Uk Skilled Worker Visa

What is a skilled worker visa for the UK?

International employees with the required abilities can work in the UK for authorised UK businesses thanks to the UK Skilled Worker Visa. At the end of 2020, the skilled worker visa will take the place of the Tier 2 visa. Now, persons with skills in an appropriate occupation at RQF Level 3 (equal to an A-level in the UK) or higher are eligible for the programme.

The length of your Certificate of Sponsorship will determine how long your UK Skilled Worker Visa will originally be granted, which could be up to five years. It’s crucial to remember that your visa is only good for as long as you continue to work for your sponsoring employer in the same capacity. You must apply for a new Skilled Worker visa if you want to switch jobs or employers.

The skilled worker path allows you to extend your visa before it expires and then apply for indefinite permission to remain (ILR) and British citizenship one year later after meeting the requirements for five years. If you’re thinking about applying for a UK Skilled Worker visa, make sure you have a job offer in place and that you match the requirements listed below.

There are other employment options you can look into if the Skilled Worker Visa is not the best option for you. For further information, see our page on UK Work Visas.

Tier 2 work visa versus a skilled worker visa

The more recent Tier 2 (General) work visa path for skilled workers has a number of distinguishing advantages over the older one, including:

• Since the required skill level was dropped from RQF level 6 to RQF level 3, a larger range of occupations are now considered to be eligible for this path.

• It is now feasible to have a lower wage and still be qualified for a skilled worker visa in a variety of circumstances, as detailed below. The minimum salary criterion was reduced from £30,000 to £26,200.

• New entrants to the market (such as recent graduates) are eligible for the new Skilled Worker path.

• The total number of visas for skilled workers that can enter the UK is unrestricted.

• It is simpler and quicker to find qualified foreign workers because the skilled worker visa does not require the Resident Labour Market Test (RLMT).

• International workers no longer have to wait a year after leaving the UK to apply for a new work visa because the cooling-off period is no longer in effect.

Visa eligibility and requirements for UK skilled workers

You must fulfil the following requirements in order to obtain a skilled worker visa:

• I’ve received a job offer from a UK company.

• Your employer must be listed on the Home Office’s list of licenced sponsors1.

• You must have a current “Certificate of Sponsorship” from your employer.

• The position you hold must be included on the list of permitted occupations2.

• You must possess skills that are at least equal to RQF level 3.

• You must earn at least £26,200 annually to qualify.

• You must adhere to the linguistic standards for English.

• To demonstrate that you can sustain yourself in the UK, you must have £1,270 in your bank account.

Below are more explanations of each of these eligibility requirements.

1. Have a work offer from a company in the UK.

You must have a legitimate job offer from an authorised UK business in order to successfully apply for a skilled worker visa. This offer for a position on the list of eligible vocations must come from an A-rated company on the list of licenced sponsors and meet the minimum pay requirements. A current Certificate of Sponsorship from your UK employer is also required.

2. Your employer must be listed on the Home Office’s list of licenced sponsors.

The company making the job offer to you must be on the Home Office’s list of authorised sponsors. It’s also crucial to confirm that your employer is A-rated and has the necessary permits to employ foreign nationals via the Skilled Worker Route (permits are provided based on the type of visa requested). Employers with a B rating cannot issue new Certificates of Sponsorship until they have complied with Home Office regulations and have been given an A rating. In order to prevent the possibility of a delay or rejection, it is advisable to confirm if this is the case before applying.

3. You must possess a current “Certificate of Sponsorship” from your company.

As mentioned above, you must a current CoS from your UK employer in order to submit an application for a skilled worker visa.

The function for which you are being sponsored is detailed in a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), which is a digital document that also includes information about your role’s type, start and end dates, gross compensation, sponsor licence number, and expiration date.

4. The position you hold must be included in the list of qualified occupations.

Only positions that are listed as acceptable occupations will receive a Skilled Worker visa from UK Visas and Immigration2. Additionally, you must be qualified to perform the duties of the position for which you are being hired in the UK. You might need to ask your employer for the standard occupation code (SOC) in order to confirm whether your line of work qualifies.

5. Meet the required skill level

Candidates for a Skilled Worker position and visa must possess skills at least equal to RQF level 3 (similar to an A-level in the UK). This does not imply that you must possess a specific level of education, but rather that your abilities are at least RQF level 3.

6. Minimum wage criteria for skilled worker visas

The minimum wage for a skilled worker visa was £10.10 per hour or £25,600 per year, whichever was higher. Starting on April 12, 2023, the minimum wage will increase to $26,200. But this isn’t always the case. Your salary must be in line with the higher “going rate” if you work in a profession where it is prevalent. For a number of professions, the Home Office maintains a list of “going rates”3. The “going rates” for a given job or occupation are determined by the government and represent the typical pay for those positions. Your “going rate” will be determined by the national pay scales for the UK if you work in a qualifying healthcare or educational vocation.

There are additional exceptions to the minimum salary criteria for a UK work visa, so even if you earn less than that amount—£20,960 annually or £10.75 an hour—you can still be qualified.

You could receive less money than £26,200 if:

• your position is in a profession with a shortage, or

• you are a student, recent graduate, under 26 years old, in professional training, or;

• you possess a PhD in a field of science, technology, engineering, or maths (STEM) that is relevant to your line of work, or

• you hold a postdoctoral position in academia or science.

7. Have £1,270 in your bank account as proof that you can make ends meet in the UK.

A bank statement demonstrating that you have at least £1,270 for your first month in the UK is required as proof. In rare circumstances, it can be permissible to request a letter from your employer stating that they will take care of this obligation for you.

• 8 . English language ability

If you’re applying for a skilled worker visa, you must demonstrate that you speak English well enough4. There are four ways to do this:

• passing a language test in English

• If you pass an English Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) test at an authorised testing facility, you will have met the English language requirements. In terms of reading, comprehension, speaking, and writing, this must be at least level B1.

• academic credentials

• If you have a degree or another academic credential that was earned while taking English-language classes, you will also be in compliance with the English language requirements.

• Exemption: If you qualify for exemption, including if you are from one of the following nations, you will not be required to complete the English language requirements. Australia, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, New Zealand, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States, and Antigua and Barbuda

• if you have successfully completed an English Language examination that has been authorised by the applicable regulated professional body for your line of work.

Required documents for the UK Skilled Worker Visa

You might be required to provide the following information and documents to support your application for a skilled worker visa:

• a blank page in your passport

• Reference number for your Certificate of Sponsorship

• Your name, position, and yearly salary

• The occupation code for your work

• Your employer’s name and sponsor licence number (as stated on your sponsorship certificate)

• Proof that you have enough money saved up to support yourself

• Marriage and birth certificates, for example, serve as evidence of your relationships with your spouse/partner and children.

• A criminal record certificate (required only for professions such as healthcare and education that work with vulnerable populations)

• Evidence of your English language ability

• Results of a TB test (if you are from a country where this is necessary)

• If your PhD is not from the UK, a UK PhD certificate or Ecctis reference is required.

You will also be given instructions on how to provide your biometrics (fingerprints and a photo) for your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) and provide identification. You can either do this by having your fingerprints and photo taken at a visa application centre in the nation in where you are located, or by using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app for mobile devices from the Home Office. You can upload your scanned identity documents to the Home Office via the app.

How to submit a UK Skilled Worker visa application

On the website of the Home Office, a Skilled Worker visa application can be made from outside the UK. You won’t be able to finish and submit your application until you get your employment offer, Certificate of Sponsorship, and the above-mentioned supporting documents. If necessary, you can start the application procedure and save your work so that you can finish it later.

The steps for applying are as follows:

• Verify whether you qualify for a skilled worker visa.

• Obtain a job offer from a UK sponsor with a licence.

• Obtain your Sponsorship Certificate from your UK employer.

• Prepare the paperwork you’ll need to demonstrate your eligibility for a visa for a skilled worker.

• Fill out the online application form. Whether you are applying from outside the UK or changing from another visa while already within the UK will determine which form you need to fill out.

• Pay the healthcare surcharge, biometric fee, and application fee (see below).

• Any supporting materials for your application should be uploaded.

• Make an appointment for a biometric capture of your fingerprints and photograph.

• If your application was submitted outside of the UK, you can anticipate a decision within 3 weeks after the application date. UKVI will get in touch with you if more information is required to support your application.

Changing jobs while on a visa for skilled workers

If you currently have a visa for a skilled worker and want to switch companies, you must apply for a new visa. In the event that you want to:

• Switch employers

• Changing careers

• A different employment code

• Replace a job on the shortage occupation list with one that is not on the list.

You can submit an application from within the UK and go on living and working here until the Home Office makes a judgement, assuming your current work visa is still valid.

If you accept a second position with a different employer in a different occupation, you will also need to submit an application for a new visa.

You have up to three months before the start of your new role to submit your application to move jobs or employers. It is crucial to apply as soon as you can because it could take up to 8 weeks for a decision to be made on your application. Before you have heard back from your application’s reviewer, you should wait to start working for your new job.

Renewal of the Skilled Worker Visa

If you are still employed by the same sponsor or employer and are still employed in the same occupation (which must be in the same occupation code as your current visa), you may extend your visa before it expires. Instead of extending your present visa, you must apply for a new one if you intend to change jobs or employers. Your visa may be extended as frequently as you like.

ILR Skilled Worker Visa

One of the key advantages of the skilled worker visa is the ability to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after five years if you do intend to stay in the UK permanently rather than just extending your visa. To qualify, you must have lived in the UK continuously for the past five years, which means you cannot have left the country for longer than 180 days in any of those years. You won’t need to submit any other visa applications, pay the immigration healthcare premium, or wait another 12 months to apply for British citizenship once you have indefinite leave to remain.

The five years necessary to qualify for ILR can be made up of time spent on a variety of visas, including the Representative of an Overseas Business visa, the Innovator visa, the Global Talent visa, the Tier 2 visa (Minister of Religion or Sportsperson), or a Tier 1 visa. However, time spent participating in the Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur Scheme is not admissible.

In order to be eligible for ILR, you must additionally present proof of:

• The Life in the UK test (for individuals between the ages of 18 and 65) was passed by you.

• You continue to work for the same sponsor licence holder.

• You still make the required minimum pay.

• Your command of the English language is adequate.

References:

1 GOV.UK: Workers’ Register of Licenced Sponsor

2 GOV.UK: Codes and occupations for skilled worker visa

3 GOV.UK: Going reates for suitable profession codes for skilled worker visas

4 GOV.UK: Visa for skilled workers