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In 2025, the UK job market looks promising. More employers are hiring international graduates and offering Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Many entry-level jobs now pay between £30,000 and £35,000. This is especially common in industries with worker shortages, like tech, healthcare, engineering, finance, and education.
This article is for international students about to graduate, recent graduates in the UK looking for jobs with visa support, and career changers from other countries who have the right qualifications and want to start a new career in the UK.
Why the UK Is Hiring International Graduates in 2025
In 2025, the demand for international graduates in the UK is rising for several reasons. One major factor is the labour shortage in major industries like healthcare, IT, engineering, finance, and education. These sectors have serious skill gaps, and hiring within the UK hasn’t been enough to fill them.
Recent changes to the UK’s immigration rules have made it easier for international graduates to find work. The Graduate visa now provides a clear path to the Skilled Worker visa. This allows eligible graduates to stay in the UK after their studies and move into full-time jobs with sponsorship. The process is now simpler and helps international talent build long-term careers in the UK.
Many UK companies are growing their global presence, which has created a need for more diverse skills and international experience. As a result, more employers are open to hiring people from outside the UK. They see the value that global talent brings to innovation, teamwork across cultures, and staying competitive in the market.
What Is a Visa Sponsorship Job?
A visa sponsorship job is a role offered by a UK employer who is approved to hire foreign workers. The employer helps with the visa process by confirming the job offer, checking the candidate’s eligibility, and providing the needed documents. This support allows international graduates and professionals to live and work in the UK through the Skilled Worker visa.
The Skilled Worker visa is the main way for most international job seekers to work in the UK. To qualify, you need a confirmed job offer from an approved employer, meet the minimum salary requirements, and meet other conditions. These include showing you can speak English, having the right skills or experience, and passing background checks. The job must also be on the UK government’s list of approved occupations.
Employers who sponsor foreign workers have several duties. They must make sure the job meets visa rules, pay the Immigration Skills Charge, and give the worker a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). Some employers also help with visa costs or relocation, but this depends on the company. Candidates must apply for a valid visa, pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, and follow all visa rules while they are in the UK.
Top Industries Offering Graduate Jobs with Visa Sponsorship
In 2025, many important industries in the UK still face worker shortages. This has increased demand for international graduates and led more employers to offer visa sponsorship. These sectors give recent graduates a clear way to start their careers, with good salaries, long-term job opportunities, and a clear path to a Skilled Worker visa.
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Information Technology & Software
The tech industry is one of the easiest for international graduates to enter. Entry-level jobs, like junior software developer, QA tester, IT support analyst, and data analyst, usually pay between £28,000 and £35,000. Companies like Deloitte UK, Infosys, ThoughtWorks, Capgemini, and Cognizant are approved sponsors and often hire international talent. Most tech roles qualify for the Skilled Worker visa and offer remote or hybrid work. Graduates with programming skills, data knowledge, or certifications like AWS or CompTIA are in high demand.
Healthcare & Allied Services
Healthcare remains a top sector for hiring international workers. Salaries usually range from £26,000 to £33,000. Common roles include nurses, care assistants, radiographers, mental health support workers, and physiotherapists. Major employers like NHS Trusts, Bupa, HC-One, and Care UK often sponsor candidates through the Health and Care Worker visa. This visa is part of the Skilled Worker route but comes with lower fees and faster processing. Many employers also offer help with relocation, making healthcare a strong option for graduates in health-related fields.
Engineering & Construction
The engineering and construction sector continues to need skilled workers. Graduate roles like civil engineer, site engineer, mechanical engineer, and construction assistant usually pay between £30,000 and £35,000. Companies like Arup, Mott MacDonald, Balfour Beatty, and WSP often sponsor Skilled Worker visas for qualified candidates. Most roles require an engineering degree or similar qualifications, and graduates should be ready to work on-site or in a mix of office and field locations on infrastructure and development projects.
Financial Services & Accounting
Graduates with degrees in business, finance, or economics can join structured graduate schemes in the financial sector. These roles usually pay between £28,000 and £35,000. Common jobs include audit associate, junior analyst, risk consultant, and compliance officer. Top firms like EY, PwC, Deloitte, and KPMG are approved visa sponsors and include sponsorship in their hiring process. Many of these roles offer ACCA or CIMA training, chances to move up quickly, and rotations across different departments.
Education & Teaching Support
The education sector also offers visa sponsorship, especially for teachers in high-demand subjects and support roles. Salaries usually range from £26,000 to £32,000. Common jobs include teaching assistants, trainee teachers, and subject specialists in STEM and languages. Employers like Teach First, academy trusts, and local councils often sponsor Skilled Worker visas. The UK government supports international hiring to help fill teaching shortages, especially in under-resourced areas. Some programmes also offer help with relocation or training.
Where to Find These Jobs
To find graduate jobs in the UK with visa sponsorship, international applicants should use the right platforms and smart search methods. Some job boards and official websites list jobs from employers approved to sponsor Skilled Worker visas. This helps candidates focus on roles they qualify for and avoid wasting time on jobs that don’t offer sponsorship.
Start by using trusted job boards like Indeed UK, Glassdoor, Reed.co.uk, and Totaljobs. These platforms let you filter for jobs that offer visa sponsorship. Use keywords like “Skilled Worker visa,” “Tier 2 sponsorship,” or “visa sponsorship available” when searching. On Indeed, you can also use advanced filters to narrow jobs by salary, location, and type, making it easier to find roles in the £30,000 to £35,000 range.
The UK Home Office’s Register of Licensed Sponsors is an important tool for checking which employers can legally sponsor work visas. The list is public, updated often, and lets you search by company name, industry, or location. Before applying, always check that the employer is on this register to make sure they can offer visa sponsorship.
Graduate Roles Offering Visa Sponsorship (2025)
Many graduate jobs in the UK now offer visa sponsorship, giving international applicants a clear way to start full-time work. The examples below show real job opportunities in high-demand fields. They include typical salaries, benefits from employers, and the kind of visa support available in 2025.
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Graduate Software Developer
- Salary: £32,000 per annum
- Company: Deloitte UK
- Benefits: Hybrid work model, structured onboarding, technical training, and progression opportunities
- Visa Sponsorship: Skilled Worker visa provided
This role is a great fit for graduates who know how to code, think analytically, and are interested in enterprise tech. Deloitte offers visa support and provides training and career development for international candidates.
Audit Graduate Scheme
- Salary: £28,500 per annum
- Company: EY (Ernst & Young), Manchester
- Benefits: ACCA/CIMA sponsorship, mentorship, rotation across departments, and long-term career planning
- Visa Sponsorship: Tier 2 sponsorship included
This role is ideal for graduates with degrees in finance, business, or economics. EY’s graduate scheme includes both training and real work experience, helping candidates earn professional certification and move into full-time roles.
Care Assistant
- Salary: £27,000 per annum
- Employer: NHS Trust, Birmingham
- Benefits: Health and Care Worker visa, relocation support, subsidised accommodation, and paid training
- Visa Sponsorship: Health and Care Worker visa sponsored
Healthcare roles like this are open to international graduates from different fields. The NHS encourages applicants who are caring, strong, and good communicators. They also cover visa fees and speed up the application process.
Junior Data Analyst
- Salary: £30,000 per annum
- Company: Turing.com
- Benefits: Remote work options, performance-based growth, access to global mentorship network
- Visa Sponsorship: Skilled Worker visa support available
This role is great for graduates who have skills in Excel, SQL, Python, or data visualisation tools. Turing.com is a remote-first company that offers flexible work and helps with the legal and admin steps for UK visa processing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum salary required for a Skilled Worker visa in 2025?
As of 2025, the general salary threshold for most Skilled Worker visa roles is £30,960 per year or £10.75 per hour.
Do all UK employers offer visa sponsorship?
No. Only employers licensed by the Home Office can sponsor Skilled Worker visas. These are listed in the official UK government register of licensed sponsors.
Are part-time or freelance roles eligible for visa sponsorship?
Generally, no. Skilled Worker visa roles must meet minimum salary and hour requirements, which typically rule out part-time, casual, or freelance positions.
Is visa sponsorship available for non-STEM graduates?
Yes. While STEM fields dominate sponsorship opportunities, non-STEM graduates can also find roles in education, healthcare, finance, marketing, and business operations, especially in companies with global reach and regular sponsorship needs.
Conclusion
If you match your skills with what industries need, use the Graduate-to-Skilled Worker visa route, and focus on licensed employers, you can move smoothly from studying to working in the UK. The process might seem complicated, but with focus, smart job search strategies, and the right mindset, getting a sponsored graduate job is very possible and more accessible than ever. The future is open to those who prepare, and in the UK, opportunities are waiting.
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