Plain-English sponsor guides

Research, guides and practical answers

UK Sponsor Guide explains the UK sponsor licence and the GOV.UK register of licensed sponsors in plain English, so international job seekers can check employers quickly and safely.

11 carefully sourced guidesPrimary sources linkedReviewed and dated
Sponsor search

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.

Updated 2026-08-09 Read guide
Sponsor licence

What 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.

Updated 2026-08-08 Read guide
Sponsor search

Employer 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.

Updated 2026-08-08 Read guide
Salary

Skilled 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.

Updated 2026-08-08 Read guide
Eligibility

Skilled 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.

Updated 2026-08-08 Read guide
Sponsor licence

Certificate 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.

Updated 2026-08-06 Read guide
Salary

Immigration 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.

Updated 2026-08-06 Read guide
Salary

Skilled 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.

Updated 2026-08-06 Read guide
Sponsor licence

Sponsor 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.

Updated 2026-08-06 Read guide
Sponsor search

How 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.

Updated 2026-08-06 Read guide
Sponsor licence

UK 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.

Updated 2026-08-06 Read guide