UK Visa Sponsorship for Ghanaian Nationals
Grants by year
Of the 8,699 grants in 2025, 602 went to people applying from outside the UK and 8,097 to people already here who switched route or extended (93%). 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 | 1,179 | 337 | 1,516 | ||
| 2022 | 3,612 | 1,461 | 5,073 | ||
| 2023 | 14,492 | 3,963 | 18,455 | ||
| 2024 | 1,863 | 6,671 | 8,534 | ||
| 2025 | 602 | 8,097 | 8,699 |
† 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 Ghanaian applicants in 2025
Of the 375 Skilled Worker decisions on applications Ghanaian main applicants made from outside the UK in 2025, 162 (43%) were refusals, against 20% across all nationalities. Inside the UK, 37 of 1,015 (3.6%) were refusals, against 2.1%.
Of the 463 Health and Care Worker decisions on applications Ghanaian main applicants made from outside the UK in 2025, 74 (16%) were refusals, against 17% across all nationalities. Inside the UK, 247 of 7,366 (3.4%) were refusals, against 2.1%.
Show the numbers for Ghanaian applicants
| Route | Granted outside | Refused outside | Withdrawn outside | Share outside | Granted inside | Refused inside | Share inside |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | 213 | 162 | 49 | 43% | 978 | 37 | 3.6% |
| Health and Care Worker | 389 | 74 | 9 | 16% | 7,119 | 247 | 3.4% |
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
Ghanaian students: what happens after study
Of the 1,022 Ghanaian students who arrived in 2020, 62% held a UK visa five years later and 30% were on a Skilled Worker visa.
Share holding a UK visa three years after arriving, including students still studying, by year of arrival. Years with fewer than 300 students are left out.
- Ghanaian students
- All students
Show the numbers for Ghanaian students
| Arrived | Students | Visa after 3 years | All students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 716 | 54% | 43% |
| 2009 | 670 | 52% | 44% |
| 2010 | 771 | 49% | 41% |
| 2011 | 916 | 27% | 33% |
| 2012 | 1,006 | 25% | 33% |
| 2013 | 893 | 28% | 32% |
| 2014 | 690 | 29% | 32% |
| 2015 | 737 | 34% | 32% |
| 2016 | 800 | 36% | 34% |
| 2017 | 721 | 40% | 33% |
| 2018 | 996 | 49% | 34% |
| 2019 | 1,284 | 55% | 38% |
| 2020 | 1,022 | 74% | 56% |
| 2021 | 2,383 | 79% | 56% |
| 2022 | 4,046 | 76% | 58% |
In 2025, 8,699 UK work visas on the Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker routes went to Ghanaian nationals, about the same as 2024. About 86% came through the Health & Care Worker route, mostly NHS and social-care roles.
602 of those went to people applying from outside the UK. The other 8,097 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 Ghanaian nationals in 2025 was Care workers and home carers (124 grants), followed by Other registered nursing professionals (104) and Generalist medical practitioners (52). 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 Ghanaian nationals. Filter by sponsor licence, visa route, or occupation.
Top occupations for Ghanaian nationals
Visas granted outside the UK only: 602 of the 8,699 granted to Ghanaian nationals in 2025 (6%). The Home Office publishes no job breakdown for the visas granted inside the UK.
| # | Occupation | Grants | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Care workers and home carers | 124 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 2 | Other registered nursing professionals | 104 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 3 | Generalist medical practitioners | 52 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 4 | Fishing and other elementary agriculture occupations n.e.c. | 36 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 5 | Fishmongers and poultry dressers | 27 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 6 | Registered mental health nurses | 15 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 7 | Senior care workers | 15 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 8 | Midwifery nurses | 13 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 9 | Secondary education teaching professionals | 13 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 10 | Agricultural and fishing trades n.e.c. | 12 | SWSkilled Worker |
Full occupation distribution for Ghanaian 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: 598 grants across 86 occupations, counting visas granted outside the UK only. That is 6% of the 8,699 granted to Ghanaian nationals in 2025. The Home Office publishes no job breakdown for the visas granted inside the UK.
Frequently asked questions
How many Ghanaian nationals got UK work visas in 2025?
In 2025, 8,699 UK work visas on the Skilled Worker and Health & Care Worker routes went to Ghanaian nationals: 602 granted outside the UK and 8,097 granted inside it to people already here who switched route or extended. By route, that is 1,191 Skilled Worker and 7,508 Health & Care Worker.
Do Ghanaian 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, 8,097 of the 8,699 grants to Ghanaian 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 Ghanaian nationals get sponsored for?
Home Office data shows the top occupations for Ghanaian nationals on Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker visas are: Care workers and home carers, Other registered nursing professionals, Generalist 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 Ghanaian nationals apply for the Skilled Worker visa?
Yes. Nationality doesn't affect Skilled Worker eligibility. Ghanaian 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).
Which UK companies sponsor Ghanaian nationals?
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 Ghana — tax, purchasing power and visa costs.