UK Visa Sponsorship for Zambian Nationals
Grants by year
Of the 653 grants in 2025, 45 went to people applying from outside the UK and 608 to people already here who switched route or extended (93%). 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 | 111 | 56 | 167 | ||
| 2022 | 647 | 119 | 766 | ||
| 2023 | 956 | 386 | 1,342 | ||
| 2024 | 183 | 518 | 701 | ||
| 2025 | 45 | 608 | 653 |
† 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 Zambian applicants in 2025
Fewer than 50 Skilled Worker decisions were made on applications Zambian main applicants made from outside the UK in 2025, so no share is shown for that side. Inside the UK, 0 of 67 (0%) were refusals, against 2.1%.
Fewer than 50 Health and Care Worker decisions were made on applications Zambian main applicants made from outside the UK in 2025, so no share is shown for that side. Inside the UK, 6 of 547 (1.1%) were refusals, against 2.1%.
Show the numbers for Zambian applicants
| Route | Granted outside | Refused outside | Withdrawn outside | Share outside | Granted inside | Refused inside | Share inside |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | 11 | 2 | 0 | n/a | 67 | 0 | 0% |
| Health and Care Worker | 34 | 5 | 2 | n/a | 541 | 6 | 1.1% |
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, 653 UK work visas on the Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker routes went to Zambian nationals, about the same as 2024. About 88% came through the Health & Care Worker route, mostly NHS and social-care roles.
45 of those went to people applying from outside the UK. The other 608 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 Zambian nationals in 2025 was Care workers and home carers (11 grants), followed by Generalist medical practitioners (9) and Registered mental health nurses (6). 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 Zambian nationals. Filter by sponsor licence, visa route, or occupation.
Top occupations for Zambian nationals
Visas granted outside the UK only: 45 of the 653 granted to Zambian nationals in 2025 (6%). The Home Office publishes no job breakdown for the visas granted inside the UK.
| # | Occupation | Grants | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Care workers and home carers | 11 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 2 | Generalist medical practitioners | 9 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 3 | Registered mental health nurses | 6 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 4 | Electrical engineers | 5 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 5 | Nursing auxiliaries and assistants | 3 | H&CHealth & Care |
| 6 | Garage managers and proprietors | 1 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 7 | Civil engineers | 1 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 8 | IT business analysts, architects and systems designers | 1 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 9 | Programmers and software development professionals | 1 | SWSkilled Worker |
| 10 | Specialist medical practitioners | 1 | H&CHealth & Care |
Full occupation distribution for Zambian 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: 45 grants across 16 occupations, counting visas granted outside the UK only. That is 6% of the 653 granted to Zambian nationals in 2025. The Home Office publishes no job breakdown for the visas granted inside the UK.
Frequently asked questions
How many Zambian nationals got UK work visas in 2025?
In 2025, 653 UK work visas on the Skilled Worker and Health & Care Worker routes went to Zambian nationals: 45 granted outside the UK and 608 granted inside it to people already here who switched route or extended. By route, that is 78 Skilled Worker and 575 Health & Care Worker.
Do Zambian 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, 608 of the 653 grants to Zambian 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 Zambian nationals get sponsored for?
Home Office data shows the top occupations for Zambian nationals on Skilled Worker or Health & Care Worker visas are: Care workers and home carers, Generalist medical practitioners, Registered mental health nurses. 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 Zambian nationals apply for the Skilled Worker visa?
Yes. Nationality doesn't affect Skilled Worker eligibility. Zambian 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).