Who Are the UK’s Top 10 Employers, and Do They Hire Foreigners?
The UK is a developed social market and the sixth-largest national economy in the world when measured by nominal gross domestic product (GDP). Having a stable financial infrastructure and a business-friendly environment, the country has attracted the world's largest organisations to set up their offices here. With more than 2 million actively trading companies in the UK, some of which are the world's largest, there is always a demand for labour.
Along with other smaller sectors, there are two main types of employers in the UK. One is public sector employers, which include central government, local government, public corporations, agencies and non-departmental public bodies, the National Health Service (NHS), HM Forces and academy schools. The other one is private sector employers, including both listed and non-listed companies that operate in various industries.
Whether it is the public or private sector, there are some large organisations that contribute significantly to the country's workforce. Have you ever wondered, being a foreign national, whether you can work for those large employers in the UK? Today we explore UK's top 10 employers and their policies towards visa sponsorship.
1. NHS
Number of Employees: C.1,488,000
Visa Sponsorship: Yes (depending on the role)
Sector: Public Sector
The National Health Service (NHS) is a publicly funded healthcare system in the UK, including NHS England, NHS Scotland, NHS Wales and Heath & Social Care in Northern Ireland. NHS England is the second largest single-payer healthcare system in the world after the Brazilian Sistema Único de Saúde. NHS is also the biggest employer in the UK, with c.1.5m employers.
NHS has always been one of the UK's biggest visa sponsors due to the workforce demand, and it is an A-rated visa sponsor. Visa sponsorship jobs are often available in healthcare and support departments, such as HR, IT and Operations, for both recent graduates as well as experienced professionals.
Apply for visa-sponsored jobs from NHS here.
2. Tesco
Number of UK employees: c. 300,000
Visa Sponsorship: Yes (depending on the role)
Sector: Private Sector
Tesco PLC is a British multinational grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Welwyn Garden City, England. In 2011, it was the third-largest retailer in the world measured by gross revenues and the ninth-largest in the world measured by revenues. In addition to the well-known Tesco supermarkets, the brand also operates Tesco Mobile, Tesco Bank and a supply chain company, Booker.
Being a supermarket chain, the company hires many part-time or contracted hourly staff to flexibly deal with customer demand. However, those types of roles often do not meet visa sponsorship requirements. Also, many full-time positions at Tesco do not meet the skill or salary requirement for providing visa sponsorship, leaving only some technical and managerial roles available for sponsoring work visas.
Apply for visa-sponsored jobs from Tesco here.
3. Sainsbury's
Number of UK employees: c. 170,000
Visa Sponsorship: Rarely (depending on the role)
Sector: Private Sector
Sainsbury's, headquartered in London, is the second-largest supermarket chain in the United Kingdom, with a 14.9% market share. It operates brands like Sainsbury's Supermarkets, Sainsbury's Bank, Argos, Habitat, Nectar and TU. The holding company, J Sainsbury plc, is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.
As of September 2022, Sainsbury's had c.127,000 hourly-paid workers, constituting nearly 75% of their staff. Despite being a big employer in the UK, most of Sainsbury's vacancies do not qualify to offer sponsorship. Roles that provide sponsorship are mainly in technology and management functions. However, Sainsbury's rarely consider applicants who do not have the existing right to work in the UK.
4. British Army
Number of UK employees: 125,430
Visa Sponsorship: No
Sector: Public Sector
The British Army is responsible for protecting the United Kingdom's interests at home and abroad by providing a safe and secure environment. It is a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. As of 2022, the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkhas, and 28,330 volunteer reserve personnel.
Due to the sensitive nature of their job, the British Army does not hire foreign nationals. In rare cases, they may consider applicants from Commonwealth countries or foreign nationals who have lived in the UK for more than five years for some roles.
5. Department for Work and Pensions
Number of UK employees: 111,000
Visa Sponsorship: No
Sector: Public Sector
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is a department of His Majesty's Government. Being UK's biggest civil service department, DWP is mainly responsible for the welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy of the country and administers the State Pension and a range of working age, disability and ill health benefits. It is also the second-largest governmental department in terms of the number of employees.
Despite being one of the biggest employers in the UK, the DWP's employment policy abides by the Civil Service Recruitment & Nationality Rules, which states that "only nationals of the United Kingdom (and British protected persons), the Republic of Ireland, and the Commonwealth, Certain EEA, Swiss and Turkish nationals are eligible for employment". It is important to remember that not all Irish, Commonwealth, EEA, Swiss and Turkish nationalities are eligible to work in civil services. You can find the requirements here.
6. HSBC
Number of UK employees: c. 85,000
Visa Sponsorship: Yes (depending on the role)
Sector: Private Sector
HSBC Holdings plc is a British multinational universal bank and financial services holding company. It is the largest bank in Europe by total assets, ahead of BNP Paribas, with US$2.953 trillion as of December 2021. HSBC has offices in 64 countries and territories across Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe, North America, and South America, serving around 40 million customers. As of 2022, it was ranked no. 38 in the world in the Forbes rankings of large companies ranked by sales, profits, assets, and market value.
When it comes to visa sponsorship, HSBC has been generous. Having their global headquarters in London and due to the demand for staff, the bank normally considers foreign nationals along with locals as long as the role meets the home office's visa sponsorship requirements. Whether you are a recent graduate or someone with years of experience, you may be able to find something suitable at HSBC.
Apply for visa-sponsored jobs from HSBC here.
7. Ministry of Justice
Number of UK employees: c. 68,670
Visa Sponsorship: No
Sector: Public Sector
The Ministry of Justice is a major government department at the heart of the justice system. The department aims to protect and advance the principles of justice. There are different subdivisions under the Ministry of Justice, and they offer different employment opportunities. However, just like Department for Work and Pensions, the Ministry of Justice follows Civil Service Recruitment & Nationality Rules and roles that offer visa sponsorship are rare.
8. Ministry of Defence
Number of UK employees: c. 65,000
Visa Sponsorship: No
Sector: Public Sector
The Ministry of Defence is the department responsible for implementing the defence policy set by His Majesty's Government and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces. Being one of the Civil Services departments, the visa sponsorship policy paints the same picture as other governmental departments.
9. Metropolitan Police Service
Number of UK employees: c. 50,000
Visa Sponsorship: No
Sector: Public Sector
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), also known as the Metropolitan Police, is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and crime prevention in Greater London. MPS is also one of the big recruiters in the UK. However, due to the sensitive nature of their work, MPS often hire foreign nationals with the existing right to work and live in the UK, especially those with settled status.
10. Barclays
Number of UK employees: c. 46,000
Visa Sponsorship: Yes (depending on the role)
Sector: Private Sector
Like HSBC, Barclays is also a British multinational universal bank headquartered in London. Barclays operates as two divisions, Barclays UK and Barclays International, supported by a service company. Barclays UK comprises retail banking operations, consumer credit card business, wealth management business, and corporate banking businesses in the UK. Barclays International consists of Barclays Corporate and Investment Bank and the Consumer, Cards & Payments business.
Barclays also provides visa sponsorship for many of its positions, and it also hires many international students in the UK every year. However, competition for positions in Barclays can also be competitive, so it is important to prepare well for assessments and interviews.
Apply for visa-sponsored jobs from Barclays here.
The majority of public sector or civil service organisations do not sponsor work visas due to the sensitive nature of work and due to the regulatory requirements, with NHS being an exception. If you are looking for a visa-sponsored job in the UK, you may need to focus on the private sector to increase your chance of receiving interviews and, ultimately, being hired.
