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
Of the 3,620 grants in 2025, 1,167 went to people applying from outside the UK and 2,453 to people already here who switched route or extended (68%).
| Year | Outside the UK | Inside the UK | Skilled Worker | Health & Care Worker | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 813 | 610 | 1,423 | ||
| 2022 | 1,995 | 843 | 2,838 | ||
| 2023 | 2,142 | 1,209 | 3,351 | ||
| 2024 | 1,907 | 1,839 | 3,746 | ||
| 2025 | 1,167 | 2,453 | 3,620 |
† 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 Turkish applicants in 2025
Of the 1,198 Skilled Worker decisions on applications Turkish main applicants made from outside the UK in 2025, 156 (13%) were refusals, against 20% across all nationalities. Inside the UK, 16 of 2,177 (0.7%) were refusals, against 2.1%.
Of the 129 Health and Care Worker decisions on applications Turkish main applicants made from outside the UK in 2025, 4 (3.1%) were refusals, against 17% across all nationalities. Inside the UK, 0 of 292 (0%) were refusals, against 2.1%.
Show the numbers for Turkish applicants
| Route | Granted outside | Refused outside | Withdrawn outside | Share outside | Granted inside | Refused inside | Share inside |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | 1,042 | 156 | 21 | 13% | 2,161 | 16 | 0.7% |
| Health and Care Worker | 125 | 4 | 6 | 3.1% | 292 | 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
Turkish students: what happens after study
Of the 1,255 Turkish students who arrived in 2020, 46% held a UK visa five years later and 15% 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.
- Turkish students
- All students
Show the numbers for Turkish students
| Arrived | Students | Visa after 3 years | All students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 4,614 | 28% | 43% |
| 2009 | 5,004 | 32% | 44% |
| 2010 | 3,427 | 33% | 41% |
| 2011 | 2,350 | 30% | 33% |
| 2012 | 1,614 | 33% | 33% |
| 2013 | 1,768 | 34% | 32% |
| 2014 | 1,583 | 33% | 32% |
| 2015 | 1,535 | 35% | 32% |
| 2016 | 1,762 | 46% | 34% |
| 2017 | 1,963 | 45% | 33% |
| 2018 | 1,732 | 50% | 34% |
| 2019 | 1,797 | 51% | 38% |
| 2020 | 1,255 | 66% | 56% |
| 2021 | 2,290 | 66% | 56% |
| 2022 | 2,588 | 67% | 58% |
In 2025, 3,620 UK work visas on the Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker routes went to Turkish nationals, about the same as 2024. About 88% came through the Skilled Worker route, spanning professional, technical, and managerial jobs.
1,167 of those went to people applying from outside the UK. The other 2,453 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 Turkish nationals in 2025 was Veterinarians (95 grants), followed by Generalist medical practitioners (85) and Programmers and software development professionals (79). 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 Turkish nationals. Filter by sponsor licence, visa route, or occupation.
Top occupations for Turkish nationals
Visas granted outside the UK only: 1,167 of the 3,620 granted to Turkish nationals in 2025 (32%). The Home Office publishes no job breakdown for the visas granted inside the UK.
| # | 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: 1,163 grants across 152 occupations, counting visas granted outside the UK only. That is 32% of the 3,620 granted to Turkish nationals in 2025. The Home Office publishes no job breakdown for the visas granted inside the UK.
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. 3,620 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?
3,620: 3,203 through the Skilled Worker route and 417 through Health & Care Worker. 1,167 were granted outside the UK and 2,453 to people already here, switching route or extending. In 2024 it was 3,746.
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.