What are the most common jobs iranian nationals get sponsored for?

Home Office data shows the top occupations for iranian nationals on Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker visas are: Generalist medical practitioners, Dental practitioners, Programmers and software development professionals. Full breakdown in the table above.

Can iranian nationals apply for the Skilled Worker visa?

Yes. Nationality doesn't affect Skilled Worker eligibility. Iranian 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 iranian nationals?

Any UK employer with a Home Office sponsor licence can hire iranian nationals. Every company listed on Hunt UK Visa Sponsors holds one. Search jobs or browse the sponsor directory below.

UK Visa Sponsorship for Iranian Nationals

441visas in 2025-29.9% vs 202462%via Health & Care Worker

Grants by year

Data starts in 2020. The Skilled Worker route launched in December 2020 and the Health & Care Worker visa in August 2020, replacing earlier Tier 2 categories.

In 2025, 441 Iranian nationals were granted UK work visas on the Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker routes, down 30% on 2024. About 62% came through the Health & Care Worker route, mostly NHS and social-care roles.

The most common occupation for Iranian nationals in 2025 was Generalist medical practitioners (81 grants), followed by Dental practitioners (62) and Programmers and software development professionals (33). 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 Iranian nationals. Filter by sponsor licence, visa route, or occupation.

Top occupations for Iranian nationals

#	Occupation	Grants
1	Generalist medical practitioners	81	H&CHealth & Care
2	Dental practitioners	62	H&CHealth & Care
3	Programmers and software development professionals	33	SWSkilled Worker
4	Other registered nursing professionals	33	H&CHealth & Care
5	Specialist medical practitioners	19	H&CHealth & Care
6	Pharmacists	14	H&CHealth & Care
7	Other researchers, unspecified discipline	14	SWSkilled Worker
8	Other health professionals n.e.c.	13	H&CHealth & Care
9	Engineering professionals n.e.c.	12	SWSkilled Worker
10	Electrical engineers	11	SWSkilled Worker

Full occupation distribution for Iranian 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: 439 grants across 77 occupations.

YoY change:Strong declineDeclineStableGrowthStrong growthNew this year

Frequently asked questions

In 2025, 441 iranian nationals were granted UK work visas: 168 via Skilled Worker and 273 via Health & Care Worker.

Keep exploring

Search sponsored jobs

Current openings from Home Office licensed sponsors. Filter by visa route, salary, and occupation.

Compare other nationalities

Visa trends and top occupations for every nationality, browsable by region.

Grants by year

Data starts in 2020. The Skilled Worker route launched in December 2020 and the Health & Care Worker visa in August 2020, replacing earlier Tier 2 categories.