UK Visa Sponsorship for Spanish Nationals
Grants by year
Of the 2,067 grants in 2025, 1,040 went to people applying from outside the UK and 1,027 to people already here who switched route or extended (50%). 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 | 978 | 19 | 997 | ||
| 2022 | 1,551 | 211 | 1,762 | ||
| 2023 | 1,382 | 495 | 1,877 | ||
| 2024 | 1,198 | 751 | 1,949 | ||
| 2025 | 1,040 | 1,027 | 2,067 |
† 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 Spanish applicants in 2025
Of the 973 Skilled Worker decisions on applications Spanish main applicants made from outside the UK in 2025, 5 (0.5%) were refusals, against 20% across all nationalities. Inside the UK, 0 of 902 (0%) were refusals, against 2.1%.
Of the 72 Health and Care Worker decisions on applications Spanish main applicants made from outside the UK in 2025, 0 (0%) were refusals, against 17% across all nationalities. Inside the UK, 0 of 125 (0%) were refusals, against 2.1%.
Show the numbers for Spanish applicants
| Route | Granted outside | Refused outside | Withdrawn outside | Share outside | Granted inside | Refused inside | Share inside |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | 968 | 5 | 47 | 0.5% | 902 | 0 | 0% |
| Health and Care Worker | 72 | 0 | 1 | 0% | 125 | 0 | 0% |
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, 2,067 UK work visas on the Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker routes went to Spanish nationals, about the same as 2024. About 90% came through the Skilled Worker route, spanning professional, technical, and managerial jobs.
1,040 of those went to people applying from outside the UK. The other 1,027 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 Spanish nationals in 2025 was Finance and investment analysts and advisers (190 grants), followed by Management consultants and business analysts (66) and Programmers and software development professionals (54). 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 Spanish nationals. Filter by sponsor licence, visa route, or occupation.
Top occupations for Spanish nationals
Visas granted outside the UK only: 1,040 of the 2,067 granted to Spanish nationals in 2025 (50%). The Home Office publishes no job breakdown for the visas granted inside the UK.
| # | Occupation | Grants | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance and investment analysts and advisers | 190 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 2 | Management consultants and business analysts | 66 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 3 | Programmers and software development professionals | 54 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 4 | Veterinarians | 40 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 5 | Sales accounts and business development managers | 35 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 6 | Natural and social science professionals n.e.c. | 33 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 7 | Chief executives and senior officials | 29 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 8 | Financial managers and directors | 27 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 9 | IT business analysts, architects and systems designers | 25 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 10 | Mechanical engineers | 23 | SWSkilled Worker |
Full occupation distribution for Spanish 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: 1,040 grants across 132 occupations, counting visas granted outside the UK only. That is 50% of the 2,067 granted to Spanish nationals in 2025. The Home Office publishes no job breakdown for the visas granted inside the UK.
Frequently asked questions
How many Spanish nationals got UK work visas in 2025?
In 2025, 2,067 UK work visas on the Skilled Worker and Health & Care Worker routes went to Spanish nationals: 1,040 granted outside the UK and 1,027 granted inside it to people already here who switched route or extended. By route, that is 1,870 Skilled Worker and 197 Health & Care Worker.
Do Spanish 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, 1,027 of the 2,067 grants to Spanish 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 Spanish nationals get sponsored for?
Home Office data shows the top occupations for Spanish nationals on Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker visas are: Finance and investment analysts and advisers, Management consultants and business analysts, Programmers and software development professionals. 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 Spanish nationals apply for the Skilled Worker visa?
Yes. Nationality doesn't affect Skilled Worker eligibility. Spanish 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 Spanish 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 Spain — tax, purchasing power and visa costs.