UKVI’s Register of Licensed Sponsors – the official list of organisations allowed to employ non-UK nationals – received its latest refresh on 22 July 2026. The CSV file now records 77,146 active Worker and Temporary Worker licences, up 4 % on the start of the year. Growth continues to be driven by smaller technology, healthcare and hospitality firms seeking access to overseas talent amid domestic shortages. Notably, 612 sponsors were downgraded to a ‘B-rating’ for compliance breaches in the last month, underlining the Home Office’s tougher enforcement stance introduced in April. For mobility professionals the register is both a due-diligence tool and a barometer of market sentiment. An expanding sponsor base suggests the Skilled Worker route remains attractive despite higher salary thresholds and the immigration skills charge. However, the spike in downgrades means that partnering companies must conduct checks before seconding staff to a client site; working for an unauthorised entity could jeopardise a Skilled Worker visa. UKVI encourages businesses to subscribe to register alerts so they can verify counterparties in real time. The next scheduled update is 29 July; firms that recently submitted renewal applications should monitor the list to confirm their licence status. Analysts predict sponsor numbers could plateau later this year if pending bill provisions raise compliance costs further.
Source: UK Visas and Immigration
