Tens of thousands of people still search for the “Tier 2 sponsor list” every month. The term is out of date — but the thing behind it is very much alive, and it is still the list you need.
What happened to Tier 2
The points-based tier system was retired at the end of 2020. Tier 2 (General) became the Skilled Worker visa in December 2020, with a revised points system, no annual cap and no resident labour market test.
The name stuck around because job adverts, recruitment agencies and years of accumulated advice all used it. If you see “Tier 2 sponsorship available” in a 2026 job listing, the employer means they hold a sponsor licence and can sponsor you on the Skilled Worker route.
| Old name | Current name |
|---|---|
| Tier 2 (General) | Skilled Worker visa |
| Tier 2 (Intra-Company Transfer) | Global Business Mobility — Senior or Specialist Worker |
| Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) | Unchanged — still Tier 2 Ministers of Religion |
| Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) | Various Temporary Worker routes (Charity, Creative, Religious, Seasonal…) |
| Tier 4 | Student visa |
The list itself never went away
Whatever the route is called, the Home Office still publishes a single official file: the Register of licensed sponsors: workers. Every organisation licensed to sponsor workers appears in it, with:
- the organisation's name;
- its town or city;
- its licence type and rating (for example “Worker (A rating)”);
- each route it is licensed to sponsor on.
That register is what our sponsor list is built from — over 125,000 records, refreshed automatically as the official file changes, and searchable by name, town, route and rating rather than a raw spreadsheet.
What changed that actually matters in 2026
Focusing on the rename misses the changes that will decide your application. Since 22 July 2025:
- The skills threshold rose to RQF 6 (degree level), removing 112 previously eligible occupations.
- The general salary threshold rose to £41,700.
- Care worker roles (SOC 6135 and 6136) are closed to new overseas applicants, with in-country switching only until 22 July 2028.
- Below-degree roles are sponsorable only via the Immigration Salary List or the interim Temporary Shortage List, usually without the right to bring dependants.
We cover these in detail in our rule changes summary.
How to use the register properly
- Confirm the employer is on it. If a company is not on the register, it cannot sponsor you, whatever the advert says.
- Check the route. A licence for “Creative Worker” does not let a company sponsor you as a Skilled Worker. Each row lists the route.
- Check the rating. A-rated is the normal, healthy status; B-rated means the sponsor is on an action plan. See what sponsor ratings mean.
- Remember what it is not. The register is a list of licensed employers, not a list of vacancies. Being licensed does not mean a company is currently hiring or will sponsor a given role.
Start with the full searchable list, or narrow it down by city or by company name A–Z.