The UK Skilled Worker Visa enables skilled workers from outside the United Kingdom to work in the UK. To apply for this, you must have a job offer and a ‘Certificate of Sponsorship’ from a licensed employer in the UK.
For many students who want to study abroad, working and settling abroad is a dream. The United Kingdom happens to be one of the most preferred places for that. Students want to study there, work there and even get permanent residence because the UK offers a relatively high standard of living. The UK Skilled Worker Visa opens the doors to all that. Therefore, every year several skilled individuals from across the world including India apply for the UK Skilled Worker Visa and expose themselves to a bright future. In this blog, we will take an overview of the UK Skilled Work Visa and understand its requirements.
UK Skilled Worker Visa
The United Kingdom has a growing job market. For that, the UK government encourages skilled workers to come from outside and settle in the UK so that their skills could help the economy of the United Kingdom. The UK Skilled Worker Visa is a visa that enables skilled people from foreign lands to work in the United Kingdom. In simple terms, this visa allows you to work in the UK. Earlier, you would have to apply for the Tier 2 (General) Work Visa but now that has been replaced with the UK Skilled Workers Visa. With this visa, you can work under an approved employer and subsequently get permanent residence in the UK if you fulfil other requirements too.
UK Skilled Worker Visa Eligibility
There are certain eligibility requirements that you would be required to fulfil for getting a UK Skilled Workers Visa. The eligibility criteria are as follows:
- A licensed sponsor must have given you a job offer
- The sponsor/employer must be one approved by the Home Office
- A minimum Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent along with 2 years of experience in skilled work from the eligible occupations list
- A ‘Certificate of Sponsorship’ from the employer stating the role that has been offered to you
- Meet the minimum salary requirement of 25,600 Pounds
- Meet the minimum requirement of English language proficiency of B1 level
- Meet the threshold of 20 points score from the points-based system
Certificate of Sponsorship
Your UK sponsor must issue a ‘Certificate of Sponsor’ to you before you apply for the UK Skilled Workers Visa. This is necessary to confirm that the eligibility requirements of sponsorship are met. Moreover, this Certificate of sponsorship can only be issued by sponsors having a proper license. You can apply for this visa three months before your joining date.
English Proficiency
To apply for the UK Skilled Workers Visa, you must show that you are proficient in the English Language. For that, you can give an accepted English language test. However, you are not required to prove your English proficiency if you are from Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, Saint Lucia, United States, Trinidad & Tobago, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Saint Kitts & Nevis and Antigua & Barbuda.
UK Shortage Occupation List
The UK Shortage Occupation list is a list of occupations and jobs for which skilled workers can apply to get the UK Skilled Workers Visa. Skilled workers are selected based on this list. It is a long list containing various UK skilled worker visa jobs with unique occupation codes. The names of some of them are Health Services, Chemical Scientists, Physical Scientists, Civil Engineers, Electrical Engineers, IT Business Analysts, Programmers, Veterinarians, Choreographers, Musicians, etc.
UK Skilled Worker Visa Documents
While applying for the Skilled Worker Visa, there are a few documents that you must be ready with. The required documents are:
- Your passport and related documents. This is necessary as proof of your nationality and identity.
- The Occupation Code of your job.
- Your annual salary along with the title of your job.
- The Certificate of Sponsorship reference number is provided by your employer.
- Proof of your English proficiency.
- Your employer’s name along with the employer’s license number.
These are the documents and proofs that are mandatory for you while applying for the UK Skilled Workers Visa. However, you may be required to get some other documents depending on your circumstances and profession. For example, if you are someone applying from outside the UK and have a job in education, healthcare, therapy or social services, you will have to provide a criminal record certificate.
UK Skilled Worker Visa Fees
The fee requirements while applying for a Skilled Worker Visa vary based on the job and the number of years. They are as follows:
| Category | Fee per Applicant |
| For staying less than 3 years | 625 Pounds |
| For staying more than 3 years | 1235 Pounds |
| For shortage occupation roles for staying up to 3 years | 479 Pounds |
| For shortage occupation roles for staying more than 3 years | 943 Pounds |
| Healthcare surcharge per year of your stay | 624 Pounds |
UK Skilled Worker Visa Processing Time
You can apply for the UK Skilled Worker Visa after you have received your job offer. You must apply 3 months before your joining date. This way you can save time. After you have applied for it, you can expect the whole process to take about 3 weeks if you are applying from outside the UK and 8 weeks if you are inside the UK. You’ll get the final decision on your visa then.
UK Skilled Worker Visa Benefits
The UK Skilled Worker Visa enables skilled workers from across the globe to stay and work in the United Kingdom. Hence, there are some benefits that you will get with this visa. They are:
- Benefits of working in an eligible job profile.
- Benefits of studying in the UK.
- Benefits of taking on extra work according to the circumstances.
- Benefits of keeping your spouse and kids with you.
- Benefits of settling in the UK if you have spent 5 years and meet other eligibility criteria.
You can enjoy all these benefits with the Skilled Worker Visa. However, change your job or employer unless you get your visa updated.
Validity of the Skilled Worker Visa
The UK Skilled Worker Visa lasts up to 5 years. So, you can stay in the United Kingdom for 5 years with this visa. Before that time period expires, you can renew it. You can also apply for Permanent Residence if you fulfil other criteria.
Conclusion
The UK Skilled Worker Visa enables skilled workers from outside the United Kingdom to work in the UK. To apply for this, you must have a job offer and a ‘Certificate of Sponsorship’ from a licensed employer in the UK. This visa provides a great way to open the door to a greater standard of living, professional growth and personality growth in general. Therefore, if you have a job offer from your employer in the UK, check whether you meet the eligibility criteria and apply as soon as possible!
FAQs
Who can apply for the UK Skilled Worker Visa?
If you have obtained a job offer from a licensed employer in the UK to work as a skilled worker, you can apply for this visa.
What is the minimum salary to apply for the Skilled Worker Visa?
The minimum required salary to apply for the UK Skilled Worker Visa is 25,600 Pounds.
For how long is the UK Skilled Worker Visa valid?
The Skilled Worker Visa for the UK is valid for up to five years. You can get renewed before the expiry date.
What is the difference between the Tier 2 and Skilled Worker Visa?
The difference between them lies in the fact that the skill requirement for the former was higher than the latter.
Can apply for PR after the Skilled Worker Visa?
The UK Skilled Worker Visa lasts up to 5 years. 5 Years of stay is also required for PR. Therefore, you can apply for PR if you also meet the other necessary criteria.
Gaurav Kandari is a seasoned study abroad consultant with over 5 years of experience, specializing in guiding students to the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia. An avid traveler, he draws on his global adventures to enrich his consulting, providing invaluable insights to aspiring scholars.
