Practical guides to UK work visa sponsorship, written around the questions people actually ask — occupation codes, salary thresholds, what the whole thing costs, and how to find an employer who can sponsor you. Every figure is checked against GOV.UK and dated.
UK SOC Codes Explained: How to Find Your Occupation Code (2026)
Your SOC code decides whether you can be sponsored at all and what you must be paid. Here is how to find yours and what to do if it is “Medium Skilled”.
Read the guide Salary rulesSOC Code Salary Thresholds 2026: What You Must Actually Be Paid
There is no single Skilled Worker salary figure. You must clear the general threshold and your occupation’s going rate — here is how the two interact.
Read the guide Route basicsTier 2 Sponsor List in 2026: The Name Changed, the List Did Not
Searching for a “Tier 2 sponsor list”? The route was renamed years ago — but the underlying register is still published, and still what you need.
Read the guide Job huntingHow to Find a UK Visa Sponsor in 2026: A Practical Step-by-Step Guide
You cannot “buy” sponsorship, and no agency can sell it to you. What works is targeting licensed employers with roles that genuinely qualify. Here is the method.
Read the guide CostsUK Skilled Worker Visa Cost in 2026: The Complete Breakdown
The application fee is the small part. Here is what a Skilled Worker visa really costs in 2026, including the surcharge that catches most people out.
Read the guide CostsSkilled Worker Dependant Visa Fees 2026: What Bringing Family Costs
Each dependant pays a full visa fee plus their own healthcare surcharge. For a family of four on a five-year visa that is over £25,000.
Read the guide Employer costsImmigration Skills Charge 2026: How Much Employers Pay (and Why It Matters to You)
The skills charge rose by roughly a third. It is the employer’s bill, never yours — and it explains a lot about who says yes to sponsorship.
Read the guide Sponsor registerA-Rated vs B-Rated Sponsors: What a Sponsor’s Rating Means for You
Every sponsor on the register carries a rating. A-rated is normal; B-rated means the sponsor is on an action plan — and that has direct consequences for you.
Read the guide RoutesUK Charity Worker Visa 2026: Sponsors, Rules and How to Apply
The Charity Worker route covers unpaid voluntary work for up to 12 months. It has no salary threshold — but the work genuinely must be unpaid.
Read the guide Sponsor registerThe Register of Licensed Sponsors: How to Read, Search and Download It
The official register is a raw CSV of over 125,000 rows. Here is what each column means and how to actually get answers out of it.
Read the guide Job huntingUK Jobs With Visa Sponsorship in 2026: Which Roles Still Qualify
The July 2025 reforms removed 112 occupations from the route. Here is what still qualifies, what does not, and where sponsorship is actually happening.
Read the guide RoutesSelf-Sponsorship in the UK 2026: What It Really Means
There is no “self-sponsorship visa”. There is a lawful but demanding structure behind the phrase — and a lot of misleading marketing around it.
Read the guide