How to answer "Do you need sponsorship?" on a UK job application

Last reviewed 29 September 2026

What do the right to work and sponsorship questions mean?

Many UK forms ask two questions together. "Do you have the right to work in the UK?" asks whether you can do this job today. "Will you need sponsorship now or in the future?" asks whether an employer will have to sponsor a visa for you at any point. They can have different answers.

Right to work is about the job on offer. Before you start, the employer must check that you're allowed to do that type of work, including any limit on your hours. That check is the right to work check.

Sponsorship is about what the employer would have to do. An employer with a sponsor licence can give you a certificate of sponsorship for an eligible job, and you use it to apply for a visa such as the Skilled Worker visa. An employer without a licence can't sponsor you until it gets one, so many ask the question early. Our sponsor licence checker shows who holds one.

Forms don't always say what "now or in the future" covers. It usually means the whole time you would work for this employer: you can start without sponsorship but expect to need it later, for example when your permission ends and the next visa needs a sponsor. So a British citizen answers Yes to the first question and No to the second, and a Graduate visa holder answers Yes to both.

If the advert says "right to work in the UK", read what job ad wording means first.

How do I answer "Do you need sponsorship?" in my situation?

Match your answer to the permission you hold today, then ask what happens when it ends. The middle two columns are the tick-box answers. The last column is wording for a comments box. If yours isn't listed, check your status first (see below).

Do I need sponsorship if I'm on a Graduate visa?

Yes, if you expect to need an employer to sponsor you after the visa ends. You can work now, so your right to work answer is Yes. But you can't extend a Graduate visa, and a Skilled Worker visa needs an employer to sponsor you. That is what "now or in the future" is asking about.

The Graduate visa, also called the Graduate route, lets you work in most jobs, look for work and be self-employed, GOV.UK says. It also says you cannot extend it, but you may be able to switch to a different visa, for example a Skilled Worker visa. That switch is where sponsorship starts.

A form that gets Yes to work and No to sponsorship assumes you're covered for as long as you work there. If you're not sure yet, answer Yes and say so in a comments box. If you know you won't need a sponsor, No is honest.

Our Graduate visa planner turns your course end date into your deadlines, including when to switch to a Skilled Worker visa.

What if the form asks only one of the two questions?

Answer the question that's asked, truthfully, then mention the other one yourself. If a form asks only about your right to work and you'll need sponsorship later, Yes alone is incomplete. Add a note, or say it in your cover letter or first call. If it asks only about sponsorship, answer for now and for later.

A right to work question asks about today, so a true Yes is not a lie. But the employer's check shows how long you can work here, so it's better if they hear about any time limit from you first.

What if I'm not sure what my status is?

Sign in to your UKVI account and view your eVisa. It shows your status and your rights, including work. Then get a share code from GOV.UK. You give your employer the code and your date of birth, and they can use them to check the types of job you're allowed to do and how long you can work here.

A share code works for a limited time, and you can get a new one whenever you need it.

• If you're a British or Irish citizen, you can't get a share code. You prove your right to work with a passport or another document GOV.UK lists.
• If you can't view your eVisa, you can use other ways to prove your right to work, such as your original immigration documents.
• If your eVisa is wrong, or you can view it but can't get a share code, report an error on GOV.UK.
• Don't send a share code with an application. Employers check before you start, so share it when they ask.

The share code check also shows any time limit on your work. Use that date wherever the table says [end date], and it helps you decide whether you will need sponsorship later. If your status is still unclear, ask a regulated immigration adviser.

What happens if I say No when I need sponsorship?

The employer's right to work check will show your real status before you start, so a false No usually comes out. In practice it can end the offer. The employer can't just take your word for it, because GOV.UK says it could face a civil penalty for employing an illegal worker without a correct check.

The check shows the types of work you're allowed to do and how long you can do it. So a No to sponsorship can look wrong as soon as the employer sees your end date, and a Yes to right to work you don't hold stops at the check.

A truthful Yes costs you some applications, because some employers filter on this answer. That is why people are tempted to tick No. It only moves the problem to a worse moment, after you have spent weeks in the process. Spend those weeks on employers that can say yes: our register of licensed sponsors shows who holds a licence, and it's worth telling the recruiter early.

A licence only shows an employer is able to sponsor, not that it will sponsor this job. Some adverts say so outright, for example "we do not offer visa sponsorship for this role". Read the advert for a sentence like that before you apply, and skip the job if you find one. If it only says you must have the right to work in the UK, read what that wording means.

If you have already given a wrong answer, correct it in your next message. When to tell an employer you need visa sponsorship has wording for that.

On a Student visa there is one more reason: GOV.UK says that if you break the conditions of your visa, you may not be able to come to the UK again. So don't say Yes to work your visa doesn't allow.

What can I say on a form, in a cover letter and in an interview?

Keep it to your status, what it allows and what you would need later. Say it once, calmly, in plain words. These three examples all use a Graduate visa. For your own situation, use the last column of the table. Replace [end date] with the date your eVisa or share code check shows.

In a form field:

Right to work in the UK: Yes, on a Graduate visa until [end date].

Sponsorship now or in the future: Yes, I would need sponsorship to stay after my Graduate visa ends.

In a cover letter, as one sentence:

I can work in the UK now on a Graduate visa, and I would need sponsorship to stay after [end date], so I checked that you are on the register of licensed sponsors before applying.

In an interview, out loud:

Yes, I have the right to work now. I'm on a Graduate visa until [month and year], which I can't extend, so I would need sponsorship to stay after that. I can give you a share code when you need one.

Only write "I checked" if you did. Our register of licensed sponsors shows who holds a licence. For CV wording, see how to mention visa status on a UK CV. If a form never asks about sponsorship, read when to tell an employer you need visa sponsorship.