The general perception is that it is tough for skilled expats to come and work in the UK but according to the UK government statistics for the year ending September 2023, the approved work visas were up by 54% compared to the previous year.
The fact is that the number of UK work visas granted to skilled foreigners is growing while the number of applicants getting a rejection is low,
In this blog the FCF Academy team unpick everything you need to know about the Skilled Worker visa.
What is the UK Skilled Worker Visa
The visa is designed for highly skilled professionals wanting to relocate and work in the UK. And allows you to live in the UK permanently and ultimately apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after you have been in the UK for five years or work for a period and then return to your home country.
You can apply for a UK job from your home country, just make sure they are prepared to sponsor you and are registered with the UK government and able to issue the Skilled Worker visa. Importantly there is a fee that the employer has to pay the Government to process the visa but unless you agree to pay the charge you should not be expected to pay it. Equally some employers may offer to pay the fees relating to the visa.
How much does it cost to apply for the Skilled Worker visa
These are the costs relating to the application for a Skilled Worker visa at the ate of publishing this blog (14 March 2024).
- The application fee is between £719 to £1,500 depending on your circumstances and whether you are applying from outside or within the UK.
- The healthcare surcharge IS £1,035 per year per person.
- You have to demonstrate you have adequate funds to support yourself and have to least £1,270 per person in a bank account.
What jobs are eligible for the Skilled Worker visa
Not all jobs are eligible for a Skilled Worker visa and some, that are in high demand in the UK will mean you are more likely to secure a Skilled Worker visa
To find out which job is eligible, you need to check a list of eligible occupations and codes for the Skilled Worker visa.
For this, you need to know your job’s code, which you can search in the ONS occupation coding tool. Or, if you already have a job with a UK employer, the employer can give you the code.
Check the employer has a Certificate of Sponsorship.
Before accepting a job and agreeing to pay any visa related fees check that the employer can issue you with a Certificate of Sponsorship that entitles them to take on employees from overseas and that they can apply for a Skilled Worker visa on your behalf. And allows you to apply for the Skilled Worker visa.
The certificate of sponsorship holds your personal details and information about the job you’ve been offered. It’s an electronic record, not a paper document and your sponsor will give you a certificate of the sponsorship reference number to add to your application. And it can only be added to one application and will expire within three months from the date it was issued.
Check whether the salary you are offered is eligible
Your salary should be at least £38,700 per year or the going rate for your sector and job – but some jobs and sectors are exempt from this minimum requirement and you can find which jobs are exempt by going to the UK government website www.gov.uk/skilledworkervisa
As an example, you can be paid as little as 70% of the going rate for your job if your salary is at least £20,960 a year and one of the following is true:
- your job is on a shortage occupation list
- you’re under 26, studying or a recent graduate, or in professional training.
- you have a STEM Ph.D. level qualification that’s relevant to your job.
- you have a postdoctoral position in science or higher education.
You need to have an adequate level of English
Your English should be at the minimum B1 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale. To demonstrate you have the necessary language level, you can do one of the following:
- Pass a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider
- Apply to Ecctis If you have a university degree that was taught in English to evaluate your degree and confirm that your qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or Ph.D.
