UK Sponsor Licence List: How to Check a Licensed Sponsor

The UK sponsor licence list is the official register of employers and education providers licensed by the Home Office to sponsor foreign nationals for work or study visas. You can check whether an organisation holds a valid sponsor licence, and see its sponsor licence number, on the public register of licensed sponsors published on GOV.UK. Before you apply for any work visa that requires sponsorship, you should confirm the organisation appears on this list and that the licence is still valid, because a licence can be revoked or suspended at any time.

What the sponsor licence list is

The sponsor licence list is a public record maintained by the Home Office. It shows which organisations have been granted a licence to sponsor workers under the skilled worker and other work routes. The list is not a recommendation or endorsement of any employer; it simply confirms that the Home Office has assessed the organisation as eligible to sponsor.

Your sponsor must be on this list at the time they assign you a certificate of sponsorship. If the licence is suspended or revoked after you have been assigned a certificate, your application may be affected. You should check the list yourself rather than relying on the employer’s word.

How to check the sponsor licence list

You can access the register of licensed sponsors on the GOV.UK website. The register is searchable by sponsor name, and it displays the sponsor licence number, the sponsor’s name, and the date the licence was granted or last updated. You can also see whether the licence is currently valid, suspended, or revoked.

When you search, you should look for the following details:

• The exact legal name of the organisation, not a trading name or brand.
• The sponsor licence number, which is a unique reference assigned to that sponsor.
• The current status of the licence (valid, suspended, or revoked).
• The date the licence was issued or last reviewed.

If you cannot find the organisation on the register, or if the licence shows as suspended or revoked, you should not proceed with an application that relies on that sponsor.

What a sponsor licence number looks like

The sponsor licence number is a unique reference code assigned by the Home Office to each licensed sponsor. It is used on the certificate of sponsorship and in the visa application. The exact format is not fixed in the official guidance, but it is a short alphanumeric reference that appears on the register and on the certificate of sponsorship.

You should never rely on a number quoted to you in an email or a job advertisement. Always verify it against the official register. If the number on the register does not match the number on your certificate of sponsorship, or if the sponsor’s name does not match, the sponsorship may not be genuine.

Why the sponsor licence matters for your application

For most work visas, including the Skilled Worker route, you must have a job offer from a licensed sponsor. The sponsor must assign you a certificate of sponsorship, which contains the sponsor licence number and details of the job. Without a valid certificate from a licensed sponsor, your visa application will be refused.

The Home Office checks the sponsor’s licence status when it processes your application. If the licence has been revoked or suspended, the certificate of sponsorship may no longer be valid. You should therefore check the register both before you accept a job offer and again before you submit your application.

What to do if the sponsor is not on the list

If the organisation that offered you a job does not appear on the register of licensed sponsors, you cannot use that offer to support a work visa application. You should ask the employer directly whether they hold a sponsor licence and, if they say they do, ask them to confirm their sponsor licence number and the name under which they are registered.

You should also be cautious if an employer asks you to pay for a sponsor licence or a certificate of sponsorship. The Home Office does not require applicants to pay for a sponsor licence, and the official guidance does not describe any such requirement. If an employer is not on the list, you may need to look for a different employer that is licensed.

Where to verify the information

The register of licensed sponsors is published on GOV.UK. You should check it directly, using the official search tool, rather than relying on third-party websites or social media posts. The register is the only authoritative source for confirming whether an organisation holds a valid sponsor licence.

You should also check the specific visa guidance for the route you are applying under, because different routes may have different sponsorship requirements. The Skilled Worker route, for example, requires a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed sponsor, but the exact requirements are set out in the individual visa guidance pages.

What to do next

Before you apply for any work visa that requires sponsorship, search the register of licensed sponsors for the employer’s legal name. Confirm the sponsor licence number, check that the licence status is valid, and note the date of the licence. Then check the visa guidance for your route to confirm what evidence you need to provide.

If you have any doubt about the sponsor’s licence, contact the employer and ask for their sponsor licence number. Do not submit a visa application based on an unverified sponsorship offer. The official register on GOV.UK is the definitive source, and you should always check it directly.