Question 1

How do I find a UK visa sponsor employer?

Accepted Answer

Search the UK Home Office register of licensed sponsors — over 70,000 companies are licensed to sponsor overseas workers. Relocly lets you search and filter this list by industry, company size, and visa route for free.

Question 2

What is a Skilled Worker visa sponsor?

Accepted Answer

A Skilled Worker visa sponsor is a UK employer that holds a valid sponsor licence from the Home Office. They can legally hire overseas workers and issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) — which you need to apply for a Skilled Worker visa.

Question 3

Can any UK employer sponsor a visa?

Accepted Answer

No — only employers with a valid Home Office sponsor licence can sponsor overseas workers. The licence must specifically cover the Skilled Worker route (or whichever visa route you need). The register is publicly available and updated monthly.

Question 4

Do I need a job offer before applying for a Skilled Worker visa?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You must have a job offer from a licensed sponsor employer and a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number before you can apply for a Skilled Worker visa. You cannot apply for the visa first and look for a job after.

Question 5

What sectors have the most UK visa sponsors?

Accepted Answer

Healthcare and social care, IT and technology, engineering, education, and hospitality have the largest number of licensed UK sponsors. Nursing, software engineering, and civil engineering consistently have the most vacancies for sponsored workers.

Jobs in the UK