Explainer · Checked 21 October 2026.
The UK’s register of licensed worker sponsors was updated on 21 October. For someone considering a sponsored job, it provides a useful first check on whether an organisation holds a licence for a relevant route. It does not certify every advertisement using that organisation’s name.
The Skilled Worker job guidance confirms that an applicant needs an offer from an approved employer. A certificate of sponsorship is an electronic record with a reference number, rather than a paper certificate that can be bought independently of a genuine job.
Check the employer and the person contacting you
Search the register using the employer’s legal name and compare its location and route information with the offer. If the business trades under another name, ask it to explain the connection. Then contact the organisation using a phone number or email obtained independently from its own official channels. Ask whether the named recruiter and vacancy are authorised.
Review the job duties, location, salary, hours and reporting line. A real company may appear on the register while an impostor uses its identity. A screenshot of a licence listing therefore cannot establish that the person requesting money represents the employer. Keep the offer, correspondence and itemised charges together for review.
A licence is only one part of eligibility
The worker still needs to satisfy the requirements of the particular route. Do not assume that every position at a licensed business is eligible for sponsorship. The occupation, pay and applicant’s circumstances matter. Under the public guidance, a Skilled Worker application must also be made within three months of receiving the certificate of sponsorship.
If information conflicts, pause payment while the employer explains the discrepancy. Ask a regulated adviser to review anything you cannot reconcile. Check the register again near the application date, because it is updated regularly. This is an existing verification step made timely by the refreshed list, not an announcement that the UK has opened a new recruitment programme or guaranteed jobs to overseas applicants.
Official sources
Sources reviewed on 21 Oct 2026. Requirements can change and depend on your nationality and circumstances. This article is general information, not a personal eligibility assessment.