UK Skilled Worker Visa Eligibility, Cost and Application 2023

The UK 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).

Learn all about the UK skilled worker visa requirements, eligibility criteria, and process in this comprehensive guide. This guide will highlight eligibility requirements, cost, and documents you will need to apply for a UK skilled worker visa from inside and outside the UK. Under new immigration rules, you must meet certain requirements to apply for a skilled worker visa.

What Is A Skilled Worker Visa?

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. The skilled worker visa allows you to work in the UK.

The Skilled Worker visa allows successful applicants to live and work in the UK for up to five years. After that time, they may be eligible to apply for settlement in the UK. The visa also allows visa holders to bring their dependents, including spouses and children, to the UK.

Who is Eligible for a Skilled Worker Visa?

To qualify for a skilled worker visa, you must meet certain criteria set by the UK Home Office. You can speak to our skilled worker visa immigration lawyers for comprehensive guidance and assistance with your skilled worker visa application. If you meet all the skilled worker visa requirements, your application will be successful.

Application Process for a Skilled Worker Visa

The process to apply for a UK skilled worker visa may vary depending on if you are applying for skilled worker visa from outside the UK or inside the UK. However, our immigration lawyers are expert and trained to deal with skilled worker visa applications from inside and outside the UK.

Here is the process that you must follow to obtain a skilled worker visa:

• You will need to find an employer, who has a skilled worker sponsor licence and willing to offer you a skilled job under skilled worker occupation.
• Once your employer is willing to sponsor you, you will need a certificate of sponsorship (CoS) from your employer detailing your job title, job duties, working hours and your skilled worker visa salary.
• After obtaining CoS, you will need to prepare and submit your skilled worker visa application online. You will need to pay for skilled worker visa fee to the Home Office.
• After online submission for your UK skilled worker visa, you will need to schedule an appointment to provide your fingerprints.
• Once the appointment is booked, you will need to upload all the supporting documents.
• Visa Decision: Once you attend your fingerprints, you will need to wait for a decision on your visa application.

What Are The Requirements For Skilled Worker Visa?

To get a skilled worker visa, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• You have a job offer from a UK employer.
• Your employer must have a skilled worker sponsor licence by the UKVI.
• You have a certificate of sponsorship (CoS) assigned to you by your employer.
• The offered job must be on the list of the eligible occupations.
• Your job meets the skill level requirement, which is at least equivalent to RQF level 3.
• You meet the English language requirement, unless you are exempt.
• You must be paid the minimum salary of £26,200 per year.
• You have the savings of £1,270 to support yourself in the UK or your employer can certify the maintenance when assigning the CoS.

You must meet all other requirements in addition to the above mandatory requirements. You can contact us to speak to our experienced immigration lawyers regarding your skilled worker visa application.

What Are The Required Documents For A UK Skilled Worker Visa Application?

When you apply you’ll need to provide:

• your certificate of sponsorship reference number – your employer will give you this
• proof of your knowledge of English
• a valid passport or other document that shows your identity and nationality
• your job title and annual salary
• your job’s occupation code
• the name of your employer and their sponsor licence number – this will be on your certificate of sponsorship

Other documents you may need

Depending on your circumstances, you might be asked to provide:

• evidence that you have enough personal savings to support yourself in the UK, for example bank statements (unless your certificate of sponsorship shows your employer can support you)
• proof of your relationship with your partner or children if they’re applying with you
• your tuberculosis test results if you’re from a listed country
• a criminal record certificate – if you’re working in certain jobs
• a valid ATAS certificate if your employer tells you that you need one because your job involves researching a sensitive subject at PhD level or higher
• your UK PhD certificate, or your unique Ecctis reference number (formerly unique UK NARIC reference number) if your qualification is from outside the UK – you’ll need to apply through Ecctis

Criminal record certificate For Skilled Worker Visa

You’ll need to provide a criminal record certificate if you’re applying from outside the UK and you work in:

• education, for example teachers, education advisers and school inspectors, childminders, teaching assistants
• healthcare, for example nurses, doctors, paramedics, managers, pharmacists, dentists and dental nurses, ophthalmic opticians
• therapy, for example psychologists, speech and language therapists, counsellors
• social services, for example social workers, managers, probation officers, welfare and housing officers

If you work in healthcare, you might be able to apply for the Health and Care Worker visa instead.

Skilled Worker Visa salary requirement

The UK Skilled Worker visa minimum salary was £25,600 per year or £10.10 per hour (whichever is higher). Started from 12 April 2023, the minimum salary rises to £26,200.

There are also exceptions to the minimum salary requirement for a UK work visa, which means you may be eligible if you have a lower salary, as long as it is not lower than £20,960 per year or £10.75 per hour. You can be paid less than £26,200 if:

• your role is in a shortage occupation, or;
• you are under 26, studying or a recent graduate, or in professional training, or;
• you have a science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) PhD level qualification, which is specific to your occupation, or;
• you have a postdoctoral position in science or higher education

How to apply for a skilled worker visa?

You will need to apply for a UK skilled worker visa online using Home Office’s website. No matter where you live, our experienced immigration lawyers can help you to apply for a skilled worker visa from the UK. Our experienced immigration lawyers will take care of the whole process from filling the form until you receive the outcome of your visa application.

Changing Employers On A Skilled Worker Visa

If you have a UK Skilled Worker visa and have new employment offer, you will need to apply for a new visa to start working with your new employer. This is the case if you wish to:

• Change employer
• Change occupation
• Change occupation code
• Change from occupation on the shortage occupation list for one not on the list

Switching to the Skilled Worker visa

It is possible in many circumstances to apply to apply from within the UK ‘switch into’ the Skilled Worker route, provided you meet the switching requirements. The immigration rules will largely depend on the type of visa the individual is looking to switch from.

Student visa holders, for example, must generally have completed their studies before they can switch to a Skilled Worker visa, unless the job starts after the course has been completed or they have been studying on a PhD course for at least 24 months.

How deluxe law chambers can help with your UK skilled worker visa application?

If you need legal advice or help with your UK skilled worker visa application, our lawyer can provide legal assistance.

Our skilled worker visa lawyers will assess your eligibility and personal circumstances to determine if you can apply for UK skilled worker visa and meet the requirements.

UK Skilled Worker Visa Lawyers at Deluxe Law Chambers will:

• advise you about eligibility criteria and the requirement;
• provide you with a comprehensive checklist of required documents;
• fill in and submit your skilled worker visa application;
• schedule your biometrics appointments;
• upload all the supporting documents online in their correct format and order;
• prepare a cover letter or letter of representation to support your application.
• dealing and responding to any enquiries or correspondence from the Home Office;
• do all the follow-up work on your UK skilled worker visa application until a decision is received from the Home Office UKVI.

Need assistance with UK Skilled Worker visa application? We can help

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