UK Visa Sponsorship for Congolese Nationals
Grants by year
Of the 24 grants in 2025, 7 went to people applying from outside the UK and 17 to people already here who switched route or extended (71%). For all nationalities together, the Skilled Worker visa statistics show grants outside and inside the UK each quarter.
| Year | Outside the UK | Inside the UK | Skilled Worker | Health & Care Worker | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7 | 12 | 19 | ||
| 2022 | 18 | 7 | 25 | ||
| 2023 | 27 | 22 | 49 | ||
| 2024 | 17 | 18 | 35 | ||
| 2025 | 7 | 17 | 24 |
† 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.
Sponsorship for Congolese nationals is uncommon. Just 24 grants in 2025, inside and outside the UK combined. It still happens, but there are fewer licensed employers to compete for. Use the search below for current openings.
Frequently asked questions
How many Congolese nationals got UK work visas in 2025?
In 2025, 24 UK work visas on the Skilled Worker and Health & Care Worker routes went to Congolese nationals: 7 granted outside the UK and 17 granted inside it to people already here who switched route or extended. By route, that is 19 Skilled Worker and 5 Health & Care Worker.
Do Congolese 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, 17 of the 24 grants to Congolese 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 Congolese nationals get sponsored for?
Home Office data shows the top occupations for Congolese nationals on Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker visas are: IT business analysts, architects and systems designers, Functional managers and directors n.e.c., Specialist medical practitioners. 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 Congolese nationals apply for the Skilled Worker visa?
Yes. Nationality doesn't affect Skilled Worker eligibility. Congolese 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).