UK Skilled Worker Visa Eligibility And Application 2024

The Skilled Worker Visa is for individuals who have an offer of an eligible skilled job in the UK from a Home Office-approved sponsor. This visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General). This guide will highlight eligibility requirements, costs, and documents you will need to apply for a UK skilled worker visa. Under new immigration rules, you must meet certain requirements to apply for a skilled worker visa.

We guide employers and workers through complex immigration rules for a skilled worker visa application. Our skilled worker visa lawyers can help you apply, switch to a skilled worker visa, or apply for ILR based on a skilled worker visa.

The good news is that Skilled workers can bring their family members (partner and children) to the UK and can apply to settle in the UK after 5 years’ continuous lawful residence.

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. It also allows you to work in UK waters. However, you will need to meet the skilled worker visa eligibility requirements for a successful application.

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.

Eligibility requirements for a skilled worker visa application

The major skilled worker visa eligibility requirements are:

• Have a job offer from a UK employer
• Your employer must have a valid sponsor licence under the relevant category
• You need a certificate of sponsorship to make an online application
• The job role must be on the list of eligible occupations
• You must meet the skill level requirement: at least equivalent to RQF level 3
• You must meet the minimum salary requirements: £38,700 per year
• You must meet the English language requirement
• You must have £1,270 in your bank account to show you can support yourself in the UK or your employer has certified your maintenance

When you can be paid less salary for skilled worker visa

You can be paid between 70% and 90% of the lower going rate for your job if your salary is at least £23,200 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

If your job is on the immigration salary list

You can be paid 80% of your job’s lower going rate if your salary will be at least £23,200 per year.

If you’re under 26, studying or a recent graduate, or in professional training

You can be paid at least 70% of your job’s lower going rate if your salary will be at least £23,200 per year.

Your total stay in the UK cannot be more than 4 years. This includes any time you’ve already spent in the UK on a Tier 2 (General) or Graduate visa.

If you have a PhD level qualification that’s relevant to your job

If you have a science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) PhD level qualification, you can be paid at least 80% of the lower going rate if your salary will be at least £23,200 per year.

If you have a relevant PhD level qualification in any other subject, you can be paid at least 90% of the lower going rate if your salary will be at least £26,100 per year.

If you have a postdoctoral position in science or higher education

You can be paid at least 70% of the lower going rate if your salary will be at least £23,200 per year.

UK Skilled Worker Visa required documents

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

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 whether you are applying for a skilled worker visa from outside the UK or inside the UK. However, our immigration lawyers are experts 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 with 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 have your fingerprints, you will need to wait for a decision on your visa application.

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 minimum ‘standard’ salary for the type of work you’ll be doing is whichever is the higher of:

• £38,700 per year
• the ‘going rate’ for the type of work you’ll be doing

Your employer must make sure your job pays at least the minimum wage and follows the UK rules for how many hours a week you work. If your employer does not do this, your application will be refused.

How to apply for a skilled worker visa?

You will need to apply for a UK skilled worker visa online using the 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 out 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 a 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 Ph.D. course for at least 24 months.

Why choose Deluxe Law Chambers for your skilled worker visa application?

Choosing the right and best immigration lawyer for your immigration needs can be stressful. While it could seem like a difficult choice, let us simplify things for you. Here are a few good reasons why you should choose Deluxe Law Chambers to assist you with your UK visas and immigration matters.

Our commitment to affordability means that you can receive expert advice without straining your finances. Our success hinges on transparency. We believe in keeping you informed about every step of the process, ensuring that you understand your options and the potential outcomes.

• REGULATED – We are regulated and approved immigration lawyers by The Office Of The Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC).
• EXPERIENCE – Our firm rests on specialist immigration lawyers and solicitors with years of experience. Our well-earned experience distinguishes us from others.
• EXPERTISE – As your immigration lawyer, we offer unparalleled expertise. We don’t just understand and interpret the law, we keep an eye on the slightest changes.
• AUTHORITY – Our authority isn’t just about legal powers but is gained through genuine care and successful outcomes for our clientele. So, why choose just a lawyer when you can choose a trusted authority?
• TRUST – Our commitment to uphold your trust is unwavering. Our transparency and ethical conduct are treatments for the trust placed in us by our clients.
• DIRECT ACCESS – At Deluxe Law Chambers as your immigration lawyers, you will have direct access to your qualified lawyer 24/7.
• AFFORDABLE – We are a law firm with an affordable and fixed fee plan. We offer two installments to ensure you can pay easily.

A combination of our rich experience, deep-rooted expertise, trust authority, and unwavering commitment to our clients makes us your best choice.

So, why wait? Take your first step towards a successful immigration application with us.

 
 
 
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