Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Your employment details
- Circumstances where reduced pay may apply
- Special provisions for healthcare and education workers
- English language requirements
- Application fees and associated costs
- Required documentation for your application
- Applying from outside the United Kingdom
- Dependants (partner and children)
- Renewing or extending your visa
- Guidance for certificates of sponsorship issued before 4 April 2024
- Updating your visa after changing your job or employer
- Switching to this visa category
- Rules for undertaking secondary or additional work
The Skilled Worker visa is the primary immigration route for international professionals to come to the UK to take up an eligible job with a Home Office-approved employer. This visa is your gateway to a UK career, offering a direct path to permanent settlement for you and your family. However, the application process is rule-heavy, with strict requirements for your job, salary, and English language ability.
Navigating this complex process requires precision and expert knowledge. Our team of specialist immigration advisors provides comprehensive, end-to-end support for Skilled Worker visa applications. We work with both employees and employers to ensure every aspect of the application is handled meticulously, from the initial Certificate of Sponsorship to the final visa decision, guaranteeing the best possible chance of a successful outcome.
Core Eligibility Requirements for a Skilled Worker Visa
To qualify for a Skilled Worker visa, you must meet four fundamental requirements. A failure in any one of these areas will lead to a refusal.
1. You Must Have a Job Offer from an Approved Employer
Your UK employer must hold a valid Sponsor Licence issued by the Home Office. They must have offered you a genuine role and be willing to ‘sponsor’ your visa application.
2. You Must Have a Valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)
Once you have a confirmed job offer, your employer will assign you a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). This is not a physical document but a unique digital reference number containing key information about you, your employer, and the job role you have been offered. You must have a valid CoS before you can apply.
3. Your Job Must be on the List of Eligible Occupations
The role you have been offered must be considered skilled enough to qualify. The Home Office maintains a list of eligible occupation codes, and your job must correspond to one of these codes.
4. You Must be Paid a Minimum Salary
Your salary must meet or exceed a specific minimum threshold. This threshold depends on the specific job you are doing (the ‘going rate’ for that occupation code) and the date your CoS was assigned. The salary requirements have increased significantly, making this a critical part of the application.
The Application Journey: How, When, and What to Expect
Understanding the process is key to a stress-free application.
- How to Apply: You must apply online. The process differs slightly depending on whether you are applying from outside the UK or are already inside the UK and extending or switching from another visa category.
- When to Apply: You can submit your visa application up to 3 months before the start date listed on your Certificate of Sponsorship.
- Decision Timelines: After you have applied online and provided your biometric information, you can typically expect a decision within:
- 3 weeks if you are applying from outside the UK.
- 8 weeks if you are applying from inside the UK.
Faster priority services are often available for an additional fee.
Your Life in the UK on a Skilled Worker Visa
The Skilled Worker visa offers a stable and long-term route to building a life in the UK.
- Visa Duration: Your initial visa can be granted for up to 5 years, depending on the length of your employment contract.
- Extensions: You can extend your visa as many times as you like, provided you continue to meet the eligibility rules. You must apply to update your visa if you change jobs or move to a different employer.
- Bringing Your Family: Your partner and any children under 18 can apply to join you in the UK as your ‘dependants’.
- The Path to Settlement: After completing 5 years of continuous residence in the UK on this route, you will likely be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), also known as permanent settlement. ILR allows you to live, work, and study in the UK without visa restrictions.
What You Can and Cannot Do
Your Skilled Worker visa comes with a clear set of rights and restrictions.
You CAN:
- Work in your sponsored job.
- Study in the UK.
- Take on limited additional work (under specific conditions).
- Travel abroad and return to the UK.
- Do unpaid voluntary work for a registered charity or statutory body.
- Bring your eligible family members with you.
You CANNOT:
- Claim most benefits (public funds) or the State Pension.
- Change your job or employer without first applying to update your visa and getting it approved.
The Health and Care Worker Visa: A Specialist Route
If you are a qualified doctor, nurse, or health and social care professional with a job offer from the NHS, an NHS supplier, or in adult social care, you may be eligible for the specialist Health and Care Worker visa. This route offers significant benefits, including lower application fees and an exemption from the annual Immigration Health Surcharge.
Why Expert Guidance is Crucial for Your Skilled Worker Application
The Skilled Worker route is a points-based system with no room for error. A small mistake on the CoS, a miscalculation of the salary threshold, or incorrect supporting documents will lead to refusal. Our expert immigration advisors provide:
- Comprehensive Eligibility Assessments: We confirm that you, your employer, and your job offer meet all the strict criteria.
- Support for Sponsors: We work directly with your employer’s HR team to ensure the Certificate of Sponsorship is assigned correctly.
- Meticulous Application Management: We handle the entire online application and document submission process, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
- Guidance for Your Family: We manage the dependant applications for your partner and children, ensuring your family can join you smoothly.
About the Author:
Farzad Ghods is an international lawyer specialising in UK immigration law. He is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Immigration Advisors Authority (IAA) in the United Kingdom, and is also a member of the Iran Bar Association. He brings over fourteen years of professional legal experience to his practice.