Licensed sponsor search
Licensed sponsor search: check the Home Office register of licensed sponsors by company name and town, and see what A and B ratings mean before applying.
A better-informed decision.
Complete the form to see your breakdown.
This licensed sponsor search checks the Home Office register of licensed sponsors for workers, so you can see whether a UK company holds a sponsor licence that lets it issue a certificate of sponsorship (CoS) for a Skilled Worker visa or another work route. Type the company name in English, add a town if you like, and the tool shows the name, town, licensed route and rating. Being on the register does not mean the company has a job for you or will agree to sponsor you.
Who it is for
Job seekers who want to check an employer’s sponsor licence before a Skilled Worker application.
What the register is
The register is an official file on GOV.UK listing organisations licensed to sponsor workers on the Worker and Temporary Worker routes, with the category of workers they can sponsor and their rating. The Home Office updates it often; on 24 September 2026 the GOV.UK page showed it was last updated that same day.
For a Skilled Worker visa, GOV.UK says you must work for a UK employer approved by the Home Office, have a certificate of sponsorship with details of the job, and have a confirmed job offer before you apply. That is why the register is the first thing to check when an offer arrives.
How the tool works
- Company name. Type at least 3 letters of the English name. The tool finds any name that contains them.
- Town (optional). Type the town in English to narrow the results.
- Results. Up to 25 matches in alphabetical order, with town, route and rating. If there are more, the tool asks you to narrow the name or add a town.
- Snapshot date. The tool shows the date of the register copy it searched. Compare it with the latest update on GOV.UK.
A worked search
You have an offer from a Manchester company whose registered name ends in “Limited”.
- Type only the distinctive part of the name, without Limited or Ltd, which may be written differently in the register.
- Type Manchester as the town.
- Check the result: does the name match your contract exactly? Does the route include Skilled Worker? Is the rating A?
- No match? Try without the town, as the registered town may differ from your workplace.
- Still nothing? Search the official file directly, then ask the employer for their licence details.
What the A and B ratings mean
| Rating | What GOV.UK says |
|---|---|
| A | The licence lets the employer assign certificates of sponsorship. |
| B | The employer cannot issue new certificates until it has made improvements, but can still issue them to existing workers who want to extend their stay. |
If a B-rated company offers you a new job, ask it plainly how it will issue your certificate.
What the tool does not do
- It does not list vacancies or show that a company is hiring.
- It does not confirm that your job or salary meets the route’s requirements.
- It does not verify a job offer, or show a licence suspended or revoked after the snapshot date.
Beware of paid sponsorship offers
If anyone asks you for money for a “certificate of sponsorship” or a “guaranteed job with a visa”, stop and check. A real company name on the register does not prove that the person contacting you works for it. Contact the company through its own website, not the phone number or email the middleman gave you. For complex cases, speak to an SRA-regulated solicitor or an IAA-registered adviser.
Common mistakes
- Searching the trading name. The register may use the legal company name. Take it from your contract.
- Stopping at the name. Check the route and the rating too.
- Using a very common word. “Care” or “services” returns too many results; add a distinctive word or a town.
Frequently asked questions
If a company is on the register, will it sponsor me?
No. The register only shows the licence. Sponsorship needs a genuine job offer and a certificate issued for your role.
How often is the register updated?
Often. Check the “last updated” date on the GOV.UK page.
Why can’t I find a company that sponsors staff?
You may be using a different name from the legal one, or a different town. Try a shorter part of the name, then check the official file.
Can I apply for the visa before I have a job offer?
No. GOV.UK says you need a confirmed job offer before you apply for a Skilled Worker visa.
Sources
Next step
Once the company checks out, work out your fees in the visa cost calculator and your net pay in the take-home pay calculator. To have a contract reviewed, find immigration lawyers in the directory.
Reviewed 24 September 2026.