the rating before applying — Always verify a sponsor is A-rated before investing time in an application. A B-rated sponsor may not be able to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship.
- Monitor recent changes — New sponsors are added regularly. Set up a habit of checking our Recent Changes page weekly to catch new opportunities early.
- Apply speculatively — Many sponsors have vacancies they don't advertise. If a company in your industry has an active licence, consider sending a speculative application with a tailored CV.