Graduate Visa Part 2: Which Employers Actually Hire International Graduates

One of the most expensive mistakes international students make is applying everywhere. On a Graduate visa, UK employers fall into three categories — and you should treat each differently.

Category 1: Licensed sponsors with graduate schemes. FTSE 100 firms, the NHS, major consultancies, big tech. They hire thousands of graduates and can sponsor your Skilled Worker switch later. These should be 60% of your applications. The Home Office register of licensed sponsors is public — we curate it by sector for our clients.

Category 2: Licensed sponsors without schemes. Smaller firms that hold a sponsor licence but hire ad hoc. Harder to find, but far less competition. Your CV needs to arrive before they advertise — this is where LinkedIn optimisation pays for itself.

Category 3: Non-sponsors. They CAN hire you on the Graduate visa — no licence needed for that — but they cannot keep you beyond it. Use these roles for UK experience and references, never as your endgame.

The ratio that works: 60% category one, 30% category two, 10% category three. Our Job Search Assistance service builds this exact shortlist for your degree and city.