UK Visa Sponsorship for Afghan Nationals
Grants by year
Of the 92 grants in 2025, 27 went to people applying from outside the UK and 65 to people already here who switched route or extended (71%).
| Year | Outside the UK | Inside the UK | Skilled Worker | Health & Care Worker | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14 | 9 | 23 | ||
| 2022 | 35 | 24 | 59 | ||
| 2023 | 114 | 25 | 139 | ||
| 2024 | 129 | 41 | 170 | ||
| 2025 | 27 | 65 | 92 |
† The Home Office published in-country grants for these years as one combined figure, so the route columns cover the visas granted outside the UK only. The combined amount is in the “inside the UK” column and in the total.
Select a Skilled Worker or Health & Care figure to see where those visas were granted. Grants to main applicants, not dependants. Counting starts in 2021, the first full year of these routes: the Skilled Worker visa opened in December 2020 and the Health & Care Worker visa in August 2020, replacing earlier Tier 2 categories. 2020 itself covers only those opening weeks, so it is left out rather than shown as a year.
Refusals and grants for Afghan applicants in 2025
Of the 94 Skilled Worker decisions on applications Afghan main applicants made from outside the UK in 2025, 76 (81%) were refusals, against 20% across all nationalities. Fewer than 50 Skilled Worker decisions were made on applications Afghan main applicants made inside the UK in 2025, so no share is shown for that side.
Show the numbers for Afghan applicants
| Route | Granted outside | Refused outside | Withdrawn outside | Share outside | Granted inside | Refused inside | Share inside |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | 18 | 76 | 6 | 81% | 33 | 2 | n/a |
This is what happened to decisions in 2025. It is not your chance of a visa. Counts are main applicants, not dependants.
See how often Skilled Worker visas are refused, for every nationality
In 2025, 92 UK work visas on the Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker routes went to Afghan nationals, down 46% on 2024. Grants were split roughly evenly between the two routes.
27 of those went to people applying from outside the UK. The other 65 went to people already here, switching from a Graduate, Student or other visa, or extending a sponsored job they already had. That second group is the larger one for most nationalities, and it is worth knowing about: if you are already in the UK on another visa, you are on the more common path, not the rare one.
Among the visas granted outside the UK, the most common occupation for Afghan nationals in 2025 was Specialist medical practitioners (3 grants), followed by Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale (3) and Managers and directors in retail and wholesale (2). The Home Office publishes no job breakdown for the visas granted inside the UK, so these counts cover the entry clearance half only. Other eligible Skilled Worker occupations are sponsorable too, as long as the employer holds a Home Office sponsor licence and the role clears the salary and skill-level thresholds for its SOC code.
Search the roles below to see who's currently hiring Afghan nationals. Filter by sponsor licence, visa route, or occupation.
Top occupations for Afghan nationals
Visas granted outside the UK only: 27 of the 92 granted to Afghan nationals in 2025 (29%). The Home Office publishes no job breakdown for the visas granted inside the UK.
| # | Occupation | Grants | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Specialist medical practitioners | 3 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 2 | Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale | 3 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 3 | Managers and directors in retail and wholesale | 2 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 4 | Managers in storage and warehousing | 2 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 5 | Generalist medical practitioners | 2 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 6 | Pharmaceutical technicians | 2 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 7 | Dental nurses | 2 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 8 | Hotel and accommodation managers and proprietors | 1 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 9 | Restaurant and catering establishment managers and proprietors | 1 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 10 | Veterinarians | 1 | SWSkilled Worker |
Full occupation distribution for Afghan nationals
Each rectangle is one occupation, sized by grant count and grouped by SOC major category. Color shows year-over-year change vs 2023. Total: 27 grants across 18 occupations, counting visas granted outside the UK only. That is 29% of the 92 granted to Afghan nationals in 2025. The Home Office publishes no job breakdown for the visas granted inside the UK.
Frequently asked questions
How many Afghan nationals got UK work visas in 2025?
In 2025, 92 UK work visas on the Skilled Worker and Health & Care Worker routes went to Afghan nationals: 27 granted outside the UK and 65 granted inside it to people already here who switched route or extended. By route, that is 51 Skilled Worker and 41 Health & Care Worker.
Do Afghan nationals have to apply for a UK work visa from outside the UK?
No. You can be sponsored from abroad, or switch into a sponsored visa from inside the UK if you already hold another one, such as a Graduate, Student or dependant visa. In 2025, 65 of the 92 grants to Afghan nationals were made in the UK, so switching is a normal route rather than an exception. A few visa types can't be switched from, including visitor and short-term study visas, and those do mean leaving and applying from abroad.
What are the most common jobs Afghan nationals get sponsored for?
Home Office data shows the top occupations for Afghan nationals on Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker visas are: Specialist medical practitioners, Sales supervisors - retail and wholesale, Managers and directors in retail and wholesale. Those counts cover visas granted outside the UK, the only half the Home Office publishes a job breakdown for. Full breakdown in the table above.
Can Afghan nationals apply for the Skilled Worker visa?
Yes. Nationality doesn't affect Skilled Worker eligibility. Afghan nationals qualify if they have a job offer from a Home Office licensed sponsor, the role is on the eligible occupations list, and the salary meets the threshold (usually £41,700 or the going rate for that SOC code, whichever is higher).