Visa-sponsoring employers in Portsmouth
242 employers in Portsmouth hold a Skilled Worker licence (register, 5 October 2026). Here's what that means for your search.
Home Office register,
The short answer
244
Skilled Worker licences in Portsmouth
Home Office register, 5 October 2026
Portsmouth has the 62nd highest count of the 493 towns with a page on Visavi. 244 of those licences carry an A rating, and none carries a B rating. Within about 25 miles, another 1,603 Skilled Worker licences list one of 46 other towns.
Counted by the register's own town column, Portsmouth's Skilled Worker licences are 0.20% of the 123,132 Skilled Worker licences on the register.
Counting every licence route, 252 organisations in Portsmouth 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 (8), Tier 2 Ministers of Religion (6) and Religious Worker (4).
7 of the Skilled Worker sponsors in Portsmouth also hold a Global Business Mobility licence, the routes that bring an overseas employer's staff to work in the UK.
By registered name, 25 have "care" or "healthcare" in their name; 11 have "restaurant", "kitchen", "cafe" or "food" in their name; and 5 have "school", "academy" or "college" in their name.
The nearest towns with their own page are Southsea (1 mile, 38 licences), Gosport (2 miles, 42 licences), Fareham (5 miles, 129 licences) and Havant (6 miles, 48 licences).
| Licence route | Count |
|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | 244 |
| Global Business Mobility: Senior or Specialist Worker | 8 |
| Tier 2 Ministers of Religion | 6 |
| Religious Worker | 4 |
| Global Business Mobility: Graduate Trainee | 2 |
| Rating | Licences |
|---|---|
| A rating | 244 |
| B rating | 0 |
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
- Airbus Defence and Space Limited
- Pall Europe Ltd
- Lead Forensics Limited
- LiuGong Machinery UK Ltd
- Navitas Life Sciences Limited
- SCIENION (UK) Limited
- Wartsila Voyage UK Limited
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 Portsmouth sponsor visas?
On 5 October 2026, the Home Office register listed 244 Skilled Worker licences in Portsmouth, one for each organisation and town, and 252 organisations there held a sponsor licence of some kind. Within about 25 miles, another 1,603 Skilled Worker licences list one of 46 other towns.
Are the visa sponsors in Portsmouth A-rated?
All 244 Skilled Worker licences in Portsmouth carry an A rating, and none 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 Portsmouth 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 Airbus Defence and Space Limited, Pall Europe Ltd and Lead Forensics Limited.
What this means for your search in Portsmouth
- 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.