The NHS is the biggest employer in the UK, and most NHS hospital trusts are licensed by the Home Office to sponsor overseas staff. This guide lists 115 NHS hospital trusts and health boards from the official GOV.UK Register of Licensed Sponsors (Workers and Temporary Workers), updated 6 November 2026. Every card has a button to the trust's own website, where you will find its careers page. A second guide covers specialist hospitals, mental health trusts, ambulance services and national NHS bodies.
A sponsor licence only means an organisation is allowed to sponsor workers. It does not mean there is a vacancy for you. Check the job advert and the official GOV.UK register before you apply.
How NHS visa sponsorship works
NHS trusts hire overseas staff mainly on the Skilled Worker route, including its Health and Care Worker visa. This visa is for doctors, nurses, midwives, allied health professionals and other qualified health staff in jobs at degree level (RQF level 6) or above. The trust, not you, applies for a Certificate of Sponsorship once it offers you a job. You then use that certificate to make your visa application.
Costs and pay rules at a glance
| Item | What NHS Employers reports |
|---|---|
| Minimum salary | £25,000 (£12.82 an hour) for eligible health and care roles on national pay scales, such as Agenda for Change |
| Salary for other roles | £41,700 for most other Skilled Worker roles |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | Health and Care Worker visa holders and their immediate family are exempt (£1,035 a year for general Skilled Worker visas) |
| Application fee | Lower for the Health and Care Worker visa than for the general Skilled Worker visa |
| Decision time | Usually about three weeks for applications made from outside the UK |
Rules and fees change often, so confirm the current figures on GOV.UK before you apply. This list does not cover social care. Rules for care workers are different and are not part of this article.
Settlement for NHS staff
On 2 November 2026 the government published its response to the earned settlement consultation. NHS Employers says that workers in eligible health occupations at RQF level 6 or above, paid on national pay scales, are expected to qualify after five years. Examples include doctors, registered nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. Most other Skilled Worker visa holders face a ten-year pathway. The full timetable has not been confirmed, so check GOV.UK for the latest rules.
NHS hospital trusts with a sponsor licence
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
Cwmbran, Torfaen
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Ashford & St Peters Hospitals NHS Trust
Chertsey, Surrey
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Barking Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust
Romford, Essex
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Barnsley, South Yorks
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Luton, Bedfordshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Blackpool, Lancashire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
Bolton, Gtr Manchester
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Bradford, West Yorkshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust
Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Cambridge
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Cardiff
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Chelsea & Westminster NHS Foundation Trust
London
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Chesterfield, Derbyshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust
Chester
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
Darlington, County Durham
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust
Croydon, Surrey
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
Abercynon, Rhondda Cynon Taff
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust
Dartford
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Doncaster & Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Dorchester, Dorset
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust
Poole, Dorset
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
East Cheshire NHS Trust
Macclesfield, Cheshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
Canterbury, Kent
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
Blackburn, Lancashire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
East & North Hertfordshire NHS Trust
Stevenage
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Colchester, Essex
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
Hastings, East Sussex
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
Carshalton, Surrey
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
Camberley, Surrey
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
Newcastle, Tyne and Wear
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust
Nuneaton, Warwickshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
London
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Basingstoke, Hampshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Harrogate & District NHS Foundation Trust
Harrogate, North Yorkshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust
Worcester, Worcestershire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Hull, East Yorkshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Hywel Dda Health Board
Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
London
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Isle of Wight NHS Trust
Newport, Isle of Wight
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Kettering General Hospital NHS Trust
Kettering, Northants
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Camberwell
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Chorley, Lancashire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Leeds, West Yorkshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust
London
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Liverpool, Merseyside
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust
Harrow, Middlesex
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
Maidstone, Kent
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Manchester
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Medway NHS Foundation Trust
Gillingham, Kent
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Prescot, Merseyside
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Southend On Sea, Essex
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Crewe, Cheshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust
Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Milton Keynes, Bucks
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Norwich, Norfolk
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
North Bristol NHS Trust
Bristol
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
Carlisle, Cumbria
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust
Salford
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Northern Lincolnshire & Goole NHS Foundation Trust
Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust
London
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust
Stockton on Tees
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust
Oxford
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust
Portsmouth, Hampshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Powys Teaching Health Board
Brecon, Powys
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
Reading
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
Truro, Cornwall
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
London
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
Guildford, Surrey
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust
Bath, Somerset
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust
Salisbury, Wilts
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
West Bromwich
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Nottinghamshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Taunton, Somerset
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
South Tees Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Middlesbrough, Cleveland
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
Sunderland, Tyne & Wear
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust
Tooting, London
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
Stockport, Cheshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Gov. Authorised Exchange; Skilled Worker
Surrey and Sussex NHS Trust
Redhill, Surrey
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Swansea Bay University Local Health Board
Port Talbot
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
The Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
Wrexham
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust
Dudley, West Midlands
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
The Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Swindon, Wiltshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Uxbridge, Middlesex
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Newcastle, Tyne & Wear
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust
Harlow, Essex
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn NHS Trust
King's Lynn, Norfolk
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
Rotherham, South Yorkshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
Torquay, Devon
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
London
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
Edgbaston, Birmingham
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
Coventry, West Midlands
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
University Hospitals North Midlands NHS Trust
Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
Derby, Derbyshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
Leicester, Leicestershire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust
Barrow in Furness, Cumbria
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
Southampton, Hampshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
Plymouth, Devon
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust
Chichester, West Sussex
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust
Walsall, West Midlands
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Watford, Hertfordshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Wirral University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Bebington, Wirral
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Worcester, Worcestershire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Wrightington Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Wigan, Lancs
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
Wye Valley NHS Trust
Hereford, Herefordshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
York & Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
York, North Yorkshire
Sponsorship details
Licensed routes: Skilled Worker
How to apply for an NHS job from abroad
- Open the trust's website using the button on its card and go to its careers or international recruitment page.
- Search the national job sites: NHS Jobs for England and Wales, and Jobs Scot NHS for Scotland. Look for wording such as "visa sponsorship available" in the job advert.
- Check the registration rules for your profession, for example the NMC for nurses and the GMC for doctors.
- Prepare your documents: passport, qualifications, English language test and references.
- Once you have an offer, wait for the trust to send your Certificate of Sponsorship before you apply for the visa.
Frequently asked questions
Does every NHS trust sponsor visas?
Most large trusts hold a licence, but a licence does not mean a trust will sponsor every role. Read each job advert.
Will I pay the Immigration Health Surcharge?
Health and Care Worker visa holders are exempt, according to NHS Employers. Other Skilled Worker visa holders usually pay it.
Is this list complete?
No. It shows the main hospital trusts and boards. The full register on GOV.UK also lists GP practices and other NHS suppliers.
Where can I check a licence?
Use the official GOV.UK page "Register of licensed sponsors: workers".
This article is for information only and is not legal or immigration advice. Source for visa rules: NHS Employers.
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