I am planning to come
I want to work in the UK
Sample contentMost work routes need an employer, not just a job offer. The employer has to hold a sponsor licence and give you a certificate before you can apply.
What the words mean
- Sponsor licence
- Permission the employer holds to employ people from outside the UK. Not every employer has one.
- Certificate of sponsorship
- The reference your employer issues for your specific job. The application needs it.
- Going rate
- The minimum salary set for your occupation. It is not the same for every job, and it changes.
What to do first
Step 1. Ask the employer directly whether they hold a sponsor licence and will sponsor this role.
Step 2. Check the occupation and the salary against the current rules on GOV.UK.
Step 3. Get your certificate of sponsorship from the employer.
Step 4. Check whether you need to show English language ability and how.
Step 5. Apply on GOV.UK once the certificate is issued.
What to gather
Your certificate of sponsorship reference
The job offer and contract
Evidence of your qualifications and any professional registration
Evidence of English language ability, if required
Who can help
If an employer asks you to pay the sponsorship costs, or offers to sponsor you for a job you will not actually do, stop and take advice. Both are serious, and it is the worker who carries the consequences.
Find a regulated adviserSample content · written for review · not checked by a lawyer or against the Immigration Rules