What is a Skilled Worker Visa? A skilled worker visa is a type of UK visa for those who wish to come to the country in search of employment. These visas are issued based on the job you were offered and your relevant qualifying documents.

If you are an overseas worker and seeking a job in United Kingdom then you must have require a visa.The UK Employment Visa is similar to the standard Residence Visa (in fact it is a subset of it) but will allow you to live and work in the country for a length of time to be defined by the Home Office. This visa does not provide employment within the United Kingdom, as such it will only be granted once you already have a job offer and can present your employer’s sponsorship letter. The sponsorship letter must be signed by your employer and stamped and dated by the UKBA (UK Border Agency). If you are applying in Britain, then you must provide this letter wherever you apply; if you are applying abroad then it must be sent to your British Consulate or Embassy and they will forward your application without further checking.

Skilled Worker Visa In Uk

If you’re planning a trip to the UK, one of the ways you’ll be guaranteed an interview for a visa is the Tier 1 (General). This is for skilled workers to fill gaps in the current workforce. Your online nomination should give you at least 70% of your points, but don’t worry – if you don’t have an employer there are other routes to apply. The only problem…there aren’t many. Warning: Do not use Content Mills or PR Firms as they will get your rejected.

Since April 2011, the UK’s official migration policy has focused on attracting migrants who are able to fill vacancies in the UK labor market with employers willing to sponsor them. These new measures include improving visa application systems, a reduction in time spent waiting for settlement and a greater flexibility, along with streamlining the process of transferring skills and qualifications into the UK.

Overview

A Skilled Worker visa allows you to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job with an approved employer.

This visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa.

If you or your family are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

If you or your family member started living in the UK by 31 December 2020, you may be able to apply to the free EU Settlement Scheme.

The deadline to apply was 30 June 2021 for most people. You can still apply if either:

• you have a later deadline – for example, you’re joining a family member in the UK who was living in the UK by 31 December 2020
• you have ‘reasonable grounds’ for being unable to apply by 30 June 2021 – for example, you had an illness or were the victim of domestic abuse

Check if you can still apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Otherwise you need a visa to work in the UK.

Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Eligibility

Your job

To qualify for a Skilled Worker visa, you must:

• work for a UK employer that’s been approved by the Home Office
• have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your employer with information about the role you’ve been offered in the UK
• do a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations
• be paid a minimum salary – how much depends on the type of work you do

The specific eligibility depends on your job.

You must have a confirmed job offer before you apply for your visa.

Knowledge of English

You must be able to speak, read, write and understand English. You’ll usually need to prove your knowledge of English when you apply.

If you’re not eligible for a Skilled Worker visa

You may be eligible for another type of visa to work in the UK.

How long you can stay

Your visa can last for up to 5 years before you need to extend it. You’ll need to apply to extend or update your visa when it expires or if you change jobs or employer.

If you want to stay longer in the UK

You can apply to extend your visa as many times as you like as long as you still meet the eligibility requirements.

After 5 years, you may be able to apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’). This gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you’re eligible.

How to apply

You must apply online.

How you apply depends on whether you’re:

• outside the UK and are coming to the UK
• inside the UK and extending your current visa
• inside the UK and switching from a different visa

If you want to change your job or employer, you must apply to update your visa.

You can include your partner and children in your application to stay in the UK if they are eligible.

How long it takes

You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK. This date is listed on your certificate of sponsorship.

As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity and provide your documents.

You may need to allow extra time if you need an appointment to do this. You’ll find out if you need one when you start your application.

Getting a decision

Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within:

• 3 weeks, if you’re outside the UK
• 8 weeks, if you’re inside the UK

It’s currently taking 4 weeks on average to get a decision on Skilled Worker visas when you apply from outside the UK. Find out visa decision waiting times.

You may be able to pay to get a faster decision. How you do this depends on whether you’re outside the UK or inside the UK.

How much it costs

You, your partner or children will each need to:

• pay the application fee
• pay the healthcare surcharge for each year of your stay
• prove you have enough personal savings