Skilled Worker Visa UK

To apply for a Skilled Worker Visa, you should ensure you meet the following requirements. These include the following:

• You must be at least 18 years of age
• You must hold a valid certificate of sponsorship for your job
• The job you’re filling must be a genuine vacancy
• Your sponsor must have paid the immigration skills charge (where relevant)
• The role must be at the appropriate skill level for your expertise
• You must have speak English to at least Level B1 on the CEFR scale
• Your salary must equal or exceed the minimum salary threshold and the average going rate for the position
• You must prove that you meet the minimum financial requirements to support yourself

There are other specific Skilled Worker visa requirements that applicants must prove they meet based on individual circumstances.

As the Skilled Worker visa is intended to be the UK’s “default” work visa for general skilled work, a wide range of jobs are eligible for this visa.

The only jobs that are not likely to be covered by the Skilled Worker visa are those that have their own dedicated visa pathway, such as the case with the Minister of Religion visa or the International Sportsperson visa.

All applicants for the Skilled Worker visa must receive a formal job offer from an approved UK employer in an approved occupation.

Every occupation has a corresponding occupation code, and this code will be used in your visa application. If the Home Office does not believe that your sponsor has chosen the correct code for your application, then it may be refused.

Shortage occupations

Skilled worker visa applicants applying for an eligible job on the shortage occupation list can be paid 80% of the going rate and will still be eligible to apply for Skilled Worker Visas.

The shortage occupation list can be viewed at the Gov.uk website.

The general salary threshold requirements must be met in order to meet the requirements of the Skilled Worker visa application.

In most cases, you will either have to be paid at least £25,600 per year or £10.10 per hour, whichever is higher. However, if the “going rate” for your job is higher than either of these, you’ll need to be paid at least the going rate as the base minimum.

You may be able to be paid less and still obtain a Skilled Worker visa if any of the following apply to you:

• Your job is in a shortage occupation
• You have an eligible postdoctoral or PhD level qualification
• You’re under the age of 26
• You’re currently studying or a recent graduate
• You’re undertaking professional training

In addition, note that there are slightly different salary requirements for certain healthcare or education jobs.

In order to be granted a Skilled Worker Visa, you must demonstrate that you can speak English to a minimum standard.

There are a few ways that you can do this, such as any one of the following:

• Pass a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider in at least B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale
• Hold a GCSE, A Level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or higher, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English qualification
• Having an approved degree-level academic qualification that was taught in English

Alternatively, you will not have to prove your knowledge of English if you’re a national of one of the following countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the British overseas territories, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, the USA.

Lastly, you will not need to prove your English language skills if you are being sponsored to work as a doctor, dentist, nurse, midwife or vet and you already hold an English language assessment accepted by the appropriate professional body

The Skilled Worker visa will also require you to meet certain financial requirements. Specifically, you must show that you have enough money to support yourself while in the UK.

In most cases, this will be at least £1,270.

You will need to show that you’ve had this money for at least 28 days, with the 28th day being within 31 days of your date of application for a Skilled Worker visa.

You must also show proof of this when you submit your application, unless you’ve either already been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months, or your employer has stated that they can cover your costs during your first month in the UK.

If your employer can cover your costs, this must be stated on your certificate of sponsorship.

Whether you are applying from inside the UK, outside the UK, or extending the UK Skilled Worker visa, you must apply online through the gov.uk website.

If you have been told by your future UK employer that you have met the points requirement for sponsorship and you have accepted the offer of employment, you will be asked to provide information so that your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) can be issued.

Once the CoS has been issued, you will have 90 days to apply for your visa. As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a range of personal information about yourself, your job and your personal circumstances. You will also have to provide the relevant documents that prove you meet the eligibility criteria for the Skilled Worker route.

You may also have to attend a visa appointment at a local visa application centre to give your biometrics information for your biometric residence permit.

If you have dependents (spouse or children), you should apply for your own visa first. Following this, your partner and dependents can apply separately.

It’s essential that you get your application for the Skilled Worker right the first time in order to avoid any unnecessary costs or hassle further down the line. A professional immigration lawyer can help you through the process and ensure that you get it right the first time. Call us on 0191 303 8965 or use the contact form to speak to one of our advisers and receive immediate assistance.

The documents that you’ll need to submit for the Skilled Worker visa may include (but not be limited to) the following:

• Certificate of sponsorship unique reference number
• Proof of knowledge of English
• Valid passport or travel document that verifies your identity
• The title of your job, annual salary, and the occupation code
• Name of employer and their sponsor licence number
• Evidence of savings or finances to support yourself (e.g. bank statements)
• Proof of your relationship with a partner or dependent children if you’re bringing them to the UK as your dependents
• Tuberculosis test results (where relevant)
• Criminal record certificate (where relevant)
• Record of residence in other countries (where relevant)
• A valid ATAS certificate if your job involves researching a sensitive subject at PhD level or higher
• Your PhD certificate or valid Ecctis reference number (where relevant)

Any documents not in English or Welsh must also be accompanied with a certified translation.

Depending on your individual circumstances, you may be asked for further information.

We can advise you on the documents to provide and assist you with applying for the Skilled Worker route. For immediate support or advice, you can get in touch with our immigration lawyers on 0191 303 8965 or use the contact form to speak to one of our advisers.

Skilled Worker Visa cost

There are a number of costs associated with the Skilled Worker route. These include the application fee, healthcare surcharge and evidence of your ability to support yourself.

As of February 2023, the application fee is between £625 to £1,423 depending on your situation, £624 for the immigration healthcare surcharge, and at least £1,270 in personal savings to show that you can support yourself in the UK.

If you are applying from outside the UK, you can switch or update your visa. The standard fee depends on whether you intend to stay in the UK for up to three years (£719) or more than three years (£1,423).

As well as this, if your job is on the shortage occupation list, your application fee will be lower (£479 or £943 respectively).

Waiting Times

Skilled worker visa applications have different expected waiting times mostly based on where the application was made from. In the majority of cases, skilled workers receive a decision on their application within three weeks if they apply from outside the UK or eight weeks if they apply from inside the UK.

In some cases, you may be able to pay for a priority service in order to receive a faster decision on your application for a Skilled Worker visa UK. When you make your application, you will be informed if this is an option for you.

There is a process that you must follow if you wish to change employment after coming to the UK with the Skilled Worker route. This is because your visa was granted on the basis of holding a particular job.

You will need to apply to update your visa if the following applies:

• You want to change your job (and employer)
• If your job changes to a different occupation code, or if you leave a job on the shortage occupation list for a job that is not on the list

If you are still working with the same employer, but you have changed your role to a different occupation code, you also need to update your visa.

Eligibility

Your new job must meet the eligibility criteria and a new certificate of sponsorship (CoS) will be required to prove this.

If you take on a second job and you are working for more than 20 hours per week, or it is in a different occupation code, you must update your visa. Any second job will need to meet eligibility requirements and you will be issued a new CoS.

Documents

If you are applying to change your employment or update your conditions of work, there are a number of documents required. Depending on what type of passport or travel document you have, you must confirm your identity by providing your biometric information (fingerprints and a facial photograph) at a visa application centre or using a smartphone app to scan your identity document.

For immediate support or advice, you can get in touch with our immigration lawyers on 0191 303 8965 or use the contact form to speak to one of our advisers.

The certificate of sponsorship (CoS) is one of the most important documents needed as part of the Skilled Worker application.

Your sponsor (normally your employer) will issue you with a CoS when a formal job offer has been made to you and accepted. Your employer must hold a valid sponsor licence in order to issue the CoS.

You will be provided with a defined or undefined CoS.

Undefined Certificate of Sponsorship

An undefined CoS is issued for those already in the UK and who are eligible to apply for a Skilled Worker Visa.

Defined Certificate of Sponsorship

A defined CoS is issued to applicants who apply for their Skilled Worker Visa from overseas. When issued, this type of CoS lasts for only three months and it is necessary to use it to apply for the visa within that time.

Skilled workers can apply for a Skilled Worker visa extension if their visa is due to expire soon. To do so, they must submit a renewal application by filling out the application form on the gov.uk website from within the UK, and before their current Skilled Worker visa expires.

To qualify for the renewal or extension of your Skilled Worker permit, your UK employer must have agreed to extend your contract. This employer must be the same as the one that issued the initial Certificate of Sponsorship with which you obtained your current Skilled Worker visa, and they must still be a Home Office approved sponsor.

Also, you must have the same job that you used to obtain your entry clearance into the UK. The job must also be in the same occupation code as when you entered the UK – only a few jobs are exempt from this.

Furthermore, you must still qualify for a Skilled Worker visa. You will be required to submit supporting documents to prove you still meet the minimum salary requirement and that your English language ability and finances still meet the requirements.

When applying, you will be asked to prove your identity and submit supporting documentation to prove you still meet the requirements for the Skilled Worker route. You can prove your identity by giving your biometrics at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point or through the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app.

If you have dependents on your visa, they will need to apply separately to extend their stay.

The Skilled Worker visa is a key visa route for the UK economy and immigration system as it allows hundreds of thousands of foreign workers to come to the UK each year to work in their specific professions.

If you’re a foreign worker looking to come to the UK with a Skilled Worker visa, or any other type of UK work visa, Newcastle Immigration Lawyers can help.

We are capable, professional and understanding immigration lawyers working to serve Newcastle, the wider UK area and beyond. Regardless of what your immigration question, query or issue is, we have the tools and the knowledge to help.

Whether you want extra reassurance that your application and documents have been completed and compiled correctly, looking to take care of legal professionals to complete the process for you, or just unsure of how to make the first step in applying for a visa, we can help.

We can also help if you’re an EU citizen who needs to apply to come and work in the UK, including if you’re looking to apply as a late applicant for the EU Settlement Scheme.

For more information about the services we offer and what we could do for you, take the first step and reach out to us by phone. Call us on 0191 303 8965 or use the contact form to speak to one of our advisers and receive immediate support with your case.