Sponsor licence check
Is this employer licensed to sponsor a UK work visa?
Search the Home Office register of licensed sponsors: 127,634 UK employers, read every night (last read 8 Nov 2026). Each result shows whether the licence is active, its A or B rating, the visa routes it covers, and when it was added or removed. Free, no account needed.
Sponsor Finder checks every UK sponsor licence against the Home Office register, read every night: 127,634 licensed employers as of 8 Nov 2026.
How to read a result
- Licensed (A-rated): The employer can issue certificates of sponsorship.
- B-rated: Licensed, but downgraded and following a Home Office action plan. It can't sponsor new workers until it is upgraded to A, but it can still issue certificates to workers it already employs who are extending their visa.
- Not on the register or removed: It can't sponsor. A removed employer shows its removal date.
Recently removed licences
See every removal in the last 90 days
Also searched as “sponsor license check” (the US spelling). It is the same register and the same answer.
Questions
How do I check if a company has a sponsor licence?
Type the employer's name into the search above and open its page. It shows whether the licence is active, its A or B rating, the visa routes it covers and when it was added to or removed from the Home Office register. The register itself is a large spreadsheet on GOV.UK, so searching it by name takes more steps. General information, not immigration advice.
What does an A or B rating mean?
An A rating means the employer is licensed and can issue certificates of sponsorship. A B rating means its licence was downgraded and it must follow a Home Office action plan: it can't sponsor new workers until it is upgraded to A, but it can still issue certificates to workers it already employs who are extending their visa. If it doesn't complete the plan, it loses its licence. The register shows the rating, not the reason for it. General information, not immigration advice.
Can a company sponsor me if it isn't on the register?
No. Only a licensed employer can issue the certificate of sponsorship a visa application needs, and the register lists every licence holder. If a company is not listed, or has been removed, it can't sponsor new workers until it is licensed again. A licence can sit under a different legal name from the brand you know, so try the registered name too. General information, not immigration advice.
How often is the register updated?
The Home Office publishes the register on GOV.UK and it changes most working days. We read it every night and list each employer that was added, removed or came back on the register changes page. General information, not immigration advice.
Sources
Home Office register of licensed sponsorsGOV.UK · checked 8 Nov 2026, 23:00 (opens in a new tab)General information, not immigration advice. Read more.