Skip to main content
Gobblex Recruiter logo
Skilled Worker visa

Chef and hospitality jobs with UK visa sponsorship.

Skilled chefs and hospitality managers remain sponsorable on the Skilled Worker route where the role is genuinely skilled and paid at the going rate. Speciality cuisine chefs, head chefs and hotel management are the strongest cases.

Typical salary

£31,000 – £52,000 depending on brigade position and venue

Visa route

Skilled Worker visa

Occupation codes

SOC 5434 (chefs), SOC 1221 (hotel and accommodation managers)

Who sponsors

Hotel groups, restaurant brands, contract caterers and premium independents

Roles we place

  • Head chef and sous chef
  • Speciality cuisine chef (Indian, Thai, Japanese, Mediterranean)
  • Pastry chef
  • Restaurant and food & beverage manager
  • Hotel operations and accommodation manager

Hotel groups, restaurant brands and contract caterers across the UK. See our recruitment services or the destinations we recruit for.

Requirements for sponsorship

  • Several years' professional kitchen or management experience at the relevant level.
  • Salary at or above the going rate for SOC 5434 or SOC 1221.
  • English at CEFR B1.
  • Evidence the role is skilled — menu development, brigade responsibility, budget ownership.
  • A CoS from a licensed sponsor.

Full eligibility rules, salary thresholds and the sponsor register are covered in our complete UK visa sponsorship guide. Benchmark your offer against the UK salary guide.

How the application works

  1. Role assessment. We confirm the position is genuinely skilled and sponsorable.
  2. Trade test or tasting. Many venues run a practical assessment, sometimes remotely.
  3. Offer and going-rate check. We verify the salary clears the SOC threshold.
  4. CoS and visa. Sponsor assigns the CoS; you apply for the Skilled Worker visa.
  5. Arrival support. Accommodation guidance, BRP collection and onboarding.

Frequently asked questions

Can chefs still get UK visa sponsorship?

Yes, for skilled positions such as head chef, sous chef and speciality cuisine chef where the employer holds a sponsor licence and pays at or above the going rate. Fast-food and takeaway roles are not eligible.

What salary do sponsored chefs need in the UK?

The offer must meet the higher of the general threshold or the going rate for SOC 5434, which in practice puts most sponsored chef roles above £31,000 per year.

Do hospitality managers qualify for sponsorship?

Hotel, accommodation and food & beverage management roles at RQF Level 3 or above qualify where the salary meets the going rate for the occupation code.

Apply through a licensed sponsor

Send us your CV and we'll match you with UK employers actively sponsoring in this field.

Register with Gobblex

Other sponsorship routes

Same process, different profession — compare the salary bands and requirements.

New to the process? Start with the complete UK visa sponsorship guide or browse all sponsorship routes.