UK Work Visa Sponsorship for Turkish Citizens
The Ankara Agreement closed to new applicants at the end of 2020, so sponsorship is now the main way for Turkish citizens to work in the UK: a job offer from a licensed employer, then a Skilled Worker visa. The data below shows how many get one each year, and for which jobs.
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, 1,173 Turkish nationals were granted UK work visas on the Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker routes, down 38% on 2024. About 89% came through the Skilled Worker route, spanning professional, technical, and managerial jobs.
The most common occupation for Turkish nationals in 2025 was Veterinarians (95 grants), followed by Generalist medical practitioners (85) and Programmers and software development professionals (79). 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 Turkish nationals. Filter by sponsor licence, visa route, or occupation.
Top occupations for Turkish nationals
| # | Occupation | Grants | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Veterinarians | 95 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 2 | Generalist medical practitioners | 85 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 3 | Programmers and software development professionals | 79 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 4 | Sales accounts and business development managers | 51 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 5 | Advertising and marketing associate professionals | 45 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 6 | Chefs | 40 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 7 | Management consultants and business analysts | 32 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 8 | Finance and investment analysts and advisers | 29 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 9 | Business sales executives | 27 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 10 | Marketing and commercial managers | 24 | SWSkilled Worker |
Full occupation distribution for Turkish 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: 1,166 grants across 152 occupations.
Frequently asked questions
Can Turkish citizens work in the UK? Yes, with a sponsored visa. The special routes Turkish citizens once had are gone, so the standard rules apply: a job offer from an employer with a Home Office sponsor licence, then a Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker visa. 1,173 Turkish citizens got one in 2025.
Is the Ankara Agreement route to the UK still open? No. The Turkish Businessperson and Turkish Worker visas under the Ankara Agreement closed to new applicants on 31 December 2020, when the Brexit transition period ended. People already on those routes could extend or settle, but there's no new entry. For everyone else the practical path is Skilled Worker sponsorship.
How many Turkish citizens got UK work visas in 2025? 1,173: 1,046 through the Skilled Worker route and 127 through Health & Care Worker. In 2024 it was 1,907.
What jobs do Turkish citizens get sponsored for? In 2025 the top three were Veterinarians, Generalist medical practitioners, and Programmers and software development professionals. Vets top the list because the UK has had a shortage since Brexit and recruits abroad to fill it. Beyond those, any occupation on the Skilled Worker eligible list qualifies if the employer holds a licence and the pay clears the threshold for that occupation code.
Which UK companies sponsor Turkish citizens? Any employer with a Home Office sponsor licence, which covers every company listed on Hunt UK Visa Sponsors. Veterinary practices, hospitals, and software firms all show up strongly in the Turkish data. Search below for live openings.
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 Turkey — tax, purchasing power and visa costs.