UK Skilled Worker Visa

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Why Work in UK?

  • Average annual gross salary is £35,000 TO £45,000 in the UK.
  • Average working hours 36.6 per week
  • Paid leaves per year: 28 days
  • Eased policies for Skilled Workers
The UK Work Visa

Explore the potential of the UK to offer you the most attractive job opportunities in industrial sectors like banking & finance, construction, healthcare, and IT. Plan to work in the UK to get a work visa that suits your specialized requirements.

The UK work visa, a visa pathway, attracts skilled workers globally, considering that the UK is one of the most robust economies even after it exited from the EU and withstood the COVID-19 pandemic.

Know the features, processes, and methods relevant to work in the UK. Understand what it takes to secure a work visa and what possibilities exist for you to gain permanent residency in the UK. Here, we will explore more about the UK work visa, and the pathways that allow you to get the opportunity of working in the UK.

About the UK

Some interesting features about the UK- the country.

  • The UK, in fact, is a collection of four countries, namely England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
  • England is the largest country in the UK.
  • London’s Heathrow is the biggest airport on the European continent.
  • London, which is the capital of the UK, is its biggest city.
  • The world’s largest inhabited castle is the Windsor Castle which is in the UK.
  • Stonehenge, one of the oldest monuments on Planet Earth, is located in the UK.
  • The UK has a cosmopolitan culture with a diverse population of people from all over the world congregating.
  • The UK houses over 130 universities, with Cambridge and Oxford being the most prestigious ones.
  • The currency of the UK, the Pound Sterling, is one of the strongest currencies in the world.
  • After Germany and France, the United Kingdom is Europe’s third-largest economy.
  • The biggest companies in the UK are AstraZeneca, British Petroleum, HSBC, and Unilever.
Benefits of Working in the UK

It’s a major decision to live in the UK and relocate to it. Before you apply for a work visa in the UK, know the reasons why a UK work visa is valuable.

Access NHS (National Health Scheme), UK’s high-standard healthcare system, which will provide you with free or highly subsidized medication.

  • In the UK, public schools provide free education. All legal residents in the UK can send their children to a public school in the country.
  • Because of the lengthy history of UK immigration and the hordes of immigrants who have entered the country, the diversity of the UK population is its major characteristic.
  • The UK gets skilled foreign nationals to offer them work visas in large numbers.
  • All UK full-time workers are eligible to get a minimum annual leave of 20 days per year. The country makes sure that all employees’ interests are protected.
  • It’s convenient to travel to the rest of Europe from the UK, particularly with budget airlines to take you around.
  • Capable workers won’t find it difficult to relocate to the UK. If you have a niche skill, you can migrate to the UK easily.
Major Cities in the UK

Before you shift to the UK on a work visa, know the most prominent cities in the country. They are as follows:

  • London – It’s the capital city of England as well as the UK, which is home to attractions like Big Ben, Tower Bridge, and Trafalgar Square.
  • Birmingham – Thesecond-largest city in England. It’s also one of the top destinations in the UK for shopping and conventions.
  • Manchester –The third-biggest city in the UK. It’s renowned for football, music, and cultural activities.
  • Leeds –A city renowned as the heart of higher education and business. It’s a city where you can witness classic Victorian architecture at its best.
  • Oxford –It’s the famed university town of England which houses the celebrated University of Oxford.
Long-Term UK Work Visas
Skilled Worker Visa

A Skilled Worker visa is for people intending to move to the UK and working in a job considered eligible by an approved employer there. This visa is a substitute for the earlier Tier 2 (General) Work Visa.

To Gain Eligibility for this Work Visa, you need to
  • work for a UK-based employer who receives approval from the UK Home Office.
  • get from your UK employer a sponsorship certificate with details about the job role that you have been offered
  • be working in a job that’s on the eligible occupations list
  • be earning a minimum salary appropriate to the type of work you are performing
  • be able to speak, read, write, and understand English on the CEFR scale at a B1 level

The visa is valid for five years, after which it can be extended. You can even apply to settle permanently in the UK.

Health and Care Worker Visa

With this visa, medical professionals can enter and stay in the UK and work in occupations deemed eligible by the NHS or by being a supplier for it, or in adult social care.

To Gain Eligibility for this Work Visa, you need to:
  • be a trained nurse, health professional, adult social care professional, or doctor
  • work for a UK-based employer that has got approval from the Home Office
  • work in a health or a social care job counted by the UK government as eligible
  • have a certificate of sponsorship from your UK employer with the job profile you have got in the UK
  • be paid a minimum salary appropriate to the kind of work you are doing
  • You need to get a confirmed job offer before you apply for the visa. The visa is valid for five years, after which you can extend it. You may even apply to settle permanently in the UK.
Intra-Company Visas

This work visa is convenient if you are planning to stay in the UK and are employed in a job your employer deems eligible. This visa could be either of the two given below:

  • Intra-company Transfer visa –It’s for those who arrive in the UK after being transferred to a role by their employers.
  • Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa –It’s for those who enter the UK intending to take part in a graduate training program for a role as a specialist or manager.
To Gain Eligibility for this visa category, you have to:
  • be a company’s existing employee that’s got approval as a sponsor from the Home Office
  • have from your employer a sponsorship certificate with the job profile offered to you in the UK
  • be working in a job that is on the eligible occupations list
  • get a minimum salary of £41,500 for an Intra-company Transfer visa or a minimum of £23,000 if it is an Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa
The Shortest Duration of the Intra-Company Transfer Visa is as Follows:
  • Five years
  • 14 days more than the time specified on your sponsorship certificate
  • the period of time that allows you the maximum total stay
The Shortest Duration of an Intra-Company Graduate Trainee Visa is as Follows:
  • 12 months
  • 14 days more than the time specified on your sponsorship certificate
  • the time you are allowed the maximum total stay
Short-Term UK Work Visas
Temporary Work – Charity Worker Visa

You get this visa if you intend to do unpaid work of a voluntary nature for a charitable trust.

Temporary Work – Creative Worker Visa

This visa is given to you if you have in hand a job offer as a creative worker in the UK.

Temporary Work – Government Authorised Exchange Visa
  • Have a sponsor
  • Want to enter the UK for a short duration to obtain work experience/training, for the Overseas Government Language Program, for research, or a fellowship through an approved authorized exchange scheme of the government
  • Fulfil other eligibility requirements
Temporary Work – International Agreement Visa
  • You are qualified to apply for this work visa if you are available for a contract to work in a job-protected by international law/accord while staying in the UK. E.g., you will be
  • Employed in a diplomatic household as a private servant
  • Employed for an overseas government
  • Performing a service in a contract as an independent professional or a service supplier
Youth Mobility Scheme Visa
  • Are aged in the range of 18 to 30
  • Are intending to stay and work in the UK for up to two years
  • Are a native of specific countries, including Australia, or have a specific type of British nationality fulfil other criteria
  • This visa allows you to stay and work in the UK for a period not exceeding 24 months.
Graduate Visa

This visa allows you to stay and work in the UK for a minimum of two years after successfully concluding a course in the country.

You need to be in the UK to apply for this work visa. Apart from that, it would help if you met the following conditions:

  • you are the current holder of a student visa or a Tier 4 (General) student visa
  • you have obtained a bachelor’s/master’s/other qualified degrees from the UK for a time equivalent to your student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa
  • the provider of your education (university/college) has confirmed that you have successfully completed your course of study

The visa is eligible for two years. It will be valid for three years if you have a Ph.D. or any other doctoral qualifications. These visas are not extensible. To increase your stay, you need to switch to another visa type.

Other Type Work Visa

Global Talent Visa

Skilled Worker Visa

Skilled Shortage Occupation list Visa

Tier 2 Visa

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top in-demand jobs in the UK and what are their average starting salaries?
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Here’s a list of the top demanding jobs, along with their average salaries in the UK:

  • Programmers and Software Developers
  • Architects
  • Cyber security experts
  • Healthcare Specialists
  • Scientists   
  • Graphic designers
  • Business Analysts
  • Operations Manager
  • Sales Assistant

Job Occupation

Average starting salaries

Programmers and Software Developers

£26,000

Cyber Security Specialists

£25,000

Architects

£28,000

Health Services and Residential Care

£21,000 – £30,000

Graphic Designers

£18,800

Physical Scientists

£29,000

Sales Assistant

£16,977

Customer Service Advisor

£18,801

Operations Manager

£42,500

Business Analyst

£42,000

Is a UK work permit easy to get?
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Acquiring some of the UK work permits can be tricky based on visa requirements. Candidates who fulfill the eligibility criteria with proper submission of the requirements can get their visas processed within the due time. The candidate must have an offer letter for a job that meets a licensed employer’s minimum salary and skill requirements. To make the work permit process easy, it is suggested that the candidate applies at least three months before the travel date.

How much money is required for a U.K. work permit?
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Individuals applying for the U.K. work permit must submit proof of financial funds. The candidate must have at least £1,270 in their bank account as proof to support themselves in the country. The money must be unused for 28 consecutive days, starting from applying for the visa.

List out the processing times for U.K. work visas?
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The processing time for a U.K. work visa usually takes around three weeks to 8 weeks, based on where you apply from. The processing time for work visas that are applied from outside the U.K. is as follows:

Skilled worker visa: 3 weeks
Health and Care worker: 3 weeks
Global Talent: 3 weeks
Scale-up worker: 3 weeks
High Potential Individual (HPI): 3 weeks
Temporary work visa: 3 weeks
Innovator Founder: 3 weeks

The processing time for work visas that are applied from inside the U.K. is as follows:

Skilled Worker – 8 weeks
Health and Care Worker – 8 weeks
Global Business Mobility visas – 8 weeks
Temporary Work visas (selected categories) – 8 weeks
Innovator Founder – 8 weeks
Global Talent – 8 weeks
High Potential Individual (HPI) – 8 weeks
Scale-up Worker – 8 weeks

What are the different categories of UK work permit?
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The different UK work permit categories or Tiers are mentioned below:

Tier 1 visa: The Tier 1 visa, or the Entrepreneur or UK Innovator visa, is specifically for highly skilled individuals like investors or business people. The Tier 1 visa is a special category visa for Non-EU candidates that are exceptionally talented and are willing to invest at least £200,000 in the UK.
Tier 2 visa: The Tier 2 visa is a work visa that allows transfers of skilled immigrants with a job offer or sponsorship to the UK. The candidate with a Tier 2 visa must score at least 60 points and is required to have an employment offer in the country.
Tier 3 visa: The Tier 3 visa is for low-skilled workers to fill job vacancies when there is a demand.
Tier 4 visa: The Tier 4 visa is a type of student visa for international students who wish to pursue higher education in the UK with two years to look for jobs in the country.
Tier 5 visa: The Tier 5 visa, also known as the Temporary Worker visa, is for individuals who can work in the UK temporarily. Charity workers, sportspersons, or Government exchange schemes are eligible for the Tier 5 visa.

How much proof of funds is required for a UK work visa?
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Candidates applying for a UK work visa must show minimum proof of funds as a requirement. The individual must have at least £1,270 as evidence of funds to support their stay in the UK. The money in the account must be left unused for 28 consecutive days. The 28 days will be calculated as a part of 31 days from the date of applying for the visa.

What can you do with a Skilled Worker Visa?
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The Skilled Worker Visa was introduced in place of Tier 2 (General) Sponsored Worker visa. This UK work visa is for businesses in the country that can sponsor both European and non-European nationals to work from January 1, 2021, in the UK.

What's the Global Talent visa, and who is eligible for it?
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A Global Talent visa allows you to work in the UK as a skilled employee if you are currently in the capacity of leader or prospectively going to be one shortly in the domain of digital technology.

Digital technology includes sectors like artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, financial technology (fintech), etc. You are allowed to apply if you have earned an eligible award.

To work in the UK, I want to apply for a work visa. Which work visa is appropriate for me?
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You are allowed to work in the UK both on long-term and short-term work visas. 

The work visa you will need will depend on four different factors –

  • Your eligibility kills and credentials
  • If you have a job offer and sponsorship from the UK
  • If you want your family members to accompany you to the UK 

The type of work you will perform in the UK

Can I get a job in the UK without any experience?
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There are certain jobs in the UK which do not require any work experience. These include menial jobs, including cleaning and driving occupations. Employers want work experience of a minimum of one year in most such jobs. There are instances where employers are not inclined to waste time training employees. Obtaining work experience is possible. Instead of waiting for a job advertisement, you need to walk into the companies directly and ask for jobs.

You can try such organizations by telling them that you intend to provide your services on an experimental basis. The places where you can try are advertising agencies, hairdressers, and factories, among others.

Would I require sponsorship to work in the UK?
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Yes. Usually, you would require a sponsor who invites you to work in the UK. You must have the work experience, necessary qualifications, and skills for the jobs you get through sponsorship and an invitation to the UK. Employers who would sponsor you will provide a sponsorship certificate.

Providing a sponsorship certificate is to support overseas workers’ applications. With this certificate, it will be ensured by the authorities that the employer will shoulder all the employees’ responsibilities during their employment tenure in the UK.