Visa-sponsoring employers in Preston
377 employers in Preston hold a Skilled Worker licence (register, 5 October 2026). Here's what that means for your search.
Home Office register,
The short answer
379
Skilled Worker licences in Preston
Home Office register, 5 October 2026
Preston has the 41st highest count of the 493 towns with a page on Visavi. 378 of those licences carry an A rating, and 1 carries a B rating. Within about 25 miles, another 2,589 Skilled Worker licences list one of 61 other towns.
Counted by the register's own town column, Preston's Skilled Worker licences are 0.31% of the 123,132 Skilled Worker licences on the register.
Counting every licence route, 396 organisations in Preston 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 (7), Tier 2 Ministers of Religion (7) and Religious Worker (7).
6 of the Skilled Worker sponsors in Preston also hold a Global Business Mobility licence, the routes that bring an overseas employer's staff to work in the UK.
By registered name, 32 have "care" or "healthcare" in their name; 15 have "restaurant", "kitchen", "cafe" or "food" in their name; and 12 have "tech", "software", "digital" or "data" in their name.
The nearest towns with their own page are Blackburn (9 miles, 301 licences), Chorley (9 miles, 71 licences), Lytham St Annes (12 miles, 37 licences) and Accrington (14 miles, 58 licences).
| Licence route | Count |
|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | 379 |
| Global Business Mobility: Senior or Specialist Worker | 7 |
| Tier 2 Ministers of Religion | 7 |
| Religious Worker | 7 |
| Charity Worker | 5 |
| Rating | Licences |
|---|---|
| A rating | 378 |
| 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
- Jupitor Corporation
- Bricz Supply Chain Ltd
- Higher Health U.K. Limited
- Hinduja Global Solutions UK Limited (HGS UK Ltd)
- Merative UK Ltd
- Westinghouse Electric UK Holdings 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 Preston sponsor visas?
On 5 October 2026, the Home Office register listed 379 Skilled Worker licences in Preston, one for each organisation and town, and 396 organisations there held a sponsor licence of some kind. Within about 25 miles, another 2,589 Skilled Worker licences list one of 61 other towns.
Are the visa sponsors in Preston A-rated?
378 of the 379 Skilled Worker licences in Preston 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 Preston 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 Jupitor Corporation, Bricz Supply Chain Ltd and Higher Health U.K. Limited.
What this means for your search in Preston
- 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.