UK Work Visa

The UK Skilled Worker visa was introduced to bring in highly skilled overseas workers into the UK labor market and subsequently take up permanent residence in the UK.

With this visa, skilled workers from other countries can be selected based on the shortage occupation list and they will be eligible to get an offer letter without the labor market test and stay in the UK for up to 5 years

BENEFITS OF THE VISA:
  • Visa holders can bring dependents on the visa
  • Spouse is allowed to work on the visa
  • No cap on the number of people who can move to the UK on the visa
  • Minimum salary requirement has been reduced to £25600 from threshold of £30000
  • Fast Track Visas will be provided for healthcare professionals like doctors and nurses
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT:
  • You must have a score of 70 points to qualify in the defined parameters like specific skills, qualifications, salaries and professions.
  • You need to have a Minimum Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with 2 years of skilled work experience from the eligible occupations list
  • You must have a job offer from a Home Office licensed sponsor
  • The job offer must be at the required skill level – RQF 3 or above (A Level and equivalent)
  • You must meet the English Language requirement at B1 level in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
  • You should also meet the general salary threshold of £25,600 or the specific salary requirement for the occupation or the ‘going rate’.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED:

The following documents will be required at the time of applying for a UK Skilled Worker visa:

  • The applicant’s Certificate of Sponsorship [CoS] reference number
  • Proof of knowledge of the English language
  • A valid passport [or other documents that establishes the applicant’s nationality and identity]
  • Job title
  • Annual salary
  • Occupation code of the job
  • Name of the employer
  • The sponsor licence number of the employer
VISA FEE DETAILS
  • Application Fees for stay up to 3 years – 610 pounds
  • Application Fees for stay more than 3 years stay-1,220 pounds
  • Application Fees if your job is in Shortage Occupation List for stay up to 3 years) – 464 pounds
  • Application Fees (f job in Shortage Occupation List and you wish to stay for more than three years 928 pounds
  • UK NARIC Fees 49.50 pounds

Apart from the application fees you will have to pay a health surcharge of 624 pounds when you apply which will be refunded in case your application is rejected.

Jobs on the UK Shortage Occupation List [SOL]

If a candidate has their job on the SOL, they can be paid 80% of the “going rate” for their job in order to qualify for the UK Skilled Worker visa.

Occupation code

Job types included

2111

Chemical scientists [only jobs in the nuclear industry]

2112

Biological scientists and biochemists – all jobs

2113

Physical scientists – only the following jobs in the construction-related ground engineering industry:

  • geophysicist
  • engineering geologist
  • hydrogeologist

2113

Physical scientists – only the following jobs in the oil and gas industry:

  • geophysicist
  • geoscientist
  • geologist
  • geochemist
  • technical services manager in the decommissioning and waste areas of the nuclear industry
  • senior resource geologist and staff geologist in the mining sector

2114

Social and humanities scientists [only archaeologists]

2121

Civil engineers – all jobs

2122

Mechanical engineers – all jobs

2123

Electrical engineers – all jobs

2124

Electronics engineers – all jobs

2126

Design and development engineers – all jobs

2127

Production and process engineers – all jobs

2129

Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified – all jobs

2135

IT business analysts, architects and systems designers – all jobs

2136

Programmers and software development professionals – all jobs

2137

Web design and development professionals – all jobs

2139

Information technology and communications professionals not elsewhere classified [only cyber security specialists]

2216

Veterinarians – all jobs

2425

Actuaries, economists and statisticians [only bio-informaticians and informaticians]

2431

Architects – all jobs

2461

Quality control and planning engineers – all jobs

3411

Artists – all jobs

3414

Dancers and choreographers [conditions apply]

3415

Musicians [conditions apply]

3416

Arts officers, producers and directors – all jobs

3421

Graphic designers – all jobs

5215

Welding trades – only high integrity pipe welders

5434

Chefs [only skilled chefs, conditions apply]

Healthcare and education occupations have a different shortage occupation list –  

Occupation code

Job types included

2211

Medical practitioners – all jobs

2212

Psychologists – all jobs

2217

Medical radiographers – all jobs

2222

Occupational therapists – all jobs

2223

Speech and language therapists – all jobs

2231

Nurses – all jobs

2314

Secondary education teaching professionals [only teachers in maths, physics, science (where an element of physics will be taught), computer science and Mandarin]

2315

Primary and nursery education teaching professionals – only Gaelic medium teachers

2442

Social workers – all jobs

3213

Paramedics – all jobs