Skilled Worker Visa UK

The Skilled Worker Visa category allows individuals to work and live in the UK if they are sponsored to do a specific skilled job for a UK Company that has a valid Sponsor Licence. This category replaces the Tier 2 (General) Worker category and is now more accessible, not only to Senior Management and Professionals but also to individuals employed for Secretarial and Junior Executive positions.

Family members (Dependent Partners and Children) can apply to accompany Skilled Worker Applicants to the UK. 

The length of a Skilled Worker Visa will vary based on the length of Sponsorship assigned by the UK Employer or Sponsor. A Skilled Worker Visa can last for up to 5 years without extension. After 5 years of continuous residence in the UK, a Skilled Worker may apply for Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) in the UK. 

Interested In Find Out More About The Skilled Worker Visa?

Our business immigration lawyers can work with you throughout the lifecycle of your Skilled Worker Visa, ensuring that you are in a position to successfully apply for an extension upon the expiry of your initial leave.

Garth Coates Solicitors is one of London’s most respected immigration law firms.  We have helped many skilled individuals extend their visas and ultimately obtain settlement.  Our founding partner, Garth Coates, spent many years working in the Home Office as an Immigration Caseworker.  This experience has given him a unique understanding as to what immigration decision-makers are looking for when approving visa applications.

What Are The Eligibility Requirements To Apply For a Skilled Worker Visa?

If you are interested in applying for a Skilled Worker Visa, you must first have a confirmed job offer from a UK employer approved by the Home Office. 

In order to be eligible for a Skilled Worker Visa, you must:

  • Have an eligible job offer from a UK employer that has been approved by the Home Office;
  • Have a job offer which is at an appropriate level of skill (at least RFQ Level 3);
  • Be paid the minimum salary or the ‘going rate for the type of work you are employed to do – whichever is higher. You will need to be paid at least £25,600.00 per year unless the ‘going rate for the job role is higher;
  • Have knowledge of English at the required Level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale. You can now also satisfy the English Language requirement if you have a GCSE, Level qualification.

Once you receive a job offer from an approved UK employer, a check must be conducted to ensure that the eligibility requirements are met. If you are eligible to be sponsored as a Skilled Worker, a Certificate of Sponsorship will be assigned to you by the approved UK employer. 

A Certificate of Sponsorship is an electronic record which contains a reference number which is required for the Skilled Worker Visa Application.

Once your UK employer assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship to you, your Application for a Skilled Worker Visa must be submitted no later than 3 months from the date of assignment of the Certificate. 

Is This A Route That Will Lead to Settlement?

Skilled Workers who have spent 5 continuous years in the UK will be entitled to Apply for Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) in the UK. 

Established in 2008, Garth Coates Solicitors is a leading Law Firm in Immigration who can provide professional legal advice to ensure that your Application satisfies the strict requirements of the Immigration Rules. 

Our team of legal professionals offer comprehensive and considered advice to enable our clients to make informed choices. We strongly believe that our clients deserve the best; we take our responsibilities very seriously to ensure that client satisfaction is achieved by providing a professional yet friendly legal service. We aim to resolve all immigration matters brought to us by working diligently and together with the client, keeping them informed of the progress of their case at all stages. Our outstanding success rate is maintained thanks to the high standard of our work.

If you would like us to assist you with your Immigration Matter, kindly click here to leave us an Enquiry. Alternatively, we can be reached via telephone at (00 44) (0)20 7799 1600 from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (UTC+00.00 London) every Monday to Friday.