Visa-sponsoring employers in Leicester
1,374 employers in Leicester hold a Skilled Worker licence (register, 5 October 2026). Here's what that means for your search.
Home Office register,
The short answer
1,384
Skilled Worker licences in Leicester
Home Office register, 5 October 2026
Leicester has the 4th highest count of the 493 towns with a page on Visavi. 1,382 of those licences carry an A rating, and 2 carry a B rating. Within about 25 miles, another 3,636 Skilled Worker licences list one of 53 other towns.
Counted by the register's own town column, Leicester's Skilled Worker licences are 1.1% of the 123,132 Skilled Worker licences on the register.
Counting every licence route, 1,419 organisations in Leicester hold a sponsor licence of some kind.
Besides Skilled Worker, the licence routes held most often here are Tier 2 Ministers of Religion (27), Global Business Mobility: Senior or Specialist Worker (25) and Religious Worker (21).
23 of the Skilled Worker sponsors in Leicester also hold a Global Business Mobility licence, the routes that bring an overseas employer's staff to work in the UK.
By registered name, 137 have "care" or "healthcare" in their name; 68 have "restaurant", "kitchen", "cafe" or "food" in their name; and 21 have "construction", "building" or "engineering" in their name.
The nearest towns with their own page are Loughborough (9 miles, 121 licences), Hinckley (12 miles, 47 licences), Coalville (12 miles, 33 licences) and Lutterworth (13 miles, 26 licences).
| Licence route | Count |
|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | 1,384 |
| Tier 2 Ministers of Religion | 27 |
| Global Business Mobility: Senior or Specialist Worker | 25 |
| Religious Worker | 21 |
| Creative Worker | 20 |
| Rating | Licences |
|---|---|
| A rating | 1,382 |
| B rating | 2 |
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
- Caterpillar UK Holdings Limited
- Kalyan Gold and Diamond Jewellery Limited
- Ametek European Holdings Limited
- AST SpaceMobile UK Limited
- Delifrance UK Ltd
- Emerson Process Management Limited
- Europcar Group UK Limited
- Global Payments UK 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 Leicester sponsor visas?
On 5 October 2026, the Home Office register listed 1,384 Skilled Worker licences in Leicester, one for each organisation and town, and 1,419 organisations there held a sponsor licence of some kind. Within about 25 miles, another 3,636 Skilled Worker licences list one of 53 other towns.
Are the visa sponsors in Leicester A-rated?
1,382 of the 1,384 Skilled Worker licences in Leicester carry an A rating, and 2 carry 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 Leicester 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 Caterpillar UK Holdings Limited, Kalyan Gold and Diamond Jewellery Limited and Ametek European Holdings Limited.
What this means for your search in Leicester
- 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.