Skilled Worker visa

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Contents

Overview

The UK Skilled Worker Visa replaced the Tier 2 visa.

The Skilled Worker route allows applicants eligible for skilled work, their partners and children to obtain UK visas to stay in the UK via skilled worker visa application for up to five years and unlimited extensions. Successful applicants and their family members have a right to work in the UK. This route leads to settlement.

The applicant needs to prove 70 points and satisfy eligibility criteria.

Sponsorship

20 points

A job at the appropriate skill level

20 points

English language requirement at B1 (intermediate) level

10 points

Can come from a list of tradeable elements

20 points

Sponsorship

Confirmation of sponsorship for a skilled worker route in the UK
An applicant should have a valid certificate of sponsorship from an authorised sponsor - a UK employer who has paid the Immigration Skills Charge.
20 points

Job at appropriate skill level

Eligible job roles

Standard Occupational Code defines eligible job roles. It should be a minimum skill level of RQF level 3 - A-level or equivalent.

20 points
Non-eligible job roles

There is also a list of job codes that are not eligible for sponsorship in table 5 of Appendix Skilled Occupations

English language skills

A minimal Language Requirement for a skilled worker
B1, detailed in Appendix English Language.
10 points

Tradeable points

Points related to earnings
Applicants can trade their qualifications against a lower salary to get the points. In practice, there are six possible combinations (A - F)
20 points

A.

The salary equals or exceeds the general salary threshold of £25,600 per year and the going rate for the job's SOC code (see Appendix Skilled Occupations for the going rate).

B.

The annual salary equals or exceeds £23,040 with 90% of the going rate for the PhD in a subject relevant to the job.

C.

For the applicant with PHD in STEM subject relevant to the job, the annual salary equals or exceeds £20,480 and 80% of the going rate.

D.

The job within a shortage occupation list, the annual salary equals or exceeds £20,480 and 80% of the going rate.

E.

For a new labour market entrant, the salary equals or exceeds the annual £20,480 and 70% of the going rate. As for who is a "new entrant":

  • Aged under 26 at the application date
  • Applying for a postdoc position in specific science roles
  • If a job offer is for a UK-regulated profession and the applicant is working towards it.
  • Applicants working towards complete registration or chartered status
  • Applicants with leave at Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur)
  • Applicants with leave as a student which expired up to two years before application and completed a Bachelor's, Master's, PGCE or PhD in the UK

F.

In a listed health or education occupation job, the salary equals or exceeds £20,480 per year and the going rate.

Financial requirement

The applicant should have at least £1,270 held for 28 days, or the sponsor certifies their responsibility a maximum amount of £1,270.

For 12 months and more UK residents on the date of application, no financial requirements exist.

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