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Ayaan Global · UK work visa

Work in the UK, sponsor first.

Understand licensed sponsors, Certificates of Sponsorship, salary and English requirements before you commit. General guidance for professionals and their families. Decisions rest with employers and UK Visas and Immigration.

Request Counselling Find my route
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Guards on parade
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London
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London buses
No sponsor for saleWe never sell jobs, sponsorship or visas.
Official rules onlyChecked against GOV.UK sources.
Sponsor checkWe show you how to verify a licensed sponsor.
No fake offersWe help you verify, never invent.
Family firstDependant rules explained honestly.

Which route should you research first?

Pick the line that sounds like you. Each tab shows what to look into, not a promise of approval.

Check the sponsor and the job

The main work route needs an employer that holds a sponsor licence and gives you a Certificate of Sponsorship. The job must be on an eligible occupation list and meet the pay and English language rules, which have changed recently.

Verify on official site
  • Check the employer on the official register of licensed sponsors
  • Ask for the job details and the occupation code in writing
  • Check the salary and English requirements for that job
  • Never pay for a Certificate of Sponsorship

Common UK work visas

A work visa lets you work for a period. Settlement is a separate application with its own rules, and those rules are under review.

Skilled Worker visa

The main sponsored route. You need a job with a licensed sponsor, a Certificate of Sponsorship, and to meet the salary and English rules.

Rules change

Health and Care Worker visa

For some health and care roles. The rules for care roles and for bringing dependants have changed, so check the current position.

Rules change

Global Business Mobility

For employees of an overseas business sent to a UK branch, including senior or specialist workers and some graduate trainees.

Verify on official site

Global Talent and similar routes

Routes for recognised leaders in some fields, fast-growing companies and some top-university graduates. High bars, not general routes.

Needs verification

Graduate visa

A temporary visa for some recent graduates of UK institutions. Eligibility and duration depend on current rules.

Needs verification

Our role

We provide general information and help you organise your documents. We cannot guarantee a job, sponsor, visa, settlement or approval.

UK visa rules, salary thresholds, occupation lists and fees change often. Some nationality-based schemes also exist and are strict about eligibility. Confirm everything on GOV.UK.

Where you work shapes your life

Pay, rent and commuting costs vary a lot between London and the rest of the UK. Compare the offer with your expected living costs.

Aerial view of London rooftops and landmarks
LondonThe largest job market, with finance, technology, media and services. Living costs are high.
Gothic stone building with bicycles parked outside
University and heritage townsSmaller cities often have strong health, education and research employers.
Aerial view of a historic round building in a UK city
Historic city centresMany UK cities mix old centres with modern offices and hospitals.

Sectors worth researching

Healthcare, technology, engineering, finance, education and hospitality. These are areas to look into, not promises. Demand and eligibility change, so check the current occupation lists and real job postings.

Needs verification

Regulated professions

Nurses, doctors, teachers, solicitors, engineers and others usually need to register with a professional body before working in their field. Start early, because it can take time.

Verify on official site

A step-by-step way to prepare

  1. Review your profileEducation, experience, occupation, English level and family situation.
  2. Check your job is eligibleOccupation, salary and sponsor status need to meet the current rules.
  3. Prepare your English evidenceTest result or other accepted proof, where your route needs it.
  4. Find a licensed sponsorCheck the register. Never pay for an offer or a Certificate of Sponsorship.
  5. Employer issues the Certificate of SponsorshipThis is the employer's step. It does not guarantee your visa.
  6. Apply online and attend your appointmentPay the visa fee and health surcharge, give biometrics and take a tuberculosis test where required for your country.
  7. Receive your decision and plan your moveUse your official online account to view your status, then plan housing and travel.

Document checklist (to start preparing)

  • Valid passport (keep it with you, never send it through the website)
  • Certificate of Sponsorship reference number, once issued
  • English language evidence, if required (we offer IELTS and PTE preparation; confirm which test your route accepts)
  • Degree certificates and transcripts
  • Employment references and an updated CV
  • Tuberculosis test certificate, where required for your country
  • Proof of funds, where required
  • Marriage and birth certificates for family members

Requirements change by route and over time. Always follow the official checklist.

Protect yourself from fake sponsors and agents

Fake job and sponsorship offers are common. In the UK, immigration advice must come from a regulated adviser or a qualified lawyer. Check before you pay or share documents.

Action Fraud (opens in a new tab)
  • Anyone selling a Certificate of Sponsorship or a "guaranteed" visa
  • Requests for money from you to secure a job or sponsorship
  • Employers that do not appear on the official sponsor register
  • Job offers made only through social media or messaging apps
  • Advice from someone who is not a regulated adviser or lawyer

Check it at the source

Questions families ask

Can I get a UK work visa without a job offer?
For most routes, no. You need a job offer from a licensed sponsor. A few talent and innovation routes work differently but have strict criteria. Check GOV.UK for current options.
What is a Certificate of Sponsorship?
It is an electronic record your employer issues to support your application. It is not a visa, and the Home Office still decides your application.
Should I pay someone for a sponsor or a Certificate of Sponsorship?
No. Sponsors should not charge you for a Certificate of Sponsorship. Be very careful if anyone asks for money, and check the employer on the official register.
Who can give me immigration advice?
In the UK, immigration advice must come from a regulated adviser or a qualified lawyer. Check the official register before you pay. This website gives general information only.
Can I settle permanently in the UK?
Some work visas lead to settlement after a qualifying period, but not all, and the rules are under review. Approval is never guaranteed, so check GOV.UK for the current position.
Can my family come with me?
Often as dependants, but the rules differ by route and have tightened for some. Confirm on GOV.UK before you plan.
What does it cost?
Visa fees, the health surcharge, English tests and living costs vary and change. We do not quote figures here; confirm on official sources.

Talk to us about working in the UK

Share a few basics and our team will get in touch. This is general guidance only; we cannot promise a job, sponsor, visa, settlement or approval.

Please do not enter passport numbers, ID numbers or bank details in this form.

Information on this page is general guidance and may be out of date. Always confirm with GOV.UK and your employer.