What does an A or B sponsor licence rating mean?
An A rating lets a sponsor assign certificates of sponsorship, needed to apply for a visa. A B rating is a downgrade that stops new sponsored hires. On 3 November 2026, 105 of 123,091 Skilled Worker licences were B-rated.
Where to see the rating
The rating is in the Type & Rating column of the register of licensed sponsors, for example “Worker (A rating)” or “Worker (B rating)”. Licences covering Skilled Worker on the register of 3 November 2026 (our count):
| Rating | Licences |
|---|---|
| A rating | 122,983 |
| B rating | 105 |
| Other labels, such as A (Premium) or A (SME+) | 3 |
| All Skilled Worker licences | 123,091 |
The register doesn’t say why a licence was downgraded, and it changes often, so a rating can be different the next time you look.
What a B rating means
GOV.UK says the Home Office can downgrade a licence from A to B if the sponsor stops meeting its sponsor duties. The sponsor then has to follow an action plan from UK Visas and Immigration, which costs it £1,579.
- If it completes the plan and nothing else needs improving, it goes back to A.
- If it doesn’t pay for the plan within 10 working days, or doesn’t complete it, it loses the licence.
- A sponsor can be B-rated at most 2 times in any 4-year period. A sponsor that meets the downgrade criteria again after that loses the licence (sponsor guidance part 3, C8.22 and C8.24).
New hires and existing workers
A B-rated sponsor can’t assign a certificate of sponsorship to a new worker until it is back to an A rating. It can still assign one to a worker it was already sponsoring on a Worker or Temporary Worker route who needs to apply to stay (sponsor guidance part 3, C8.15).
The guidance says a B-rated sponsor won’t be allowed to sponsor any new workers until it is back to A (C8.3). Someone already working there on a Graduate visa isn’t sponsored yet, so switching them to Skilled Worker would mean sponsoring a new worker.
A rating is about the employer’s sponsor duties, not about a particular job. It doesn’t say anything about pay or working conditions.
What it means for your job search
Each company page on SponsorJobs shows the licence rating from the latest register file we have matched, next to the routes the licence covers. Ratings change when the register updates, so the page shows the rating on that file. How to check a licence on the register.
Common questions
Can a B-rated sponsor hire me on a Skilled Worker visa?
Not as a new hire. A B-rated sponsor can’t assign certificates of sponsorship to new workers until it is back to A. The only exception is workers it was already sponsoring who need to apply to stay.
Can a B-rated sponsor switch me from a Graduate visa?
Not while it is B-rated. The sponsor guidance says a B-rated sponsor can’t sponsor any new workers until it is back to A, and a Graduate visa holder isn’t sponsored yet.
How many licences are B-rated?
105 of the 123,091 licences covering Skilled Worker on the register of 3 November 2026 (our count from the GOV.UK file).
Why was a sponsor downgraded to a B rating?
The register doesn’t say. GOV.UK says a licence can be downgraded when the sponsor isn’t meeting its sponsor duties.