Skilled Worker Visa

To qualify to work in the UK, you must:

• Have received and accepted a job offer from a UK employer
• Work for an employer that has been approved by the Home Office
• Hold a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) with detailed information about your role
• Do a job that is on the list of eligible occupations
• Be paid a minimum salary, which will vary based on your occupation
• Prove your knowledge of English

To apply for this permit, you must have received and accepted a job offer from a UK employer. The role must meet the following requirements:

• Be in the list of eligible jobs
• You must be paid the minimum salary or the “going rate” for that specific type of work – whichever is higher
• You must be working for a UK employer that has been approved by the Home Office
• You must receive a copy of your occupation code from your employer

The minimum salary to be eligible for the Skilled Worker visa is £25,600 per year, unless the “going rate” for that role is higher than this.

Each occupation code has a different annual going rate, that you and your employer can check online.

Different salary requirements apply to those working in certain healthcare or education jobs, where the going rate is based on national pay scales.

The application fees for a Skilled Worker visa range between £610 to £1,408.

When submitting your application, you will also be charged the following:

• £624 per year – healthcare surcharge
• Additional money (at least £1,270) is required to demonstrate that you can support yourself when you arrive in the UK. You may be exempt from this requirement if you have already lived in the UK for at least 12 months on a previous visa, or if your employer can prove that they can cover your cost during your first month in the UK.

You might be eligible for lower application fees if your job is on the shortage occupation list, or if you’re from one of the eligible countries which can benefit from a reduction of £55.

You can include the following family members in your application, provided that they qualify as your dependants:

• Your wife, husband, civil partner and unmarried partner
• Your children under the age of 18
• Your children over 18 if they are currently living in the UK with you, aren’t married and are still financially supported by you

If your family application is successful, their visa will end on the same date as yours.

Before your current working visa is due to expire, you can renew your Skilled Worker permit provided that:

• You have the same job as when you first entered the UK
• Your job is in the same occupation code as when you were first granted your permission
• You are still working for the employer who gave you your current certificate of sponsorship

If you want to change your job or employer, you must submit your new application, even if your current visa isn’t expired yet.

If you originally applied with your family, they must submit a separate application if they want to remain in the UK with you.