The UK Skilled Worker visa was introduced to bring in highly skilled overseas workers into the UK labor market and subsequently take up permanent residence in the UK.
With this visa, skilled workers from other countries can be selected based on the shortage occupation list and they will be eligible to get an offer letter without the labor market test and stay in the UK for up to 5 years.
*Planning to apply for a UK skilled worker visa? Get expert advice with Migrate to the UK Flipbook.
Outlook of UK immigration plan
In this year, there will be major opportunities for UK immigration. The country plans new routes such as Global Business Mobility and Scale-up. It will introduce new visa categories and consolidate or modify some existing offerings. The new High Potential Individual visa would provide user-friendly access.
Simplifying the Innovator route: Introduction of a fast-track program for businesses with growth potential
Allowing more flexible options for funding and an opportunity for the applicant to work outside the primary business
The UK government has laid out all these plans as it aims to make the UK a global innovation hub by 2035. The introduction of this new fast-track visa for recruiting overseas talent would be “very important or vital” for the growth of its economy and employment.
Apart from these, the country is also facing labor shortages in many areas and hence it will rely on UK immigration for highly skilled foreign nationals.
With profound knowledge of UK immigration policies, Y-Axis offers you expert guidance and counsels you on all necessary procedures and requirements to increase your chances of migrating to the UK from India.
Though there are many pathways for UK immigration, the most trusted and successful paths include:
The UK government urges skilled professionals to work in the UK under the Tier 2 visa program to gain a competitive edge. This program allows job seekers to check the occupations in the Tier 2 Shortage Occupation List and apply for them based on their eligibility criteria.
The most in-demand sectors include:
To apply for the skilled workers’ program in the UK, the applicant must gain a UK work permit.
Later, they need to apply for the Skilled Worker Visas if the candidates are offered skilled jobs in the UK. They should earn a minimum wage of £38,700 to apply for Skilled Worker Visas, or based on the occupations or the ‘ongoing rate.’
The UK launched the new UK immigration points-based system in January 2021. The eligibility criteria for the UK skilled migration depend on the ‘new points-based UK Visa system.’ It measures eligibility by taking into consideration various factors to assess candidates’ skills for the UK work visa.
The points scored based on the UK New Points-based System decide the eligibility for the work visa.
To qualify for the UK work visa, the candidate should score a minimum of 70 points. If the candidate has an approved job offer for a skilled job and can speak fluent English, she/he will be awarded 50 points.
The candidate can gain the remaining 20 points if the salary being offered is at least £25,600 per year. The candidates can earn extra points if they have higher qualifications:
UK Skilled Worker Visa
The UK Skilled Worker Visa is what you need if you are a non-EU national as well as a skilled professional wanting to reside and be employed in the UK. This visa has replaced the earlier Tier 2 (General) Work Visa.
It has to be noted that if an EU national who is your relative has started to live in the UK before December 31, 2020, such a person can lodge an application to the free EU Settlement Scheme.
The following documents will be required at the time of applying for a UK Skilled Worker visa:
You can be paid between 70% and 90% of the standard going rate for your job if your salary is at least £30,960 per year and you meet one of the following criteria:
Occupation code |
Job types included on the immigration salary list |
Areas of the UK which qualify |
Standard rate |
Lower rate |
1212 |
Managers and proprietors in forestry, fishing, and related services – only “fishing boat masters.” |
Scotland only |
£30,960 (£15.88 per hour) |
£27,000 (£13.85 per hour) |
2111 |
Chemical scientists – only jobs in the nuclear industry |
Scotland only |
£35,200 (£18.05 per hour) |
£29,600 (£15.18 per hour) |
2112 |
Biological scientists – all jobs |
UK wide |
£41,900 (£21.49 per hour) |
£32,100 (£16.46 per hour) |
2115 |
Social and humanities scientists – only archaeologists |
UK wide |
£36,400 (£18.67 per hour) |
£25,200 (£12.92 per hour) |
2142 |
Graphic and multimedia designers – all jobs |
UK wide |
£30,960 (£15.88 per hour) |
£35,800 (£18.36 per hour) |
3111 |
Laboratory technicians – only jobs requiring 3 or more years’ related on-the-job experience. This experience must not have been gained through working illegally. |
UK wide |
£30,960 (£15.88 per hour) |
£23,200 (£11.90 per hour) |
3212 |
Pharmaceutical technicians – all jobs |
UK wide |
£30,960 (£15.88 per hour) |
£23,400 (£12.00 per hour) |
3411 |
Artists – all jobs |
UK wide |
£32,900 (£16.87 per hour) |
£27,300 (£14.00 per hour) |
3414 |
Dancers and choreographers – only skilled classical ballet dancers or skilled contemporary dancers who meet the standard required by internationally recognized UK ballet or contemporary dance companies. The company must be endorsed as being internationally recognized by a UK industry body such as the Arts Councils (of England, Scotland or Wales). |
UK wide |
£30,960 (£15.88 per hour) |
£23,200 (£11.90 per hour) |
3415 |
Musicians – only skilled orchestral musicians who are leaders, principals, sub-principals, or numbered string positions and who meet the standard required by internationally recognized UK orchestras. The orchestra must be a full member of the Association of British Orchestras. |
UK wide |
£32,900 (£16.87 per hour) |
£27,300 (£14.00 per hour) |
3416 |
Arts officers, producers, and directors – all jobs |
UK wide |
£37,500 (£19.23 per hour) |
£31,300 (£16.05 per hour) |
5119 |
Agriculture and fishing trades are not elsewhere classified – only jobs in the fishing industry |
UK wide |
£30,960 (£15.88 per hour) |
£23,200 (£11.90 per hour) |
5213 |
Welding trades – only high integrity pipe welders, where the job requires 3 or more years’ related on-the-job experience. This experience must not have been gained through working illegally. |
UK wide |
£31,700 (£16.26 per hour) |
£26,400 (£13.54 per hour) |
5235 |
Boat and ship builders and repairers – all jobs |
Scotland only |
£32,400 (£16.62 per hour) |
£28,100 (£14.41 per hour) |
5312 |
Stonemasons and related trades – all jobs |
UK wide |
£31,000 (£15.90 per hour) |
£25,800 (£13.23 per hour) |
5313 |
Bricklayers – all jobs |
UK wide |
£30,960 (£15.88 per hour) |
£25,800 (£13.23 per hour) |
5314 |
Roofers, roof tilers, and slaters – all jobs |
UK wide |
£31,000 (£15.90 per hour) |
£25,800 (£13.23 per hour) |
5316 |
Carpenters and joiners – all jobs |
UK wide |
£30,960 (£15.88 per hour) |
£25,200 (£12.92 per hour) |
5319 |
Construction and building trades not elsewhere classified – only retrofitters |
UK wide |
£30,960 (£15.88 per hour) |
£25,500 (£13.08 per hour) |
6135 |
Care workers and home carers – all jobs, except jobs with a working location in England are only eligible in this SOC 2020 occupation code where the sponsor holds registration with the Care Quality Commission and is currently carrying on a regulated activity. Private households or individuals (other than sole traders sponsoring someone to work for their business) cannot sponsor Skilled Worker applicants. |
UK wide |
£30,960 (£15.88 per hour) |
£23,200 (£11.90 per hour) |
6136 |
Senior care workers – all jobs, except jobs with a working location in England are only eligible in this SOC 2020 occupation code where the sponsor holds registration with the Care Quality Commission and is currently carrying on a regulated activity. |
UK wide |
£30,960 (£15.88 per hour) |
£23,200 (£11.90 per hour) |
6129 |
Animal care services occupations not elsewhere classified – only racing grooms, stallion handlers, stud grooms, stud hands, stud handlers and work riders |
UK wide |
£30,960 (£15.88 per hour) |
£23,200 (£11.90 per hour) |
9119 |
Fishing and other elementary agriculture occupations not elsewhere classified – only deckhands on large fishing vessels (9 meters and above) where the job requires the worker to have at least 3 years full-time experience in using their skills. This experience must not have been gained through working illegally. |
Apart from the application fees, you will have to pay a health surcharge of 1,035 pounds per year of stay when you apply, which will be refunded in case your application is rejected
The UK is next only to the US as the most favored destination for foreign students. The UK is home to the best-ranked universities in the world, some of which make it to the top of the world university rankings.
Many sectors of higher education in the United Kingdom, such as engineering, business, management, art, design, and law, are among the best in the world.
Every year, more than 600,000 international students arrive in the country to pursue various academic programs, beginning from bachelor’s degrees to PhDs. The degrees that the UK higher educational institutions offer are recognized worldwide. Students who study in UK universities get an opportunity to develop competent skills and earn valuable knowledge.
Students can pursue post-graduate studies in most of the universities in the UK as some of them even promise sponsorship of Tier 4 visas. Obtaining a UK Student Visa helps you put your best foot forward, in terms of a brilliant career post your UK study.
The academic year in the UK lasts from September to July. Generally, universities and colleges in the UK have three intakes. Some of them might also refer to intake as a term.
The three intakes in the UK are:
Intake 1: Term 1 – Commencing in September/October, it is the major intake
Intake 2: Term 2 – The intake commencing in January/February is also available
Intake 3: Term 3 – Commencing in May/June, it is available for select courses.
UK family visas are a type of UK entry and residence authorizations that are granted to those who want to settle with their family members permanently in the UK.
There are a few ways in which you can get a UK family visa:
The UK Investment Visa is a Tier 1 visa, part of the UK Points Based System, offered to wealthy individuals who are willing to invest a minimum of £2 million in the UK. The higher the amount of money invested, the quicker the individual can apply for settlement and eventually obtains British citizenship.
For high-net-worth individuals wanting to settle in the UK, the following are the most suitable alternatives:
Set up your first branch office in the UK. The UK Expansion Worker visa which is a part of the new UK Global Business Mobility, allows you to send a representative to set up the first branch of the company in the UK. This is a great option for businesses to expand their business operations to the UK. Y-Axis can help you navigate UK immigration and make the best case for your temporary Residency.
A UK Expansion Worker visa is the new name given for UK Sole representative visa. It allows you to come to the UK to set up a branch of an overseas business that has not started trading in the UK yet. Key details of the program are:
Companies with no current UK presence can send an employee to the UK on Sole Representative Visa
To be eligible for a UK Expansion Worker visa you need to:
You must already work for the overseas business as either a senior manager or specialist employee.
Bring your dependents
Your partner and children can apply to join you or to stay in the UK as your ‘dependants’ if they’re eligible. If their application is successful, their visa will end on the same date as yours.
Advantages of the UK Expansion Visa
Requirements
The requirements to apply for the UK Expansion Worker Visa Program includes:
UK permanent resident status provides any individual an opportunity to live and work in the UK indefinitely. Interested persons need to acquire this permit to work or carry out business in the UK, without any time limit on their stay or restrictions on immigration.
To get UK PR, one has to live in the UK for five years under one of the following categories:
An individual applicant's application by post costs £2389. An application in person might cost slightly more, but the advantage of this method is that a decision is taken on the same day without a six-month wait.
September 19, 2024
UK urges Indians to switch to E-Visa from Oct 2024
The UK has announced a major drive urging immigrants, including Indians with a physical copy of the immigration document, to switch to eVisas. Individuals with a physical BRP, passport with an ink stamping or visa sticker, or BRC will be switched to an online system starting in 2025.
*Looking for assistance with UK immigration? Let Y-Axis assist you with the complete process.
September 11, 2024
EU Citizens traveling to the UK required to pay €11 Authorization fees
EU citizens will now be required to pay €11 an authorization fee while traveling to the UK. The fee will be implemented starting April 2025 and is for individuals without a visa. The ETA, once applied, will be valid for 2 years.
*Want to apply for UK visas? Let Y-Axis assist you with the process.
August 27, 2024
The UK will allocate £10.5 million to prepare for the new EU digital border system!
The government of the United Kingdom has announced an allocation of £10.5 million to prepare for the upcoming EU digital border system—the Entry/Exit System (EES). This money will support the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone, and Eurostar at St Pancras to avoid long traveler queues.
Willing to know more about the UK Immigration process? Contact Y-Axis
August 23, 2024
EU & UK to Consider Youth-Mobility Scheme
The new UK government might consider Opening a youth Mobility Scheme with the EU. This scheme allows 30-year-olds to travel and work freely between 27 countries in the Schengen Area and the UK.
To know more on how to apply for a UK Work visa, contact Y-Axis
May 24, 2024
250,000 Indians immigrate to the UK in 2023. Apply now!
250,000 Indian nationals immigrated to the UK for study and work purposes in 2023. 127,000 Indians came for work purposes, and 115,000 Indians came for study purposes. Another 9,000 Indians arrived in the UK for other reasons. The next largest nationalities to immigrate to the UK were Nigerian, Chinese, and Pakistan.
April 19, 2024
University of Sussex announces £7,000 scholarship for Indian students. Apply now!
The Sussex India Scholarship aims to motivate Indian students in their educational journey at Sussex. Indian students pursuing Master’s courses at Sussex are eligible for £7,000 Scholarships. The deadline for applications is 1 September 2024.
April 15, 2024
How much will it cost for you to move to the UK in 2024?
The UK government announced increments in the salary requirements for various types of UK visas. Individuals willing to work in the UK under the points-based system must have a job offer with a minimum salary of £38,700.
April 5, 2024
UK Skilled Worker Visa Salary update
The minimum salary requirement changes significantly to £38,700 per year for any new migrant applying for the Skilled Worker visa. Health and Care Workers must be paid a minimum salary of £29,000, and Senior or Specialist Workers must be paid a minimum salary of £48,500 annually.
March 08, 2023
UK to hire 100+ Indian healthcare professionals in April 2023. Apply now!
About 47,000 nursing posts are vacant in NHS England, and over 100 health professionals from India are to be hired by the UK. 107 medical staff, including 97 registered nurses and ten allied health professionals, has received offers from the NHS Trust. The trust had a vacancy rate of 11.5 percent for healthcare support workers and 14.5 percent for nurses.
UK to hire 100+ Indian healthcare professionals in April 2023. Apply now!
March 02, 2023
UK Immigration rules likely to tighten for international student dependents
The UK plans to restrict international students from bringing their dependents to the country. The United Kingdom plans to restrict international students studying in the country from bringing dependents. International students pursuing education in certain study fields can bring their immediate family members to the UK. The dependents, too, should be pursuing education at a higher level, like post-graduate or doctoral study programs.
UK Immigration rules likely to tighten for international student dependents
March 01, 2023
UK grants 1.4 Million Residence Visas in 2022
In 2022, the United Kingdom issued 1.4 million residence visas to people during the pandemic, which were 860,000 in 2021. This was due to the vast influx of people entering the country for work and study. The majority proportion of these visas was work visas. Indian workers were one in three of these.
This increasing number of issuance of work visas shows a vast labor shortage in the United Kingdom. This has come after many people left job markets during the pandemic era.
UK grants 1.4 Million Residence Visas in 2022
February 18, 2023
‘New International Education Strategy 2.0’ offers better UK visas for overseas students
The UK has set up a commission to formulate comprehensive data on the merits of international students in the country. The commission comprises experts in the education field. The IHEC or International Higher Education Commission has been established to gather and formulate data about the policies for students from other countries. It is headed by Chris Skidmore, former universities minister and Member of Parliament of the UK.
‘New International Education Strategy 2.0’ offers better UK visas for overseas students
February 8, 2023
NO Job offer or sponsorship is required for UK’s Young Professionals Scheme. Apply now!
The UK has introduced a new Young Professionals Scheme through which eligible Indians can apply for a visa without any sponsorship or job offer. For Indians, 3,000 places will be available every year. This is a reciprocal scheme so candidates from the UK can come to India to live and work. The age of applicants should be between 18 and 30 years and they should have completed their Bachelor’s degree.
Candidates belonging to the countries below can directly apply for the visa:
Country | Number of invitations per year |
Australia | 30,000 |
Canada | 6,000 |
Monaco | 1,000 |
New Zealand | 13,000 |
San Marino | 1,000 |
Iceland | 1,000 |
Candidates belonging to the countries below will be selected through the ballot:
Country | Number of invitations per year |
Japan | 1,500 |
South Korea | 1,000 |
Hong Kong | 1,000 |
Taiwan | 1,000 |
India | 3,000 |
NO Job offer or sponsorship required for UK’s Young Professionals Scheme. Apply now!
January 31, 2023
International students can work in the UK for 30 hours/week from now!
The UK has plans to allow international students to work for longer hours. Currently, the cap is 20 hours per week which may either be increased to 30 hours or may be entirely lifted. The number of candidates who immigrated to the UK in 2022 was 1.1 million out of which, 476,000 were students. The number of students from India who migrated to the UK was 161,000. The UK has more than 1.3 million job vacancies and the country is in dire need of skilled workers.
International students can work in the UK for 30 hours/week from now!
January 11, 2023
India-U.K. Migration and Mobility MoU announced Young Professionals Scheme at G20 summit
The governments of India and UK launched Young Professionals Scheme which was announced at G20 Summit. The scheme will allow 3,000 candidates from both countries each year to migrate to each other’s country to live, study, or work. There is no requirement of a job offer while applying for this visa.
India-U.K. Migration and Mobility MoU announced Young Professionals Scheme at G20 summit
Job search services
Y-Axis makes your UK job search easy!
UK, the best place for skilled professionals to work and settle. With deep knowledge of the UK immigration and work policies, Y-Axis offers you superior guidance and counsel you on all necessary procedures and requirements to increase your chances to work and migrate to UK.
Our impeccable job search services include:
You can check your eligibility to work in UK through Y-Axis UK immigration points calculator
Y-Axis LinkedIn Marketing services helps to create a better first impression through our LinkedIn Marketing Services. We guide you in every step to create a compelling LinkedIn profile that gives overseas recruiters the confidence to reach you.
While seeking jobs and careers overseas the most important question is, if the current roles and responsibilities match the requirement overseas.
Get step by step guide to work in UK. Y-Path is a personalised approach which assists in making a life changing decision. Millions of people transform their lives dramatically when they work or study abroad and you can too.
Check with Y-Axis overseas jobs page to get the latest updates on active job openings in the UK. There is a huge demand for skilled professionals across the world. Over the years, Y-Axis has built up the knowledge and understanding of global economic trends to help our clients make the right decision about working abroad.
*Check out the latest jobs in UK, with the help of Y-Axis professionals.
Y-Axis resume writing services, makes your profile stand out!
Our resume writing services assist you to boost your interview chances in the age of technologically backed, digitally-screened resumes. It’s pertinent that your professional resume highlights your inimitable skills and experiences and accentuates why you’d make impressive employee, but they also need to be ATS friendly and written to make you stand out on a global recruitment platform.
With Y-Axis Resume Writing Services, you can rest assured that your resume checks all the below criteria:
Our Resume Writing services:
Y-Axis, the right mentor for unlocking the cross-border opportunities. Contact us right now!
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