Imagine a message arrives on WhatsApp: a "recruiter" says a UK company will sponsor you, the offer letter is attached, and you only need to pay a "processing fee" this week. Before you reply, there is one free check that can settle the biggest question: does this employer actually appear on the UK government's list of licensed sponsors?
This guide shows you how to run that check, what a match does and does not prove, and what to do when the details do not line up. I am not giving you visa rules, fees or salary thresholds here, because those change. Confirm them on official UK government pages before you decide anything.
Why the sponsor licence matters
For a sponsored work visa, a UK employer generally needs permission from the Home Office to sponsor workers from outside the country. That permission is called a sponsor licence. Without it, the employer cannot issue the sponsorship document your visa application depends on.
So a job offer from an unlicensed company is not a visa route, however friendly the emails sound. Many people lose money and months by finding this out only after they have paid someone.
The UK government publishes a searchable list of licensed sponsors. It is the first place to look, and you can find it by searching "register of licensed sponsors workers" on GOV.UK. Always reach it through the gov.uk site itself, not through a link sent by a recruiter.
Step-by-step: checking the register
- Get the exact legal name. Ask for the full registered company name as written on the offer letter or contract. Trading names (the brand on the shop sign) often differ from the registered name.
- Find the company on Companies House. Companies House is the official UK company registry. Search the name and note the registered office address, company number, status (active or dissolved) and the directors listed. Take a screenshot with the date.
- Open the sponsor register from GOV.UK. It is normally provided as a downloadable spreadsheet or file. Use the search function in your spreadsheet app (Ctrl+F on a computer) to look for the company name.
- Search more than once. Try the full name, a shortened version, and without "Ltd" or "Limited". Check for small spelling differences. Care providers in particular can have near-identical names.
- Compare the details. If you find a match, compare the town and the type of licence or route with what you were told. A match on name alone is not enough. Is the listed town where your job is supposed to be? Does the listing cover the kind of worker route you were offered?
- Record the result. Save the date and a screenshot. The register is updated over time, so a check from months ago may be out of date.
What a match proves and what it does not
A match is a good sign, not a guarantee. It tells you the organisation held a licence when the list was published. It does not tell you that the job is real, that the person emailing you works there, or that the role qualifies for sponsorship.
| What you see | What it suggests | Your next move |
|---|---|---|
| Exact company name, same town, matching route | Licence likely valid for this kind of hire | Verify the recruiter and the job itself |
| Similar name, different town or company number | Could be a different business or an impersonation | Ask the employer to explain in writing; check Companies House |
| Name not found | No licence at the time of the list, or you have the wrong name | Ask for the registered name; do not pay anything yet |
| Company found but not for the route offered | Mismatch between offer and licence | Ask which route they plan to use and check GOV.UK guidance |
| Company dissolved on Companies House | Offer is very unlikely to be genuine | Walk away |
Verify the person, not just the company
Scammers copy real companies, including licensed ones. They use the real name, a real address and a fake email domain. So the register check must be followed by a people check.
- Find the company's official website yourself through a search engine. Compare the domain with the one in the emails. A real employer rarely recruits from a free Gmail or Yahoo address.
- Call the company's published switchboard number, not the number in the offer letter, and ask HR to confirm the vacancy and your name.
- Ask to speak to a hiring manager on a video call. Genuine employers interview; they do not hire purely by chat.
- Look up the recruiter on LinkedIn and see whether the company confirms they work there.
- Read the contract for the job title, salary, hours, work location and who your employer is. They should match what was advertised.
Money red flags
Treat any request for payment connected to getting the job or the sponsorship as a serious warning. Check the current official guidance on what employers may and may not charge workers, and see GOV.UK for how to report concerns. If someone wants you to pay a "sponsorship fee", "CoS fee" or "placement fee" to a personal account, pause and ask for written proof of what the money is for and who legally receives it.
Never borrow money or accept "proof of funds" arranged by a third party to make an application look stronger. That is a route to refusal and bans, and it falls outside the rules. If you want to learn how to show funds honestly for study, read our guide on spotting fake visa agents...
A worked example (hypothetical)
Take a fictional nurse, Ada, in Port Harcourt. She receives an offer from "BrightCare Services" for a care role in a UK town. The letter says her employer is "Bright Care Services Ltd".
She searches Companies House and finds two companies: "Bright Care Services Ltd" in Leeds, active, and "Brightcare Services Limited" in Luton, dissolved. The offer lists the job in Leeds. She downloads the sponsor register and searches "bright care". The Leeds company appears; the Luton one does not.
That is encouraging, but she goes further. The email came from a Gmail address, so she calls the Leeds switchboard from its website. HR says they have no vacancy under her recruiter's name. Ada stops, having spent nothing. The register match alone would have misled her.
The reverse can happen too. A genuine employer might appear under a slightly different name from the brand. Ada's habit of comparing town, number and contact route is what protects her either way.
Common mistakes
- Searching only the brand name. Use the registered legal name from the contract.
- Trusting a screenshot of the register. Recruiters can edit images. Run the search yourself.
- Treating a licence as a job guarantee. Sponsorship also depends on the role, your qualifications and the visa decision.
- Skipping the contract. If the contract names a different company from the one on the register, ask why.
- Paying before verifying. Do all checks first. A real employer will not mind the delay.
- Ignoring the date. Licences can be suspended or revoked. Re-check close to your application and again before you resign from your current job.
If something does not add up
Stop communication on payments, keep every message, and write down dates, account details and phone numbers. Report suspected fraud to the relevant UK authorities through GOV.UK and to the police in your own country. In Nigeria, you can also tell your bank quickly if you have already sent money, since speed helps. If you are using a consultant, check them with our guide on how to check a UK immigration adviser is properly regulated.
Health and care applicants should also read our checks before you accept a UK offer, since this sector sees many fake offers. Country note: the sponsor register checks are the same for Nigerians, Ghanaians, Kenyans and South Africans, but the payment tools you use to report a loss differ, so contact your own bank or mobile-money provider at once.
Frequently asked questions
Is the company missing from the register always a scam?
Not always. You may have the wrong name, or the licence may be very new. But until you get written, verifiable proof, treat it as unconfirmed and do not pay or resign.
Can a recruitment agency sponsor me?
Agencies may hold licences, but the arrangement can be complicated. Ask who your legal employer will be, which licensed organisation will sponsor you and where you will actually work. Get this in writing.
Does the register tell me my salary will qualify?
No. It only shows licensing. Check current salary and eligibility rules on the official GOV.UK pages for your route.
How often should I re-check?
Check when you receive the offer, again before you accept, and again before you leave your current job.
Your next step
Today, take the offer letter you have, copy the employer's registered name, and run it through Companies House and the sponsor register. Save the screenshots in a folder with the contract, and share them with a regulated adviser if you want a second opinion.
This is general information, not immigration or legal advice. Rules change often, so confirm on the official government website or with a licensed adviser, and avoid agents who promise guaranteed visas.