The UK sponsor licence, explained in plain English
Plain-English guides to the UK sponsor licence, the register of licensed sponsors, and the companies that hold it.
Welcome to UK Sponsor Guide
Quick answer
A UK sponsor licence is permission from the Home Office for an employer to sponsor workers on eligible visa routes. The GOV.UK register of licensed sponsors lists more than 125,000 organisations that hold one. Being on the register means the employer is permitted to sponsor. It does not mean they will sponsor this role, any role, or you.
What this site covers
UK Sponsor Guide is an information site for international job seekers researching UK employers. We explain the documents, rules, and data you will meet during that research, in plain English, with sources.
- How the sponsor licence works, including ratings and routes.
- What the register of licensed sponsors shows — and what it hides.
- The Skilled Worker salary floors and how they interact with job ads.
- How to check an employer yourself, for free, before you apply.
Who publishes this site
UK Sponsor Guide is published by a small editorial team. We research the UK sponsor licence system using primary sources: the GOV.UK register of licensed sponsors, Home Office guidance, and official statistics. The register itself is free on GOV.UK, and these guides show you how to use it.
How to use this site
Start with the guides below. Each one ends with a numbered source list, so you can verify every claim on GOV.UK.
If you only remember three things, remember these:
- A licence is permission, not a promise.
- "Not on the register" is not the same as "will not sponsor".
- Check the employer, the ad, and the salary before you spend time applying.
Guides for the decision in front of you
How to Keep a UK Sponsor Watchlist
A manual, register-based system for tracking UK employers you may want to apply to, and the honest limits of watching the sponsor list.
Read guide Sponsor licenceWhat It Costs a UK Employer to Sponsor a Worker
The published cost of UK sponsorship for employers: certificate fees, the immigration skills charge, who legally pays, and why some employers still say no.
Read guide Sponsor searchEmployer Not on the Sponsor Register? Read This First
Nine reasons a UK employer seems missing from the sponsor register, and the legal-name method that finds most of them before you write the company off.
Read guide SalarySkilled Worker Going Rates Explained: The Binding Number
How Skilled Worker going rates work: where they are published, why the 37.5-hour rule changes the figure, and when the going rate overrides the salary floor.
Read guide EligibilitySkilled Worker Skill Level: Which Jobs Still Qualify
The Skilled Worker skill threshold sits at RQF level 6 since 22 July 2025. What that removed, who is protected, and how to check an occupation code properly.
Read guide Sponsor licenceCertificate of Sponsorship: What It Is and What It Costs
A certificate of sponsorship is an electronic record an employer assigns before you apply. What it holds, what it costs, and the timings that matter.
Read guide SalaryImmigration Salary List: Who Qualifies and What Changes
The immigration salary list and the temporary shortage list, explained: the lower salary floor, who qualifies, and why both end on 31 December 2026.
Read guide SalarySkilled Worker Salary Thresholds in 2026: What You Need to Know
The 2026 Skilled Worker salary floors: £41,700 standard, £33,400 reduced, plus going rates, Health and Care thresholds, and what to do when a job ad pays less.
Read guide Sponsor licenceSponsor Licence Ratings: What an A or B Rating Means
A and B ratings on the UK sponsor register, decoded: what a downgrade stops, what an action plan costs, and what a B rating means for your application.
Read guide Sponsor searchHow to Find UK Companies That Sponsor Visas in 2026
Find UK companies that can sponsor work visas in 2026: start from the register of licensed sponsors, read job ads carefully, and check salary before you apply.
Read guide Sponsor licenceUK Sponsor Register Explained: What It Does and Doesn't Show
The GOV.UK register of licensed sponsors: what every field means, and the three things it cannot tell you.
Read guideCheck the employer without leaving the job advert
- See the legal sponsor name, town, routes, rating, and close matches on the page.
- Your checks and job-page text stay on your computer; the extension makes no network requests.
Our product. Sponsor Check is the browser extension sold by THINKINGAI LIMITED, the company identified in this site's footer. The register itself remains free, official, and public. This site is information only, not immigration advice.