The Home Office frequently updates the licensed sponsor register but does not provide any explanation of what has changed.
This report looks at the changes made between the register published on 23 October 2026 and 9 November 2026.
These figures are based on the change between the official file versions. They do not explain why changes have been made to the register, as the Home Office does not explain this.
Key statistics
Between 23 October and 9 November 2026:
- Sponsors were added to the register: 758 (2 returned)
- Sponsors were removed from the register: 908
- Sponsors were downgraded to a B rating: 14
- Sponsors had their B rating removed: 4 (likely due to completing an action plan)
There were 150 more sponsors removed than added over the course of 2 and a half weeks. At the end of this time there were approximately 127,700 active sponsors on the register, of which 112 had a B rating.
When changes happened
The register was updated on 5 different dates:
- 28 October: 211 added, 214 removed (includes changes made since 23 October file)
- 29 October: 72 added, 50 removed
- 30 October: 62 added, 71 removed
- 5 November: 225 added, 327 removed
- 9 November: 186 added, 246 removed
The biggest update was on 5 November with over 300 sponsors removed.
Sponsors removed
Of the 908 sponsors removed:
- Skilled Worker: 862
- Global Business Mobility – Senior/ Specialist Worker: 62
- Charity Worker: 14
- Creative Worker: 13
- Minister of Religion: 12
- Religious Worker: 11
The most sponsors were removed from:
- London: 205
- Manchester: 31
- Birmingham: 25
- Leicester: 13
- Bristol: 11
- Cambridge: 9
Over 100 of the sponsors removed had a word related to care/health in their name.
What does this mean?
A sponsor can be removed from the register if their licence is cancelled, given up or has expired. The reason is not provided on the register. Some sponsors will be removed as part of normal process - such as a business closing or stopping sponsorship. Others will be removed due to Home Office compliance activity.
If you are working for a sponsor that has been removed, your visa may be curtailed. Often this will be for 60 days. See how to change your sponsor employer to find out what to do.
Sponsors added
Of the 758 sponsors added:
- Skilled Worker: 729
- Global Business Mobility – Senior/ Specialist Worker: 46
- Creative Worker, Minister of Religion, Charity Worker or UK Expansion Worker: A few
The most new sponsors were from:
- London: 202
- Manchester: 17
- Birmingham: 13
- Nottingham: 11
- Bristol: 10
- Slough: 9
Around 70 of the new sponsors had a word related to care/health in their name.
Sponsors downgraded to B rating
There were 14 sponsors who were downgraded to a B rating. This means that they still have their licence but cannot issue new Certificates of Sponsorship until they complete an action plan and return to an A rating.
4 sponsors were upgraded and had their B rating removed. This typically means they completed their action plan.
If you have a job offer from a B rated sponsor, please see A-rated vs B-rated sponsors.
What does this mean for me?
Finding a new job
New sponsors are added to the register every week. If searching in a specific town or sector, make sure to check regularly. You can search sponsors by town, route and sector.
Got a job offer?
Make sure to double check your employer. Sponsors can be downgraded or removed from the register since they were A-rated last month. See our guide on how to check if a UK company has a sponsor licence to find out what to check.
Already sponsored?
Search for your employer on our site regularly. Every company will have a history displayed so you can easily see if there have been any changes.
How we created this report
The Home Office publish the register as a spreadsheet on GOV.UK. We check each night to see if there is a new version. If there is we compare each line against the previous version and take note of what has changed. We note down any additions, removals, rating changes, route changes and town changes.
We began monitoring on 24 October 2026 so our first report does not cover the full month. From December we will publish a report each calendar month.
Sources
Comparison of 23 Oct and 9 Nov 2026 register files.
This guide is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules change, so check the official GOV.UK guidance for sponsors and take advice from a regulated adviser before acting. SponsorCheck is not connected to the Home Office.