How to Obtain a Skilled Worker Visa

*This is a collaborative post on how to obtain a skilled worker visa

For candidates seeking to enter the United Kingdom through eligible employment that has been authorized by an employer or sponsor, the Tier 2 General Work Visa has been superseded and the skilled worker visa has been introduced. Here are all the steps you must do if you wish to travel with this visa. To ensure that you successfully secure your visa, it is advised that you contact a knowledgeable UK Immigration Lawyer if you need any assistance with immigration through this visa.

Skilled Worker Visa Requirements

To get a skilled worker visa, you must have a sponsorship from a United Kingdom based business or employer. However, you need to meet the following visa requirements:

• Applicant should be either 18 or above
• Job employment or sponsorship letter/certificate is required
• Must be a genuine vacancy, the employer would be asked to provide proof.
• Proof that your salary will be equal to or more than the standard salary threshold for your occupation
• The sponsor for your job has paid the immigration skills charge requirements
• Proof of English language that should be at least CEFR Level B1
• Proof of financial support for your family and yourself without depending on the public funds
• Criminal records
• A valid TB certificate if applicable

Eligibility

You must have an offer letter from a company in the UK that satisfies the following requirements in order to be granted a skilled worker visa:

• Only if you have a credential that is at least RFQ level 3, which is roughly similar to an A-level, are you able to apply for a skilled worker visa for the position that has been offered.
• The minimum paid salary or the going rate for your job occupation should be a minimum of £25,600 per year. Anything less than the stated amount will make you ineligible to apply through this visa route.
• Approval from the Home Office and having a Certificate of Sponsorship is important for your employer. If they do not have these then you are not eligible to apply through the Skilled Worker Visa route.
• Lastly, you should have your occupation code. If you have received your job offer then you can ask your employer for the code. You can then provide it while applying for the skilled worker visa.

Every document and requirement needs to be genuine and if there are any issues with it or if the Home Office believes that this job is created only for you to apply for the visa then your application will be immediately rejected.

Language Requirements for a Skilled Worker Visa

To apply for a skilled worker visa, the applicant must provide an English proficiency certificate and the level is required to be at least an intermediate (B1) level. To fulfil this requirement the applicant needs to:

• Be a native speaker or a national of English speaking country
• Have passed an English language test
• Have earned an English GCSE, Scottish Higher, or A-level, whilst enrolled in a British school.
• Possess a degree from an English-taught university
• Have already completed the English language requirements as part of any of their previous clearance applications

Financial Requirements

You need a minimum salary of £25,600 to apply for this visa but workers who receive less salary than this threshold, they can provide proof through other documents so their score increases and they become eligible. These points are tradable points and can be gained if:

• The applicant has a PhD degree which is related to a STEM subject or their job
• The applicant has accepted the job offer in a shortage occupation list
• The candidate is a recent arrival on the job market.
• The applicant got the job listed under education or health occupations

Other than these requirements, the applicant must also have at least £1,270 in cash when applying for the visa application. This amount should be held in a bank account for a minimum of twenty-eight consecutive days before the visa application.

The Cost of Skilled Worker Visa

The cost of a skilled worker visa may range between £610 and £1,408 based on situation. You also need to spend the additional costs when you register for the visa:

• Healthcare charges which are £624 per year
• £1,270 to show that you can support yourself upon arrival in the country. However, this can be exempted if you have already visited the country with a visa having a validity of at least a year or if the employer is covering your costs for the first month’s stay in the country.

Application

After filling out the application, you must give proof for your identity. To do so, you can either submit your biometrics at the embassy or can scan and submit an identity document such as a passport. Then submit the required documents and visa fees. Then wait for visa processing and approval. After it has been authorized, you may have it stamped and begin booking tickets.

For those residing within the UK they can switch over to a skilled worker visa but visitors, short-term students, parents of a student, seasonal workers, domestic workers in a private household, immigration bail, and visa holders with permission to stay outside the immigration rules are not allowed to switch.