Which visa types require employer sponsorship?

The Skilled Worker visa, Health and Care Worker visa, Senior or Specialist Worker visa, Minister of Religion visa, and Sportsperson visa all require the employer to hold a sponsor licence and assign a certificate of sponsorship. Other routes like the Graduate, Global Talent, and Youth Mobility visas do not require sponsorship.

Can I hire someone on a Graduate visa without sponsoring them?

Yes. Graduate visa holders have unrestricted work rights for 2 years (3 years for PhD graduates). They do not need sponsorship and can work in any role at any skill level. If you want to keep them after the Graduate visa expires, you would need to sponsor them on a Skilled Worker visa.

What about hiring people with spouse or partner visas?

Spouse and partner visa holders have full unrestricted work rights. They do not need sponsorship and can work in any role. You should conduct a right to work check and note the visa expiry date for a follow-up check.

Do I need a sponsor licence to hire EU nationals?

EU nationals who arrived after 1 January 2021 without EUSS status generally need a visa to work in the UK. If they do not have settled or pre-settled status, a Graduate visa, or another work visa, you would need to sponsor them on a Skilled Worker visa, just like any other nationality.

UK Visa Types for Employers: Complete Overview

UK visa types fall into two categories for employers: those requiring sponsorship (Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker) and those allowing unrestricted work without sponsorship (Graduate, spouse visa, ILR, citizenship). Understanding the difference saves time, money, and compliance risk. This guide maps out the main visa types from an employer's perspective.

Visas Requiring Sponsorship

Skilled Worker visa: The main route for sponsored employment. Requires RQF 3+ skill level and meeting the salary threshold.
Health and Care Worker visa: Specific route for health and care roles with reduced fees and IHS exemption.
Senior or Specialist Worker: For intra-company transfers from overseas offices.
Scale-up visa: For fast-growing companies hiring from abroad (specific eligibility criteria).

To sponsor workers, you need a sponsor licence. See our application guide for the process.

Visas Not Requiring Sponsorship

Graduate route: 2-3 years of unrestricted work for recent international graduates. See our employer guide.
Spouse/partner visa: Full work rights, no restrictions.
Global Talent visa: For exceptional talent in science, arts, digital technology, etc.
Youth Mobility Scheme: 2 years for nationals of certain countries, aged 18-30.
Ancestry visa: For Commonwealth citizens with a UK-born grandparent.
ILR/settled status/citizenship: Full unrestricted work rights.

Right to Work Checks

Regardless of the visa type, you must conduct a right to work check before employment begins. This can be done by:

Checking the employee's BRP or passport (manual check)
Using the online share code service
Using an Identity Service Provider for digital checks

See the GOV.UK right to work check page for the official process. Failure to conduct proper checks can result in civil penalties of up to 60,000 pounds. For a guide on compliance visits, see our GOV.UK sponsor duties page.

Cost Comparison

The cost difference between hiring sponsored and non-sponsored workers is significant:

Sponsored worker: CoS fee + immigration skills charge + potentially the visa fee and IHS = 5,000-15,000+ pounds per hire
Non-sponsored worker: No immigration costs (just the standard right to work check)

See our immigration cost guide for a detailed breakdown.

Next Steps

When hiring, check the candidate's immigration status early. If sponsorship is needed, ensure your sponsor licence is active and the role meets the requirements. If the candidate does not need sponsorship, simply conduct the right to work check and proceed.

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