UK Visa Sponsorship for Sudanese Nationals
Grants by year
Of the 1,056 grants in 2025, 239 went to people applying from outside the UK and 817 to people already here who switched route or extended (77%).
| Year | Outside the UK | Inside the UK | Skilled Worker | Health & Care Worker | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 349 | 449 | 798 | ||
| 2022 | 408 | 760 | 1,168 | ||
| 2023 | 332 | 846 | 1,178 | ||
| 2024 | 333 | 826 | 1,159 | ||
| 2025 | 239 | 817 | 1,056 |
† 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 Sudanese applicants in 2025
Fewer than 50 Skilled Worker decisions were made on applications Sudanese main applicants made from outside the UK in 2025, so no share is shown for that side. Inside the UK, 1 of 82 (1.2%) was a refusal, against 2.1%.
Of the 222 Health and Care Worker decisions on applications Sudanese main applicants made from outside the UK in 2025, 8 (3.6%) were refusals, against 17% across all nationalities. Inside the UK, 0 of 736 (0%) were refusals, against 2.1%.
Show the numbers for Sudanese applicants
| Route | Granted outside | Refused outside | Withdrawn outside | Share outside | Granted inside | Refused inside | Share inside |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | 25 | 4 | 0 | n/a | 81 | 1 | 1.2% |
| Health and Care Worker | 214 | 8 | 2 | 3.6% | 736 | 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, 1,056 UK work visas on the Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker routes went to Sudanese nationals, about the same as 2024. About 90% came through the Health & Care Worker route, mostly NHS and social-care roles.
239 of those went to people applying from outside the UK. The other 817 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 Sudanese nationals in 2025 was Generalist medical practitioners (145 grants), followed by Dental practitioners (46) and Specialist medical practitioners (13). 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 Sudanese nationals. Filter by sponsor licence, visa route, or occupation.
Top occupations for Sudanese nationals
Visas granted outside the UK only: 239 of the 1,056 granted to Sudanese nationals in 2025 (22%). The Home Office publishes no job breakdown for the visas granted inside the UK.
| # | Occupation | Grants | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Generalist medical practitioners | 145 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 2 | Dental practitioners | 46 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 3 | Specialist medical practitioners | 13 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 4 | Dental nurses | 9 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 5 | Programmers and software development professionals | 4 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 6 | Management consultants and business analysts | 2 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 7 | Chief executives and senior officials | 1 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 8 | Production managers and directors in construction | 1 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 9 | Marketing, sales and advertising directors | 1 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 10 | Functional managers and directors n.e.c. | 1 | SWSkilled Worker |
Full occupation distribution for Sudanese 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: 239 grants across 26 occupations, counting visas granted outside the UK only. That is 22% of the 1,056 granted to Sudanese nationals in 2025. The Home Office publishes no job breakdown for the visas granted inside the UK.
Frequently asked questions
How many sudanese nationals got UK work visas in 2025?
In 2025, 1,056 UK work visas on the Skilled Worker and Health & Care Worker routes went to sudanese nationals: 239 granted outside the UK and 817 granted inside it to people already here who switched route or extended. By route, that is 106 Skilled Worker and 950 Health & Care Worker.
Do sudanese 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, 817 of the 1,056 grants to sudanese 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 sudanese nationals get sponsored for?
Home Office data shows the top occupations for sudanese nationals on Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker visas are: Generalist medical practitioners, Dental practitioners, Specialist 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 sudanese nationals apply for the Skilled Worker visa?
Yes. Nationality doesn't affect Skilled Worker eligibility. Sudanese 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 sudanese nationals?
Any UK employer with a Home Office sponsor licence can hire sudanese nationals. Every company listed on Hunt UK Visa Sponsors holds one. Search jobs or browse the sponsor directory below.
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 Sudan — tax, purchasing power and visa costs.