How roles are ranked

Every matching advert goes in one list. The first cut is whether the advert says sponsorship is available, the same idea as a LinkedIn visa filter. A Home Office licence, recent Cos use, and the salary rules then move a role up or down. We also spread employers so one company does not fill the top of the list.

What the advert says

Some adverts state that sponsorship is available. Those sit at the top. More say it is not, or ask for the right to work without sponsorship, settled status, or security clearance that needs years of UK residence. We find those sentences and quote them. Silence is not a no, but it is not a visa filter hit either.

Whether the employer holds a licence

Only organisations on the Home Office register of licensed sponsors can sponsor. We match each employer to the register, which is republished most working days, and flag when the match is uncertain or when a recruitment agency is hiding the real employer. A licence strengthens a role that already offers sponsorship.

Whether they actually sponsor

Around 126,000 organisations hold a licence, but Home Office figures released under freedom of information show only about 9,300 used five or more certificates of sponsorship in 2025. Recent Cos use adds weight.

Whether the occupation is eligible

Since 22 July 2025 a newly sponsored role must be at graduate level (RQF 6) unless its occupation is on the temporary shortage list or the immigration salary list. Roles such as data analyst, marketing executive, HR officer and sales executive sit below that level and can only be sponsored through the temporary shortage list, for certificates issued before 31 December 2026, with no dependants.

Whether the salary clears the bar

The salary must reach both a fixed floor and a share of the occupation's going rate. For someone switching from a Student or Graduate visa, the new entrant rule usually applies: £33,400 and 70 percent of the going rate. The standard bar is £41,700 and the full going rate. A software developer role, for example, needs at least £38,300 for a new entrant. If the advert's top salary is below the bar, the role cannot be sponsored, however willing the employer.

What the badges mean

Licensed · advert offers itOn the sponsor register, and the advert says they will sponsor.
Licensed sponsorOn the sponsor register. The advert is silent, which is common.
Possible licence matchThe name is close to a licensed sponsor, but not an exact match.
Advert offers sponsorshipThe advert offers sponsorship, but we have not matched a licence.
No licence foundNo sponsor licence found for this employer.
Cannot be sponsoredThe advert, the occupation or the salary rules this role out.

Who counts as a new entrant

under 26 on the date of application
most recent permission was a Graduate visa that expired less than 2 years ago, or is still valid
most recent permission was a Student visa for a completed UK bachelor's, master's, PhD, PGCE or PGDE, expired less than 2 years ago
a postdoctoral job in SOC 2111, 2112, 2113, 2114, 2115, 2119, 2162 or 2311
working towards a recognised UK professional qualification in a UK regulated profession
working towards full registration or chartered status with the relevant professional body

Total time as a new entrant, on the Graduate visa and as a Skilled Worker cannot exceed 4 years. Graduate visa time counts.

What sponsoring costs an employer

A medium or large employer sponsoring a Graduate visa holder for 3 years must pay £525 for the certificate and £3,960 in Immigration Skills Charge, £4,485 in total, plus £1,682 once if it has no licence yet. If the same person still holds a Student visa when the certificate is assigned, the mandatory cost is £525.

The Immigration Skills Charge is not payable while you still hold a Student visa when the certificate is assigned, which is one reason some employers prefer to sponsor before the Graduate visa starts.

Where the adverts come from

Employers' own careers sites (Greenhouse, Lever, Ashby, Workable, Teamtailor, SmartRecruiters, Recruitee and Personio boards), Reed, and daily pulls from Indeed and LinkedIn. The same role seen in several places is shown once, linking to the employer's own page where we have it. Closed adverts drop out after 14 days without a sighting.

Your CV and privacy

The file you upload is read once, in memory, to build a short profile of your field, skills and level. The file is not saved anywhere. The profile holds no name, contact details or links, and is deleted seven days after your search along with the results link. No account, no cookies, no tracking.

Rules as at 24 September 2026: Appendix Skilled Worker, HC 997 changes of 22 July 2025, page checked 24 September 2026. Sources: Appendix Skilled Worker, Appendix Skilled Occupations, the sponsor register, Home Office fees. This is guidance from public data, not immigration advice.