A UK skilled worker visa allows you to stay and work in the country with an approved employer. If qualified, your spouse or partner and children can apply and come with you as your dependants. Their visa will end at the same time when your visa expires that can last up to five years.
You can extend or update your visa if you wish to stay longer or you need to change jobs or employers. Also, you can apply for an “indefinite leave to remain” or live permanently in the UK. This provides you with the right to live, study, or work as long as you want, plus you can avail of benefits if you’re eligible. You may visit this page to get help on how to become a British citizen.
What is the UK Skilled Worker Visa?
It is a work-based visa category, permitting individuals to live and work in the United Kingdom. The job should be an approved occupation with an eligible employer. Known as Tier 2 (General) Visa in the past, it had more strict requirements, making it difficult to obtain. However, the government introduced the new Points-Based Immigration System in December 2020.
This means that anyone who wants to work in the UK must meet some requirements with certain points. If you can meet the minimum number of points for each, you will be granted a visa. In some cases, a skilled worker visa is denied. The good news is you can challenge the refusal with the help of the best UK immigration lawyers.
What Skills Are Eligible for a UK Skilled Worker Visa?
Before you know if your job is eligible for this visa, you first must know your occupation’s code. If you already have a job offer, you may ask your employer, or you can find it on the Office for National Statistics Occupation Coding Tool.
If your job is included in the table of eligible jobs, you can apply at least three months before your expected start date. Some of the considered skilled occupations in the country include farm managers, bank managers, IT directors, copywriters, gardeners, bee farmers, field engineers, roofers, etc.
Requirements for the UK Skilled Worker Visa
Eligibility
- 18 years old and over
- A job offer from an employer allowed by the Home Office
- The job offer should be at the required skill level (RFQ 3 or above/A level and equivalent)
- A minimum score of at least 70 points in the defined parameters, such as qualifications, skills, salaries, and professions.
- A minimum of Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with two years of skilled work experience from the eligible job list
- English Language requirement at B1 level in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
- Your salary must be within the general threshold of £25,600 or the specific salary requirement for the job or the “going rate.”
Documents
- Proof of knowledge of the English language
- Your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number
- Job title
- A valid passport (or other documents that strongly prove your nationality and identity)
- Name of your employer
- Annual salary
- Your job’s occupation code
- Your employer’s sponsor license number
Other Requirements
- Criminal record certificate from a relevant authority in any country you have been present for one year or more, whether continuously or in total, in the past ten years while aged 18 or over.
- Your sponsor should pay any required Immigration Skills Charge.
- Enough money to support yourself without depending on public funds (you should have the money on your possession for at least 28 consecutive days until not over 31 days before the date of your Skilled Worker Visa application)
- Valid TB certificate, if required
What If Your Application Is Refused?
A denied visa doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. Applicants can still be provided with an administrative review – a full right of appeal or no right to appeal at all. The Home Office will send you a refusal letter explaining why your application was denied, along with advice to appeal at the right time frame.
It is imperative to prepare for your appeal comprehensively. This should include a full assessment of your documents, reasons for refusal, drafting witness statements, submitting evidence, and more. That’s why it’s always safe to get skilled worker visa help from Imperium Chambers, a top immigration law firm in London.
