Why apply for UK Skilled Worker Visa?

• The fifth-strongest economy in the world
• Top universities in the world with high QS rankings
• Free healthcare for permanent residents
• High quality of living
• 1.3 million job vacancies

UK Skilled Worker Visa

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.

Benefits of the UK Skilled Worker Visa:

• Visa holders can bring dependents on the visa
• Spouse is allowed to work on the visa
• No cap on the number of people who can move to the UK on the visa
• Minimum salary requirement has been reduced to £25600 from threshold of £30000
• Fast Track Visas will be provided for healthcare professionals like doctors and nurses

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.

• High Potential Individual route: It is a visa for students who have graduated from a top global university. It allows them to enter the UK without a job offer and work without restrictions, offering them the possibility to settle in the country if they meet certain criteria.
• Scale-up route: It is a visa for talented candidates having a job offer from a qualified scale-up.

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

• Global Business Mobility: New Global Business Mobility route for overseas businesses

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.

Most popular ways to migrate to the UK

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:

• Migrate through Work Visa – UK skilled migration
• Migrate through Student Route
• Migrating through Family Visa
• Migrating through UK Business Visa
• Migrating through a UK Investor visa

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:

• IT
• Finance
• Teaching
• Healthcare
• Engineering

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.’

New UK immigration points-based assessment system

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:

• 10 points for a relevant PhD
• 20 points for a PhD in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) disciplines
• 20 points for a job offer in the skill shortages stream
• Few jobs, such as health or education, will earn them 20 points even if their pay is less than £30,960

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.

Requirements for UK Skilled Worker Visa

• You must have a score of 70 points to qualify in the defined parameters like specific skills, qualifications, salaries and professions.
• You need to have a Minimum Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with 2 years of skilled work experience from the eligible occupations list
• You must have a job offer from a Home Office licensed sponsor
• The job offer must be at the required skill level – RQF 3 or above (A Level and equivalent)
• You must meet the English Language requirement at B1 level in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
• The minimum salary requirement jumps 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.
• Senior or Specialist Workers must be paid a minimum salary of  £48,500 annually.

Documents required to apply for UK Skilled Worker Visa

The following documents will be required at the time of applying for a UK Skilled Worker visa:

• The applicant’s Certificate of Sponsorship [CoS] reference number
• Proof of knowledge of the English language
• A valid passport [or other documents that establish the applicant’s nationality and identity]
• Job title
• Annual salary
• Occupation code of the job
• Name of the employer
• The sponsor licence number of the employer

Jobs listed in the UK Immigration Salary List

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:

• Your job is on the immigration salary list
• You’re under 26, studying or a recent graduate, or in professional training
• You have a science, technology, engineering, or maths (STEM) PhD level qualification that’s relevant to your job (if you have a relevant PhD level qualification in any other subject, your salary must be at least £26,100)
• You have a postdoctoral position in science or higher education

 

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.

 

UK Skilled Worker Visa fees

• Application Fees for stay up to 3 years – 719 pounds
• Application Fees for stay more than 3 years stay-1,420 pounds
• Application Fees if your job is on the Immigration Salary List for a stay of up to 3 years) – 551 pounds
• Application Fees (f job in Immigration Salary List and you wish to stay for more than three years 1084 pounds
• UK NARIC Fees: 49.50 pounds
• UK NARIC – 140 Pounds + VAT 

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

Migrate through the student route

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.

UK Family Visa

There are a few ways in which you can get a UK family visa:

• As a spouse or partner of a UK resident.
• As a parent of a UK resident.
• As a child of a UK resident.
• As a sick, disabled, or aged relative in need of long-term care from a UK resident.
• On the basis of private life.
• As a widowed partner of a former UK resident.
• As a separated spouse or partner.

UK Investment 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:

• Innovator visa
• Global talent visa
• Scale Up visa

How to set up a branch of a company in the UK

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.

UK Expansion Work Visa Program details

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

• Allows the company to expand its business to the UK.
• Allows sufficient time for the company to market research, analysis, and set up operations in the UK.
• The easiest way to register a company in the UK and negotiate with suppliers and customers.
• 12 months will be the initial Visa duration and the extension will be given for another 12 months

Eligibility

To be eligible for a UK Expansion Worker visa you need to:

• Must be a genuine company, incorporated overseas and established for a minimum of one year.
• Must not have any branch, subsidiary or another representative in the UK.
• Sending the employee must be for the benefit of the company
• Should be a senior employee.
• Must have full authority to take operational decisions on the company’s behalf.
• Should have been working with the company for a reasonably long time.
• Should be well acquainted with the company’s operations.
• Must show a good employment track record in a similar or closely related field of work.
• Must meet the English language requirement.
• Must meet the maintenance funds requirement for themselves and any dependent.
• The employee cannot be an owner and majority shareholder in the overseas company.

Who Is Eligible For The Expansion Worker Visa?

You must already work for the overseas business as either a senior manager or specialist employee.

• Must be hired and employed by a company or organization whose headquarters or major place of business is located outside the UK.
• Have the necessary abilities, experience, and expertise for the job.
• Have complete authority to make decisions on behalf of the firm (but do not own or control the majority of it) and have a senior position within it.
• Be hired and employed by a firm or organization that has its headquarters or principal place of business outside of the United Kingdom.

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

• work for your sponsor in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship
• study
• bring your partner and children with you as your ‘dependants’, if they’re eligible
• do voluntary work
• travel abroad and return to the UK

Requirements

The requirements to apply for the UK Expansion Worker Visa Program includes:

• Passport & travel history
• Certificate of Sponsorship
• UK Job details
• Educational and business credentials
• Evidence you are located outside the UK & employed by a non-UK based company
• English Language Proficiency
• Other documentation

How to obtain a UK PR Visa?

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.

Requirements for a UK ILR 

To get UK PR, one has to live in the UK for five years under one of the following categories:

• Tier 1
• Tier 2 of the points-based system: for the overseas skilled professionals who have valid job offers in the United Kingdom
• Businessperson
• Investor
• International students and Research fellows
• Representatives of a news agency, overseas newspaper, PR agency, or broadcasting organization
• The private servant in the household of a diplomat
• Domestic worker in a private household
• Overseas government employee
• The self-employed lawyer or solicitor
• UK ancestry
• Highly skilled migrants under the Highly Skilled Migrant Program (HSMP)
• Retired person of independent means
• The sole representative of an overseas firm
• One can also apply for UK PR if that individual has a family member or a partner who is a British citizen.

UK PR Visa fee

It costs £2389 for an individual applicant by post. Application in person might cost slightly higher but the advantage of this method is that a decision is taken on the same day without a six-month wait.

Latest UK immigration news

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

 

How can Y-Axis assists you?

• 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:

• Eligibility check to work in UK

You can check your eligibility to work in UK through Y-Axis UK immigration points calculator

• LinkedIn marketing

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.

• Expert counseling on job roles and responsibilities

While seeking jobs and careers overseas the most important question is, if the current roles and responsibilities match the requirement overseas.

• Y-Path

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.

• Jobs in UK

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.

Resume writing services

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:

• ATS friendly
• Adequate relevant industry keywords
• Format in line with international standards
• Appealing language that is relevant to your role
• Well-structured to guide the recruiter
• Showcasing your professional strengths
• Proofread and quality checked to be error-free and well written

Highlights

Our Resume Writing services:

• Resume Delivery within 4-5 business days
• An Expert for consultation
• CV written by 10+ Years of writers
• ATS optimized and tested
• Word and PDF document
• Up to 2 document revisions
• A Cover Letter that covers your professional summary
  A LinkedIn Makeover In line with the resume

Y-Axis, the right mentor for unlocking the cross-border opportunities. Contact us right now!