Authoritative Source Notice
The official Home Office register is updated daily on GOV.UK. Always verify the employer's exact legal company name, route permission, and licence rating on the live register before relying on sponsorship information.
Official Sponsor Register Search
Search the live GOV.UK database for licensed UK sponsor companies
What the Home Office Register Shows
| Register Field | What It Tells You |
|---|---|
| Organisation Name | The legal or trading organisation name listed by the Home Office. |
| Town/City | Main operating location recorded in the sponsor register. |
| Type & Rating | Shows the licence category and status (e.g. Worker - A rating). |
| Route | Shows exact immigration routes allowed (e.g. Skilled Worker, Scale-up). |
Sponsor Ratings: A-Rating vs B-Rating
| Rating | Meaning & CoS Authority |
|---|---|
| A-Rated | Full active licence. Can assign new Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) to eligible workers. |
| B-Rated | Downgraded due to Home Office compliance concerns. Cannot assign new CoS until upgraded back to A-rating. |
Defined vs Undefined Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS)
| CoS Type | Main Visa Application Purpose |
|---|---|
| Defined CoS | For Skilled Worker candidates applying from outside the UK. Must be requested individually by employer. |
| Undefined CoS | For candidates applying from inside the UK (visa switches/extensions) and all other sponsored routes. |
2026 General Salary Threshold Benchmarks
| Skilled Worker General Salary Threshold | £41,700 / year |
| Discounted Threshold (New Entrant / PhD) | £33,400 / year |
| Scale-up Worker General Salary Threshold | £39,100 / year |
Frequently Asked Questions (6 Detailed FAQs)
A sponsor licence is permission from UK Visas and Immigration for an organisation to sponsor workers under specified immigration routes. The organisation must hold the appropriate licence type and route permission. Having a sponsor licence does not guarantee that a particular job or applicant will qualify for a visa.
Use the official GOV.UK Register of licensed sponsors: workers. The register contains the organisation name, town or city, licence type and rating, and the immigration route(s) for which the organisation is licensed.
An A-rated licence is the normal full sponsor rating and allows the sponsor to assign Certificates of Sponsorship. A B-rating means the licence has been downgraded because of compliance concerns; the sponsor cannot issue new CoS until upgraded back to an A-rating.
A CoS is an electronic record assigned by an authorised sponsor to a worker containing a unique reference number that the worker uses in a visa application.
Defined CoS are used for Skilled Worker applicants applying from outside the UK. Undefined CoS are used for Skilled Workers applying from inside the UK and for applicants on other sponsored routes.
No. The employer must be licensed for the relevant route, and the individual job must satisfy that route’s occupation, salary, skill level and other immigration requirements (£41,700 general threshold for Skilled Worker).
Official 2026 Home Office Sources
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2026 Key Benchmarks
Skilled Worker Threshold£41,700
Discounted Threshold£33,400
Scale-up Threshold£39,100