UK updates register of employers licensed to give work visas for Kenyans, others

This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.

- UK Visas and Immigration published an updated register of worker- and temporary-worker-licensed sponsors on July 29, 2026

- The register lists all UK employers authorised to issue Certificates of Sponsorship to foreign nationals, including Kenyans, enabling them to move and work in the UK

- The update coincides with sweeping changes to UK immigration rules introduced since the May 2025 immigration white paper

UK Visas and Immigration has released an updated version of its official register of worker- and temporary-worker-licensed sponsors.

The register confirms which employers in the United Kingdom are legally permitted to sponsor work visas for foreign nationals, including Kenyan professionals.

The guidance update, dated July 29, 2026, lists every UK employer currently holding a valid sponsor licence.

For Kenyan job seekers eyeing opportunities in Britain, the register is the authoritative starting point for confirming whether a prospective employer can legally offer sponsored employment. The updated register currently contains 142,645 licensed employers.

What a Sponsor Licence Means

A sponsor licence is a formal permission granted by UK Visas and Immigration to employers who wish to recruit workers from outside the UK, the European Economic Area, or Switzerland.

Only companies on the register can issue a Certificate of Sponsorship, which is an electronic document carrying a unique reference number used in a visa application. Without it, a foreign national cannot obtain a Skilled Worker visa, a Temporary Worker visa, or most other work-related permits.

The Certificate of Sponsorship contains the job title, salary, and start date, and confirms that the role meets the skill and pay requirements for the visa route in question.

It is valid for three months from the date it is assigned under the Skilled Worker route, though timelines vary for other routes.

The register distinguishes between two categories of licence. A worker licence covers long-term employment routes such as the Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility, and Senior or Specialist Worker visas.

A temporary worker licence covers shorter-term roles including creative work, charity placements, religious work, government-authorised exchange programmes, and internships.

Kenyans considering employment in the UK should verify any prospective employer against the official register before accepting a job offer, particularly given reports of fraudulent recruitment agencies falsely claiming to hold sponsor licences.

Healthcare, information technology, engineering, and finance remain sectors where Kenyan professionals are most actively recruited, with the National Health Service and major universities among the most consistent sponsors of overseas workers.

The July 2026 register update comes amid significant tightening of UK immigration policy.

UK changes to visa rules

In other news, the UK Home Office published sweeping changes to the Immigration Rules that tightened requirements for work, student, family, visitor and settlement visa routes.

The new rules required many applicants to comply with immigration laws and introduced updated provisions affecting skilled workers, students, dependants, family visa applicants and Electronic Travel Authorisation applicants.

The reforms also tightened criminality and deportation rules, with some foreign nationals convicted of serious offences facing refusal of entry, permission to stay or deportation unless specific exceptions applied.

Most of the changes are expected to take effect on August 3, 2026, while applications submitted before that date will be assessed under the previous immigration rules.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.