UK Visa Sponsorship for Nigerian Nationals
Grants by year
Of the 42,688 grants in 2025, 1,828 went to people applying from outside the UK and 40,860 to people already here who switched route or extended (96%).
| Year | Outside the UK | Inside the UK | Skilled Worker | Health & Care Worker | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,706 | 3,434 | 8,140 | ||
| 2022 | 13,223 | 12,837 | 26,060 | ||
| 2023 | 27,340 | 30,757 | 58,097 | ||
| 2024 | 3,649 | 40,178 | 43,827 | ||
| 2025 | 1,828 | 40,860 | 42,688 |
† 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 Nigerian applicants in 2025
Of the 605 Skilled Worker decisions on applications Nigerian main applicants made from outside the UK in 2025, 289 (48%) were refusals, against 20% across all nationalities. Inside the UK, 273 of 6,953 (3.9%) were refusals, against 2.1%.
Of the 1,719 Health and Care Worker decisions on applications Nigerian main applicants made from outside the UK in 2025, 207 (12%) were refusals, against 17% across all nationalities. Inside the UK, 1,119 of 35,299 (3.2%) were refusals, against 2.1%.
Show the numbers for Nigerian applicants
| Route | Granted outside | Refused outside | Withdrawn outside | Share outside | Granted inside | Refused inside | Share inside |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | 316 | 289 | 73 | 48% | 6,680 | 273 | 3.9% |
| Health and Care Worker | 1,512 | 207 | 19 | 12% | 34,180 | 1,119 | 3.2% |
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
Nigerian students: what happens after study
Of the 8,290 Nigerian students who arrived in 2020, 75% held a UK visa five years later and 45% 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.
- Nigerian students
- All students
Show the numbers for Nigerian students
| Arrived | Students | Visa after 3 years | All students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 9,351 | 69% | 43% |
| 2009 | 10,385 | 67% | 44% |
| 2010 | 10,420 | 63% | 41% |
| 2011 | 9,895 | 40% | 33% |
| 2012 | 8,954 | 38% | 33% |
| 2013 | 9,056 | 36% | 32% |
| 2014 | 7,861 | 34% | 32% |
| 2015 | 6,356 | 38% | 32% |
| 2016 | 4,136 | 43% | 34% |
| 2017 | 3,586 | 49% | 33% |
| 2018 | 4,368 | 59% | 34% |
| 2019 | 5,308 | 72% | 38% |
| 2020 | 8,290 | 87% | 56% |
| 2021 | 23,716 | 89% | 56% |
| 2022 | 56,167 | 88% | 58% |
In 2025, 42,688 UK work visas on the Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker routes went to Nigerian nationals, about the same as 2024. About 84% came through the Health & Care Worker route, mostly NHS and social-care roles.
1,828 of those went to people applying from outside the UK. The other 40,860 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 Nigerian nationals in 2025 was Generalist medical practitioners (588 grants), followed by Other registered nursing professionals (283) and Care workers and home carers (193). 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 Nigerian nationals. Filter by sponsor licence, visa route, or occupation.
Top occupations for Nigerian nationals
Visas granted outside the UK only: 1,828 of the 42,688 granted to Nigerian nationals in 2025 (4%). The Home Office publishes no job breakdown for the visas granted inside the UK.
| # | Occupation | Grants | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Generalist medical practitioners | 588 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 2 | Other registered nursing professionals | 283 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 3 | Care workers and home carers | 193 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 4 | Specialist medical practitioners | 77 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 5 | Registered mental health nurses | 65 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 6 | Registered nurse practitioners | 52 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 7 | Nursing auxiliaries and assistants | 34 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 8 | Programmers and software development professionals | 31 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 9 | Medical radiographers | 30 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 10 | Optometrists | 21 | H&CHealth & Care |
Full occupation distribution for Nigerian 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: 1,802 grants across 130 occupations, counting visas granted outside the UK only. That is 4% of the 42,688 granted to Nigerian nationals in 2025. The Home Office publishes no job breakdown for the visas granted inside the UK.
Frequently asked questions
How many Nigerian nationals got UK work visas in 2025?
In 2025, 42,688 UK work visas on the Skilled Worker and Health & Care Worker routes went to Nigerian nationals: 1,828 granted outside the UK and 40,860 granted inside it to people already here who switched route or extended. By route, that is 6,996 Skilled Worker and 35,692 Health & Care Worker.
Do Nigerian 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, 40,860 of the 42,688 grants to Nigerian 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 Nigerian nationals get sponsored for?
Home Office data shows the top occupations for Nigerian nationals on Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker visas are: Generalist medical practitioners, Other registered nursing professionals, Care workers and home carers. 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 Nigerian nationals apply for the Skilled Worker visa?
Yes. Nationality doesn't affect Skilled Worker eligibility. Nigerian 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 Nigerian 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 Nigeria — tax, purchasing power and visa costs.