Everything you need to know about the UK Skilled Work Visa 2024, including who may apply for it and why you need it. I’ll inform you about the well-liked UK Skilled Worker Visa in this essay. You can work in the UK for an approved firm with the UK Skilled Worker Visa. With this visa, you are allowed to remain in the UK for five years. This work visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) visa. In the UK, hundreds of employers are prepared to cover the cost of a valid Tier 2 work permit. The annual salary and hourly rate for skilled workers seeking entry into the UK have been increased by the UK government.
After five years, you may be eligible to seek to stay in the UK indefinitely. The majority of applicants for a UK skilled worker visa are not citizens of the country. Below is further information on how to apply.
- Information about the 2024 UK Skilled Work Visa
- Workplace: United Kingdom
- Type of Visa: Skilled Work Visa; Duration of Stay: Five Years; Renewable
- Visa Fee
The usual application cost for a UK skilled worker visa is as follows if you’re applying from outside the country
- £719 for each individual up to three years
- Over three years: £1,423 per individual
- Lack of Occupations
- You will pay less to apply if your job is on the list of shortage vocations or jobs that are in demand.
- £479 for up to three years of stay
- £943 if you intend to remain longer than three years.
International workers who meet the requirements can work in the UK for approved UK businesses with the help of a UK skilled worker visa. Skilled Worker Visa UK 2024 By the end of 2020, the Tier 2 visa was superseded by the skilled worker visa. Those having skills in an appropriate occupation at RQF Level 3 (equal to an A-level in the UK) or higher are now eligible for the program. The UK Skilled Worker Visa is a long-term work permit that can be issued for up to five years at first, depending on how long your Certificate of Sponsorship lasts. It is crucial to remember that your visa may only be used as long as you continue to work for your sponsoring company in the same capacity. You must apply for a new skilled worker visa if you want to switch jobs or employers.
With the Skilled Worker path, you may apply for British citizenship one year later and indefinite leave to stay (ILR) after meeting the requirements for five years. You can even renew your visa before it expires. In order to apply for a UK skilled worker visa, you must first obtain a job offer and confirm that you match the requirements listed below There are other career paths you might pursue if the skilled worker visa needs to be corrected for you. For further information, see our UK Work Visas page.
Tier 2 versus the Skilled Worker Visa
When comparing the pre-2021 Tier 2 (General) work visa to the more recent skilled worker visa path, there are a number of noteworthy advantages and distinctions, such as The reduction of the skill level criterion from RQF level 6 to RQF level 3 has resulted in a notable increase in the number of jobs that are eligible for this route.
Fresh graduates and other fresh market entrants are welcome to apply for the new Skilled Worker path.
The quantity of skilled worker visas that are granted in the UK is unlimited. Hiring qualified foreign workers is made simpler and faster by the absence of the Resident Laboure Market Test (RLMT) requirement for skilled worker visas. International workers who left the UK during the cooling-off period were required to apply for a new work visa immediately. Qualifications and Eligibility for the UK Skilled Worker Visa Skilled Worker Visa UK 2024
In order to be eligible for a skilled worker visa, you must I had a job offer from a company in the UK
Your employer has to be listed among the authorized sponsors1. authorized by the Home Office
You must possess a current “Certificate of Sponsorship” from your company.
- The position for which you are working has to be included in the list of acceptable careers.2.
- have to be proficient in the following areas: at least comparable to level 3 of RQF.
- The following minimum wage requirements must be met: £26,200 annually*; you must fulfill the English language proficiency standards.
- demonstrate that you can sustain yourself in the UK, you need to have £1,270 in your bank account.
- Starting on April 4, 2024, the minimum wage required for a skilled worker visa will rise to £38,700 annually, except for professionals in the healthcare and education sectors who are paid nationally.
Receive a job offer from a company in the UK
It would help if you had a legitimate employment offer from an approved UK business before you apply for a skilled worker visa in order for it to be approved. For a position on the list of eligible vocations, this offer must be from an A-rated company on the licensed sponsor’s list and satisfy the minimum pay criteria. Additionally, a current Certificate of Sponsorship from your company in the UK is required. Your employer has to be listed on the Home Office-approved list of licensed sponsors.
The company making the employment offer to you needs to be on the Home Office’s list of authorized sponsors. It’s also crucial to confirm that your organization has an A-rated credit rating and is authorized to hire foreign nationals via the Skilled Worker Route (licenses are granted based on the kind of visa needed). Employers with a B-rating are only permitted to reissue new Certificates of Sponsorship if they fulfill the Home Office’s compliance standards and receive an A-rating. To reduce the chance of a delay or rejection, it is essential to confirm this before applying.
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You must possess a current “Certificate of Sponsorship” from your company.
As previously mentioned, you must have a current CoS from your UK employer in order to apply for a skilled worker visa. A digital document known as a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) includes details about the position you are being sponsored for, such as the role title and type, the start and finish dates of your employment, your gross compensation, your sponsor license number, and the expiration date. The position you are working for has to be included in the list of acceptable jobs.
Only jobs listed as qualifying occupations will be granted a skilled worker visa by UK Visas and Immigration.2. In order to perform in the job for which you are being employed in the UK, you must also possess the requisite training and experience. You should ask your employer for the standard occupation code (SOC) in order to confirm if your line of work qualifies.
Fulfill the necessary skill level.
Candidates seeking a skilled worker position and visa must possess skills at least equal to RQF level 3, which is the UK equivalent of an A-level diploma. This indicates that your talents are comparable to RQF level 3 or above, not that you must possess a certain degree of certification.
Minimum pay for skilled workers with a visa
As of right now, a skilled worker visa requires a minimum income of £26,200. As per the most recent declaration made by Home Secretary James Cleverly, the minimum wage requirement for skilled worker visas will rise to £38,700 as of April 4, 2024. However, individuals on national pay and those on health and social care immigration routes would remain exempt. In addition, there are instances in which a lesser wage may qualify you for a UK work visa, provided that it does not fall below the threshold of £20,960 per year or £10.75 per hour. Less than £26,200 may be awarded to you if:
Your occupation falls under a shortage, or you are under 26 years old, enrolled in school or recently graduated, undergoing professional training, or holding a Ph.D. degree in a field related to science, technology, engineering, or math, or you have a postdoctoral position in science or higher education.
However, under the current arrangement, the going rate compensation cut for positions on the shortage occupation list will shortly end. Demonstrate your ability to sustain yourself in the UK by having £1,270 in your bank account. A bank statement proving you have at least £1,270 for your first month in the UK will be required as proof. You might be able to get a letter from your employer attesting to their willingness to fulfill this obligation on your behalf in certain situations.
- Fluency in the English language
- You have four options for demonstrating your adequate command of the English language as a candidate for a skilled worker visa. Completing an exam in English
- If you pass the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) English test from an accredited testing center, you will satisfy the language requirements in English. This has to be at least B1 in
- terms of speaking, writing, reading, and comprehension.
- Academic credentials
If you hold an academic degree or equivalent certificate that was taught in English, you will also satisfy the English language requirements. Exemption: If you are exempt, which includes if you are from any of the following nations, you won’t have to fulfill the English language proficiency requirements: Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, New Zealand, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, USA, Antigua and Barbuda If you are certified by the appropriate authorized professional organization in your field of employment as having passed an English language proficiency exam.
Needed papers for a UK skilled worker visa
The following are some examples of the data and records you would need to provide with your application for a skilled worker visa
- Your passport (the blank page)
- Reference number for your Certificate of Sponsorship
- Your position title and yearly income
- The occupation code for your position
- The sponsor license number and name of your employer, as indicated on your Certificate of Sponsorship
- Proof that you have enough money saved up to support yourself
Evidence of your marriage and birth certificates, for example, attests to your relationship with your partner and kids. A certificate of criminal history (only required for jobs involving vulnerable persons, such as those in healthcare and education) Evidence of your fluency in English test results for tuberculosis (TB) (if you are from a country where this is necessary) UK PhD certification, or if your PhD is not from the UK, an Excites reference
Applying for a UK Skilled Worker Visa: A Guide
Using the Home Office website, applicants from outside the UK can submit an online application for a skilled worker visa. Once you obtain your employment offer, the Certificate of Sponsorship, and the previously mentioned supporting documentation, you will be able to finish and submit your application. You have the option to start the application at any point and save your work so you may finish it later if needed.
The following are the steps for applying:
- Verify if you qualify for a skilled worker visa.
- Obtain a job offer from a UK sponsor with a license.
- Get your sponsorship certificate from your UK company.
- Get ready the paperwork you’ll need to demonstrate your eligibility for skilled workers visas.
- Fill out the online application form.
Depending on whether you are applying from outside the UK or transferring from another visa while already in the UK, you will need to fill out separate forms. Please pay the biometric fee, the application cost, and the healthcare surcharge. Upload any supporting papers that are needed for your application. Make an appointment for biometrics so that your picture and fingerprints may be captured. If your application is filed outside of the UK, you should expect a decision within three weeks after the submission date. UKVI will get in touch with you if further information is required to support your application. Switching jobs while on a skilled worker visa You will need to apply for a new visa if you currently have a skilled worker visa and would like to switch employment. This is true if you would like to:
- Switch employers
- Switch careers
- Modify the occupation code
- Swap a profession that is on the shortage occupation list for one that is not.
- You may apply from within the UK if your existing work visa is still valid, and you can stay and work here
- while you wait for the Home Office to make a decision.
If you accept a second job in a different industry with a different company, you will also need to apply for a new visa. You have up to three months before the start date of your new employment to apply for a new job or employer. It’s crucial to apply as soon as you can because it might take up to eight weeks to hear back on your application. It would help if you waited to hear back from your new employer regarding the approval of your application before you began working for them.