Why apply for a UK Skilled Worker Visa?

You can find companies sponsoring the UK skilled worker visa by searching the GOV.UK Register of Licensed Sponsors site, which lists all approved employers, or by using specialist job boards like the UK Visa Jobs website, which highlights visa-sponsored jobs. You can also search for specific industries such as finance, technology, and healthcare, as these often have many visa-sponsoring companies.

To find a job that qualifies for a UK Skilled Worker visa, you first require a job offer from a licensed UK employer that sponsors workers and has a position on the eligible occupations, as only they can hire skilled worker visa applicants. Once you have an employer, they will check if your job offer meets the visa eligibility criteria. If you are eligible, your employer will provide you with a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), an electronic record with a unique reference number you will need for your visa application.

UK employers with a valid sponsor licence from the Home Office can sponsor Skilled Worker visas. You must check the UK Government Register of Licensed Sponsors to find the complete list of approved companies. The job you are offered must be in an eligible occupation code and meet the minimum salary requirements set by the Home Office.

Some of the eligible occupations with their sectors for the UK Skilled Worker visa are listed below:

For a UK Skilled Worker Visa, you must earn a minimum salary of 41,700 euros per year or the standard rate for your specific job, whichever is higher. However, certain categories, such as those with STEM PhD or on the Immigration Salary List (ISL), can have a lesser salary of 33,400 euros, while general PhD holders can have 37,500 euros.

Here is the step-by-step process to apply for a UK Skilled Worker visa:

Step 1: Get a Job offer from a licensed sponsor

Step 2: Receive your employer's Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).

Step 3: Check your eligibility, such as skilled worker occupation, salary requirements, language proficiency, and financial requirements.

Step 4: Prepare your documents

Step 5: Apply online at GOV.UK and complete your application

Step 6: Pay the application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Step 7: Provide biometrics and upload documents

Step 8: Wait for the decision

Step 9: If approved, travel to the UK and collect a BRP pr access a digital status.

Here is the step-by-step process for extending a UK Skilled Worker visa:

Step 1: Make sure your skills have an eligible job with a licensed sponsor

Step 2: Request a new Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from your sponsor

Step 3: Make sure your roles still meet the salary and occupation visa requirements

Step 4: Prepare all your documents, such as your passport, CoS, proof of funds, and other supporting papers.

Step 5: Apply online on GOV.UK before your current visa expires

Step 6: Pay your application and healthcare surcharge

Step 7: Provide your biometrics and submit supporting documents

Step 8: Wait for the decision

Step 9: If approved, receive your new visa/BRP.

The requirements to apply for permanent residency, also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), after holding a Skilled Worker visa are listed below:

• You must have lived and worked in the UK with a Skilled Worker Visa for five continuous years.
• During these five months, you must not have been outside the UK for more than 180 days in any 12 months.
• You must still be working in the same occupation with your UK-licensed sponsor at the time of your application.
• You must meet the salary requirements of your occupation.
• You must pass the Life in the UK test.
• You must prove a B1 level English language proficiency.
• Your employer must confirm they still require you for the role.
• You should not have any serious criminal record or immigration breaches.

The processing time to get a UK skilled worker visa depends on whether you apply from outside the UK or from inside the UK.

• You will usually receive a decision within 3 weeks if you apply outside the UK.
• The standard processing time is 8 weeks if you apply from the UK.

The RQF requirement for most UK skilled worker visa jobs with a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is Level 6 or above. This level is typically required for managerial, professional, and specialist positions such as engineers, IT specialists, doctors, and teachers. Some RQF level 3-5 jobs may be eligible through the temporary shortage or Immigration salary list.

The Skilled Worker visa is for employers to recruit people from overseas to work in the UK in a specific job. A Skilled Worker must have a job offer in an eligible skilled occupation from an employer Home Office-approved sponsor.

To qualify for a UK Skilled Worker visa, you must fulfill the visa requirements, including having a valid job offer from an approved employer in the UK, a job that is on the list of eligible occupations, a CoS, English language proficiency, and minimum salary requirements.

The requirements for a Skilled Worker visa in the UK are as follows:

• Score at least 70 through the points-based system
• Have at least a Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum work experience of 2 years in an occupation listed on the eligible occupations list
• Job offer from a Home office-approved UK employer
• The employment offer must be at the RQF 3 or above
• English language proficiency that is equivalent to the B1 level in CEFR  
• Meet the salary requirement of £38,700 or the “going rate.”

Jobs at (Regulated Qualifications Framework) RQF level 3 or above can qualify for a Skilled Worker visa in the UK.

The table below has the list of the top 10 job occupations that qualify for a Skilled Worker Visa in the UK:

Yes, you have the right to bring dependents with you which can be your spouse or partner and children below 18 years. The application of dependents is linked with yours.

• Offer letter from a UK Employer who has a license to sponsor from the Home Office
• Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)
• Passport with a validity of 12 months
• Documents in support of your educational qualifications
• Documents to prove English language proficiency
• Proof of having the required maintenance funds which is 1,270 pounds

The application fee will depend on how many years you plan to work in the UK, and whether your job is on the skill shortage list.

• Application Fees for stay up to 3 years – £610 per person
• Application Fees for stay more than 3 years – £1,220 per person
• Application Fees if your job is in the Shortage Occupation List for stay up to 3 years – £464 per person
• Application Fees if your job is in the Shortage Occupation List and you wish to stay for more than three years – £928 per person

• UK NARIC Fees 49.50 pounds

Apart from the application fees you will have to pay a health surcharge of £624 per year [for each year of your stay]. To be refunded in case your application is rejected.

Additionally, the applicant must have a minimum of £1,270 in their bank account to demonstrate that they can support themselves financially in the UK.

The salary requirement has been reduced from GBP 30,500 to GBP 25,600. Or the applicant has to meet the specific salary requirement for the occupation or the ‘going rate’.

With the introduction of the Skilled Worker visa, European Union (EU) citizens will be treated on par with citizens of other nations. As long as the UK was a member of the EU, those from EU countries had a right to work in the UK. With Brexit they will no longer have this right and will have to apply for a work visa just like others.

No preference will be given to PhD holders. However, every candidate must  have a score of 70 points to qualify in the defined parameters like specific skills, qualifications, salaries and professions.

IELTS is not mandatory for the UK Skilled Worker visa. The English language requirements for the visa have to be meet by either IELTS for UKVI (General) with a minimum score of 4 bands in all the four modules or UK NARIC report for the Bachelor’s or Master’s qualification.

Yes, the dependent spouse can work full time.

Yes, education will be free for children below 18 years of age just like UK citizens or PR holders.

No, they have to pay the fees as per the NHS charges.

The visa can be applied for either 3 years or more than 3 years (up to a maximum of 5 years).

After 5 years they can apply for FLR and after another 2 years apply for ILR.

The government of UK announced the launch of a points-based immigration system which has come into effect from January 2021.

The main features of the points-based migration include:

• Immigration candidates for both EU and non-EU nations will be treated the same way
• Highly skilled workers, skilled workers and students wanting to come to the UK must follow the points-based system
• A job offer is mandatory for skilled workers
• 70 points is the minimum score required to be eligible for a visa
• A job offer and the ability to speak English will get the applicant 50 points. The additional 20 points required to qualify for the visa can be gained through any of the following qualifications:
• Having a job offer that pays you 26,000 pounds or above per year will give you 20 points
• 10 points for a relevant PhD or 20 points for a PhD in a STEM subject
• 20 points for an offer for a job where there is a skill shortage

The Skilled Worker visa is based on a points system; so, you can use the various points criteria to your advantage to get the required number of points to apply for this visa. You need 70 points to qualify for this visa.

While it is mandatory to have a job offer from an approved sponsor, if you have a job at the appropriate skill level and have English language skills at the appropriate level you will score 50 points.

You can gain the remaining 20 points if you are hired for a job where you are paid at least £25,600 a year.

You can gain these extra points if you have better qualifications

• 10 points if you have a relevant PhD
• 20 points if you have a PhD in science, technology, engineering or math
• 20 points if you have a job offer in a skill shortage occupation

Under the UK skilled worked visa, the minimum salary requirement is 25,600 pounds and an applicant who has a job offer from a sponsored employer with this salary can secure 20 points directly, 10 points from NARIC/ IELTS, 20 points from the Offer of the job by an approved sponsor, 20 points SOC code for the designation.

To get the required points based on salary, the applicant has to meet the specific salary requirement for the occupation or the ‘going rate’.

Applicants are allowed to use the points for their qualifications against a lower salary package to get the required points for the Skilled Worker Visa. If the job offer has a salary which is less than the minimum salary requirement of £ 20,480, an applicant will still be qualified if they have:

• a job offer in a specific shortage occupation
• a PhD relevant to the job
• a PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job

The maximum points you can score is 70 points, scoring more than 70 points will not give you special privileges. This is how the 70 points will be distributed based on your qualifications:

• 70 points is the required score to be eligible for a visa
• A job offer and the ability to speak English will get the applicant 50 points. The additional 20 points required to qualify for the visa can be gained through any of the following qualifications:
• Having a job offer that pays you 26,000 pounds or above per year will give you 20 points
• 10 points for a relevant PhD or 20 points for a PhD in a STEM subject
• 20 points for an offer for a job where there is a skill shortage

Yes, there are chances that your visa application can be rejected in spite of getting a certificate of sponsorship but you can always reapply for the visa.

Your salary will be based on your years of experience, here is the average salary based on years of experience:

01- 05 years – 24000 pounds (Variation based on profile and industry)

05 – 10 years –30800 pounds (Variation based on profile and industry)

10- 15 years – 40000 pounds (Variation based on profile and industry)

Brexit is likely to reduce immigration from European Economic Area (EEA) countries to the UK, and poses challenges for British higher education, academic research and security.

Yes, children of Tier 2 visa holders get access to free education in the UK.

Yes, it is advantageous because the applicant can ask the employer to pay the minimum salary to process his  visa. The employer will have to pay a minimum salary of 25,600 pounds or the ‘going rate’ for the position, whichever is higher.

Permanent residency in the UK is also known as the Indefinite Leave to Remain, it is an immigration status granted to a person without the Right of Abode.

A person who has permanent resident status can live and work indefinitely in the UK. He will no longer have immigration restrictions to work or do business in the UK and no time limits on his stay.

You can apply for permanent residency if you have lived in the UK for a certain number of years, lawfully or otherwise.

You have to be in the UK on a work permit for five years before applying for permanent residency.

You will have to stay for a minimum of five years in the UK on a PR visa to apply for citizenship.

No, you will have to apply for a work permit to work in most EU countries even if you have UK citizenship.

Here is a table describing the main differences:

No, you will have to apply for a work permit to work in these countries.

If you have lived in the UK continuously for five years and have spent less than 180 consecutive days outside of the UK each year during this period, you will be eligible for ILR.

Yes, you can sponsor your parent’s PR visa, once you become a British citizen or are settled permanently in the UK and is not on the work permit.

No, it is not possible to check this online.

You can click on this link https://uktiersponsors.co.uk/ to check if the COS is genuine.

It will take a minimum of 3 weeks to get the visa decision from the time you file your application. The cost of the visa is 610 Pounds per applicant for a 3-year visa and 1220 Pounds per applicant for a 5-year visa.

Yes, dependent children over 16 years of age can work on a full-time job in the UK.