Bank of China (UK) and ICBC Standard Bank run London graduate programmes; both are on the register. Each plate reads the licence, words and pay.
13 schemes checked, latest 7 October 2026
0Clear 12Ask 1Stop
Licences checked on the register of 7 October 2026. The signal shows the strictest lamp. How the signals are read
Graduate Programme, London
Bank of China (UK) Limited, London. Skilled Worker, A rating
Signal: Ask
Not stated on their careers pages, checked 7 October 2026.
Starting salary not published on their pages. The going rate for the job's occupation code can be higher than this line.
Graduate Programme, London
ICBC Standard Bank PLC, London. Skilled Worker, A rating
Signal: Ask
Not stated on their careers pages, checked 7 October 2026.
Starting salary not published on their pages. The going rate for the job's occupation code can be higher than this line.
Graduate programmes, UK
Deloitte LLP, London. Skilled Worker, A rating
Signal: Ask
"we can apply for visa sponsorship on your behalf if you meet the Skilled Worker (new entrant) visa criteria"
Condition: Some graduate roles only; you must currently hold a UK Student visa valid within 3 months of start.
Starting salary not published on their pages. The going rate for the job's occupation code can be higher than this line.
Graduate programmes, UK
Ernst & Young, London. Skilled Worker, A rating
Signal: Ask
"we may be able to switch you to an EY sponsored visa from within the UK"
Condition: Must hold New Entrant status for a role-specific period; some roles exclude past Graduate visa holders.
Starting salary not published on their pages. The going rate for the job's occupation code can be higher than this line.
Graduate programmes, UK
KPMG LLP, London. Skilled Worker, A rating
Signal: Ask
"KPMG is only able to provide sponsorship (subject to all eligibility criteria being met) for the following graduate programmes"
Starting salary not published on their pages. The going rate for the job's occupation code can be higher than this line.
Graduate programmes, UK
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, London. Skilled Worker, A rating
Signal: Ask
"not all of our roles satisfy the Home Office's eligibility criteria and therefore we can only sponsor candidates"
Condition: Student visa holders must finish a UK degree before starting, or start within three months before completion.
Starting salary not published on their pages. The going rate for the job's occupation code can be higher than this line.
Banking Graduate Programme 2027, London
Barclays Bank PLC, London. Skilled Worker, A rating
Signal: Ask
"Barclays will accept applications from candidates who require visa sponsorship to work in the UK"
Starting salary not published on their pages. The going rate for the job's occupation code can be higher than this line.
Global Banking Graduate Programme, EMEA
BNP Paribas London Branch, London. Skilled Worker, A rating
Signal: Ask
"We support applications from candidates requiring a work permit. However, restrictions may apply depending on the region, programme or role."
Starting salary not published on their pages. The going rate for the job's occupation code can be higher than this line.
Investment Banking Graduate Programme
HSBC Holdings plc, London. Skilled Worker, A rating
Signal: Ask
"Our ability to sponsor visas is dependent on country legal requirements and business need."
Starting salary not published on their pages. The going rate for the job's occupation code can be higher than this line.
Graduate Programme, UK
Standard Chartered Bank, London. Skilled Worker, A rating
Signal: Ask
"For the UK and UAE, we consider candidates requiring visa sponsorship"
Starting salary not published on their pages. The going rate for the job's occupation code can be higher than this line.
Software Development Engineer, 2026 (graduate), London, Cambridge and Edinburgh
Amazon UK Services Ltd, London. Skilled Worker, A rating
Signal: Ask
Not stated on their careers pages, checked 7 October 2026.
Starting salary not published on their pages. The going rate for the job's occupation code can be higher than this line.
Early-career software engineering roles, London
Google (UK) Limited, London. Skilled Worker, A rating
Signal: Ask
Not stated on their careers pages, checked 7 October 2026.
Starting salary not published on their pages. The going rate for the job's occupation code can be higher than this line.
Bachelor/Master Graduate, 2027 start, London (AI Solution Architect Graduate, BytePlus)
Not found on the register of 7 October 2026
Signal: Stop
Not stated on their careers pages, checked 7 October 2026.
Starting salary not published on their pages. The going rate for the job's occupation code can be higher than this line.
No plates show this signal yet. Checked 7 October 2026.
Logos belong to their owners and identify employers listed on a public register. Listing does not mean an employer will sponsor any particular role.
Chinese banks and institutions in London, the Big 4, banks and tech: the sectors this cohort most often studies for.
Bank of China (UK) and ICBC Standard Bank both run London graduate programmes and both appear on the register. Neither says on the graduate pages read whether it sponsors, so ask the recruiter before you apply.
Then widen the list to the fields many UK finance, accounting, analytics and computing courses feed: the Big 4, other banks and tech. No employer here says it sponsors Chinese graduates in particular.
Each row keeps the employer's quote, the date it was read and its register line.
Each Big 4 firm publishes its own rule. Some sponsor only certain programmes; some tie it to the visa you hold when you apply. Open "Read their words" on each plate, or see the four side by side in the Big 4 comparison.
Ask about sponsorship once, early and in writing, with the recruiter script. A dated written answer is worth more than a careers fair conversation.
A Clear licence lamp needs a Skilled Worker row rated A-rated. The going rate for the job's occupation code can be higher than this line.
Apply for your Graduate visa on or before 31 December 2026 and it lasts 2 years; from 1 January 2027, new grants last 18 months. Mark the end date and plan the hunt back from it with the timing planner.
gov.uk on what comes next: The Graduate visa cannot be extended. Holders may switch to a Skilled Worker visa from inside the UK and may qualify for the new-entrant rate.
Nothing on the register or on their graduate pages says so. Read their plates as you would any other employer’s: licence, their own words, pay.
Not always. Many schemes recruit through the autumn and winter. Check the dates on each employer’s own page and ask about sponsorship before the first interview.
One lamp needs a question answered, most often because the employer does not say whether it sponsors. Ask the recruiter in writing and keep the reply with its date.
"You’ll usually need to be paid the ‘standard’ salary rate of at least £41,700 per year, or the ‘going rate’ for your job, whichever is higher."Checked 7 October 2026
"You can be paid 70% of your job’s standard going rate if your salary will be at least £33,400 per year and one of the following applies:"Checked 7 October 2026
"SW 5.3. The sponsor must be listed as A-rated on the Home Office’s register of licensed sponsors, unless the applicant was last granted permission as a Skilled Worker and is applying to continue working for the same sponsor as in their last permission."Checked 7 October 2026
"2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026"Checked 7 October 2026
"18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027"Checked 7 October 2026
"You cannot extend your Graduate visa. However, you may be able to switch to a different visa, for example a Skilled Worker visa."Checked 7 October 2026
"For some of our graduate opportunities, we can apply for visa sponsorship on your behalf if you meet the Skilled Worker (new entrant) visa criteria, [...]"Checked 7 October 2026
"If you hold a valid early student or work visa we may be able to switch you to an EY sponsored visa from within the [...]"Checked 7 October 2026
"If you require sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa category, KPMG is only able to provide sponsorship (subject to all eligibility criteria being met) for [...]"Checked 7 October 2026
"Please note that not all of our roles satisfy the Home Office's eligibility criteria and therefore we can only sponsor candidates for the following: Graduate [...]"Checked 7 October 2026
"Our ability to sponsor visas is dependent on country legal requirements and business need. Any instances where we are open to receiving applications from students [...]"Checked 7 October 2026
"For the UK and UAE, we consider candidates requiring visa sponsorship, but in the UAE, priority will be given to UAE nationals."Checked 7 October 2026
"Barclays will accept applications from candidates who require visa sponsorship to work in the UK and will provide a skilled worker visa for successful applicants [...]"Checked 7 October 2026
"We support applications from candidates requiring a work permit. However, restrictions may apply depending on the region, programme or role. Currently we do not offer [...]"Checked 7 October 2026
Updated Checked against gov.uk on
This is a playbook, not immigration advice. Before you act, check the rule on gov.uk or ask a regulated immigration adviser or a solicitor.