Every row on the register of licensed sponsors carries a rating — usually “Worker (A rating)”. It is easy to skim past, but it tells you whether that employer can actually sponsor you right now.
What the ratings mean
| Rating | Meaning | Can they sponsor a new worker? |
|---|---|---|
| A rating | Normal, compliant status | Yes |
| B rating | Downgraded; on a Home Office action plan | No — existing workers only |
| A (Premium) | A-rated and on the premium customer service scheme | Yes |
| Provisional | Limited status, used for routes such as UK Expansion Worker | Restricted |
Why a sponsor gets a B rating
A B rating is not a scandal, but it is a warning. The Home Office downgrades sponsors that fall short on their duties — typically:
- poor right-to-work checks or record keeping;
- failing to report changes (a worker leaving, a change of role or salary, a change of company address);
- paying below the going rate, or the job not matching the SOC code on the CoS;
- failures found at a compliance visit.
The sponsor must then follow a time-limited action plan and pay a fee to be reassessed. Comply and the A rating comes back; fail and the licence can be revoked.
What this means if you are job hunting
If the employer you are talking to shows as B-rated on the register, they cannot assign you a Certificate of Sponsorship until they are back to A. That is not necessarily a reason to walk away — but it is a reason to ask about timing before you turn down other offers.
If your employer loses its licence
Revocation is the serious case. Your permission to stay is normally curtailed — usually to 60 days, or the remainder of your visa if shorter. Within that window you must:
- find a new licensed sponsor and apply for a new visa; or
- switch to a different visa route you qualify for; or
- leave the UK.
The Home Office writes to you at your recorded address, so keeping your contact details current matters. If this happens, move quickly and take proper advice — 60 days is not long to run a job search.
How to check a sponsor’s rating
The rating sits in the “Type & Rating” column of the official register. On our searchable sponsor list you can filter by type and rating directly, or search the organisation's exact legal name.
Two practical cautions:
- Match the legal entity, not the brand. Companies often trade under a different name from the one on the licence.
- Check the date. The register changes constantly — ours refreshes automatically from the official file, but a rating can change between your search and your start date.
New licences appear on our recently added sponsors page, which is a useful signal of employers actively building international hiring capacity.