Visa-sponsoring employers in Belfast
479 employers in Belfast hold a Skilled Worker licence (register, 5 October 2026). Here's what that means for your search.
Home Office register,
The short answer
481
Skilled Worker licences in Belfast
Home Office register, 5 October 2026
Belfast has the 32nd highest count of the 493 towns with a page on Visavi. 480 of those licences carry an A rating, and 1 carries a B rating. Within about 25 miles, another 412 Skilled Worker licences list one of 27 other towns.
Counted by the register's own town column, Belfast's Skilled Worker licences are 0.39% of the 123,132 Skilled Worker licences on the register.
Counting every licence route, 536 organisations in Belfast hold a sponsor licence of some kind.
Besides Skilled Worker, the licence routes held most often here are Global Business Mobility: Senior or Specialist Worker (35), Charity Worker (26) and Tier 2 Ministers of Religion (19).
34 of the Skilled Worker sponsors in Belfast also hold a Global Business Mobility licence, the routes that bring an overseas employer's staff to work in the UK.
By registered name, 27 have "tech", "software", "digital" or "data" in their name; 18 have "restaurant", "kitchen", "cafe" or "food" in their name; and 9 describe themselves as consultants or consultancies.
The nearest towns with their own page are Newtownabbey (4 miles, 33 licences), Lisburn (7 miles, 50 licences), Antrim (14 miles, 26 licences) and Craigavon (21 miles, 25 licences).
| Licence route | Count |
|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | 481 |
| Global Business Mobility: Senior or Specialist Worker | 35 |
| Charity Worker | 26 |
| Tier 2 Ministers of Religion | 19 |
| Religious Worker | 16 |
| Rating | Licences |
|---|---|
| A rating | 480 |
| B rating | 1 |
A rating includes the A (Premium) and A (SME+) labels. A B rating generally means the employer cannot sponsor new workers until it is back to an A rating.
Examples from the register
- Nihon Cyber Defence Ltd
- AIB Group (UK) Plc
- Airbus Belfast Limited
- Allstate Northern Ireland
- Andor Technology
- Anomali Ltd
- Apriori Technologies UK Limited
- Bamboo Rose Ltd
These employers also hold a Global Business Mobility licence. They are examples from the register, not a sign that any of them is hiring.
Questions people ask
How many companies in Belfast sponsor visas?
On 5 October 2026, the Home Office register listed 481 Skilled Worker licences in Belfast, one for each organisation and town, and 536 organisations there held a sponsor licence of some kind. Within about 25 miles, another 412 Skilled Worker licences list one of 27 other towns.
Are the visa sponsors in Belfast A-rated?
480 of the 481 Skilled Worker licences in Belfast carry an A rating, and 1 carries a B rating (register, 5 October 2026). A B rating generally means the employer cannot sponsor new workers until it is back to an A rating.
How can I check if a company in Belfast can sponsor a visa?
Search its name in the Visavi sponsor check, which reads the same Home Office register. A licence means they can sponsor. It is not a promise that they will. Employers on the register here include Nihon Cyber Defence Ltd, AIB Group (UK) Plc and Airbus Belfast Limited.
What this means for your search in Belfast
- Check the licence first. An employer needs a licence to sponsor a Skilled Worker visa. Use the sponsor check. The register changes often and lists legal names, which can differ from a brand name. Check the latest register on gov.uk before you rule an employer out.
- Read the advert's sponsorship line. "Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK" is a no, even from a licensed employer.
- Check the salary. Usually the higher of £41,700 and the going rate. For new entrants, the higher of £33,400 and 70% of the going rate. See salary thresholds and going rates.
- After an offer, ask about the Certificate of Sponsorship. See what to ask.
Full routine: How to find a job that sponsors your visa in the UK. Rules change: always check gov.uk.