Information Commissioner's Office: does its ico graduate scheme sponsor a UK visa?
No. Information Commissioner's Office does not sponsor its ico graduate scheme for international students who need a visa. The Information Commissioner's Office launched a graduate scheme for 2026, its first, with a September start and four six month rotations across regulatory policy, a strategy and support function, and regulatory delivery. Graduates join on a permanent contract rather than a fixed term one. The academic bar is low by graduate scheme standards, a 2:2 in any discipline or being on track for one. Selection runs through a Workday application, a 15 to 20 minute online interview and an assessment centre with a presentation, group exercise and interview. The eligibility list rules out sponsorship in plain terms. The ICO moves to a new Manchester city centre office in September 2026.
- Sponsors grads?
- No
- Pay vs threshold
- Not published
- Opportunity
- graduate scheme
- Pay
- Not disclosed on the early careers page
- 2027 cycle
- Applications open, for graduates ready to start their career journey, 23 February 2026. Applications close on Sun 15 March 2026 at 23:59.
- Confidence
- high
“You must have the Right to Work in the UK without requiring sponsorship.”
Applying to Information Commissioner's Office? Check your CV first.
Most graduate applications are filtered by an ATS before a human ever sees them. Scan your CV against a real job description in 30 seconds, free.
Sources
- https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/jobs/early-careers-at-the-ico/
- https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/jobs/
Verdict last checked 2026-09-23.
Common questions
Does Information Commissioner's Office sponsor visas for its ico graduate scheme?
No. Information Commissioner's Office does not sponsor its ico graduate scheme for international students who need a visa. The Information Commissioner's Office launched a graduate scheme for 2026, its first, with a September start and four six month rotations across regulatory policy, a strategy and support function, and regulatory delivery. Graduates join on a permanent contract rather than a fixed term one. The academic bar is low by graduate scheme standards, a 2:2 in any discipline or being on track for one. Selection runs through a Workday application, a 15 to 20 minute online interview and an assessment centre with a presentation, group exercise and interview. The eligibility list rules out sponsorship in plain terms. The ICO moves to a new Manchester city centre office in September 2026.
Does the pay clear the UK Skilled Worker salary threshold?
The pay for this scheme is not published clearly enough to judge against the threshold.
What is the catch international students miss with Information Commissioner's Office?
No salary is published for the scheme, so the pay cannot be checked against any visa threshold even in principle.
How should I confirm Information Commissioner's Office's sponsorship before applying?
Read the specific vacancy on Information Commissioner's Office's careers site, ask its early-careers team directly, and check the employer on the gov.uk Register of Licensed Sponsors. Policies and thresholds change, so treat this page as a starting point and confirm for the exact role and cycle.
Other public sector schemes
- NHSSome tracks
- Civil ServiceNo
- Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeNo
- GCHQNo
- Teach FirstNo
- Police NowNo
- FrontlineNo
- Unlocked GraduatesNo
- BBCNot published
- Bank of EnglandSome tracks
- Local Government AssociationNo
- HM Revenue and CustomsNo
- Met OfficeSome tracks
- Environment AgencyNo
- Transport for LondonNo
- Network RailNo
- Nuclear Decommissioning AuthorityNo
- National Crime AgencyNo
- OfgemNo
- Bank of EnglandSome tracks
- GCHQNo
- Transport for LondonNot published
- Police NowNo
- DstlNo
- GCHQNo
- Royal Air ForceNot published
- Network RailNot published
- UKAEANot published
- Transport for LondonNot published
- UKAEANot published
- Network RailNo
- Transport for LondonNot published
- Civil Service Fast StreamNo
- GCHQNo
- MI5No
- MI6No
- Financial Conduct AuthoritySome tracks
- OfgemNo
- HM TreasuryNot published
- HM Revenue and CustomsNo
- Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeNo
- Environment AgencyNo
- Met OfficeNot published
- Competition and Markets AuthorityNot published
- Local Government AssociationNo
- Birmingham City CouncilNot published
- Manchester City CouncilNo
- Glasgow City CouncilNo
- University of OxfordNot published
- King's College LondonNo
- Imperial College LondonNot published
- University of BirminghamNo
- Teach FirstNo
- FrontlineNo
- Unlocked GraduatesNo
- Police NowNo
- Wellcome TrustSome tracks
- National Audit OfficeNo
- Government Actuary's DepartmentNot published
- Channel 4Not published
- Channel 4Not published
- NHS EnglandNot published
- NHS Education for ScotlandSome tracks
- Health Education and Improvement WalesNo
- King's College Hospital NHS Foundation TrustNo
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS TrustNot published
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation TrustNot published
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation TrustNot published
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustNo
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustNot published
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation TrustNot published
- Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustNot published
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation TrustNot published
- Greater London AuthorityNot published
- Information Commissioner's OfficeNo
- National TrustNo
- Liverpool City CouncilNo
- Sheffield City CouncilNot published
- Manchester University NHS Foundation TrustSome tracks
- Manchester University NHS Foundation TrustSome tracks
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustNot published
- University of BristolNot published
- Nottingham City CouncilNot published
- Sanctuary GroupNot published
- Sanctuary GroupNot published
- Home GroupNot published
- Canal & River TrustNot published
- Transport for WalesNo
- Ordnance SurveyNot published
- British LibraryNot published
- The Hyde GroupNot published
- Scottish WaterNot published
- Scottish WaterNot published
- Scottish WaterNot published
- London Borough of HackneyNo
- London Borough of HackneyNot published
- Cornwall CouncilNot published
- Surrey County CouncilNot published
- The Guinness PartnershipNot published
- The Guinness PartnershipNot published
- AbriNot published
Before you apply
Scan your CV against UK applicant tracking systems for free, then tailor it to the schemes that can actually sponsor you.
Other public sector schemes we track
Sponsorship data: Home Office register + job ad wording. Not immigration advice, verify on gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.