UK Work Visa Sponsorship for Filipinos
The UK's care boom brought tens of thousands of Filipino workers over on sponsored visas. Then the rules tightened. Sponsorship is still open, but the jobs have shifted: trades, agriculture, and health roles that clear the current salary thresholds. Here's what the data shows.
Grants by year
Of the 13,681 grants in 2025, 2,552 went to people applying from outside the UK and 11,129 to people already here who switched route or extended (81%). 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 | 6,390 | 3,616 | 10,006 | ||
| 2022 | 11,117 | 6,941 | 18,058 | ||
| 2023 | 10,230 | 5,549 | 15,779 | ||
| 2024 | 4,721 | 8,708 | 13,429 | ||
| 2025 | 2,552 | 11,129 | 13,681 |
† 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 Filipino applicants in 2025
Of the 1,972 Skilled Worker decisions on applications Filipino main applicants made from outside the UK in 2025, 130 (6.6%) were refusals, against 20% across all nationalities. Inside the UK, 14 of 3,099 (0.5%) were refusals, against 2.1%.
Of the 739 Health and Care Worker decisions on applications Filipino main applicants made from outside the UK in 2025, 29 (3.9%) were refusals, against 17% across all nationalities. Inside the UK, 19 of 8,063 (0.2%) were refusals, against 2.1%.
Show the numbers for Filipino applicants
| Route | Granted outside | Refused outside | Withdrawn outside | Share outside | Granted inside | Refused inside | Share inside |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | 1,842 | 130 | 42 | 6.6% | 3,085 | 14 | 0.5% |
| Health and Care Worker | 710 | 29 | 8 | 3.9% | 8,044 | 19 | 0.2% |
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, 13,681 UK work visas on the Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker routes went to Filipino nationals, about the same as 2024. About 64% came through the Health & Care Worker route, mostly NHS and social-care roles.
2,552 of those went to people applying from outside the UK. The other 11,129 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 Filipino nationals in 2025 was Care workers and home carers (303 grants), followed by Butchers (281) and Farmers (251). 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 Filipino nationals. Filter by sponsor licence, visa route, or occupation.
Top occupations for Filipino nationals
Visas granted outside the UK only: 2,552 of the 13,681 granted to Filipino nationals in 2025 (18%). The Home Office publishes no job breakdown for the visas granted inside the UK.
| # | Occupation | Grants | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Care workers and home carers | 303 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 2 | Butchers | 281 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 3 | Farmers | 251 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 4 | Welding trades | 207 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 5 | Electrical and electronic trades n.e.c. | 135 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 6 | Other registered nursing professionals | 107 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 7 | Engineering technicians | 91 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 8 | Medical radiographers | 81 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 9 | Carpenters and joiners | 67 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 10 | Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians | 64 | SWSkilled Worker |
Full occupation distribution for Filipino 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: 2,537 grants across 138 occupations, counting visas granted outside the UK only. That is 18% of the 13,681 granted to Filipino nationals in 2025. The Home Office publishes no job breakdown for the visas granted inside the UK.
Frequently asked questions
Can Filipinos work in the UK?
Yes, through employer sponsorship. A job offer from a UK employer holding a Home Office sponsor licence gets you a Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker visa; nationality is no barrier. In 2025, 13,681 Filipinos were granted UK work visas.
Can Filipino care workers still get UK sponsorship?
Not from abroad. Since 22 July 2025, care workers and senior care workers can no longer be sponsored from outside the UK. From inside the UK you can still be sponsored in these roles in two cases: you already hold a Skilled Worker visa as a care worker or senior care worker, or you have worked legally for the employer that will sponsor you, in one of these roles, for at least the 3 months before it issues your certificate of sponsorship. In the second case you must apply before 22 July 2028. Nurses and other health professionals are unaffected and can still be sponsored directly from the Philippines.
How many Filipinos got UK work visas in 2025?
13,681: 4,927 through the Skilled Worker route and 8,754 through Health & Care Worker. 2,552 were granted outside the UK and 11,129 to people already here, switching route or extending.
What jobs do Filipinos get sponsored for in the UK?
In 2025 the top occupations were Care workers and home carers, Butchers, and Farmers. Skilled trades now rank alongside care and health work. Any occupation on the Skilled Worker eligible list qualifies if the employer holds a licence and the pay clears the salary floor for that occupation code; health roles have lower thresholds than the general £41,700 rate.
Which UK companies sponsor Filipino workers?
Any employer with a Home Office sponsor licence, and every company on Hunt UK Visa Sponsors holds one. Use the search below to see who's hiring now. One warning: sponsors cannot legally charge you for a Certificate of Sponsorship. If a recruiter in Manila or anywhere else asks you to pay for UK sponsorship, walk away.
Keep exploring
Current openings from Home Office licensed sponsors. Filter by visa route, salary, and occupation.
Visa trends and top occupations for every nationality, browsable by region.
See what a UK salary is really worth compared with Philippines — tax, purchasing power and visa costs.