The Skilled Worker visa enables overseas nationals to live and work in the UK. This route has replaced the Tier-2 visa, which took effect on 1 December 2020. Although the process can be lengthy and complex, we at Barar and Associates are here to help.
Read on to find out what is required for a Skilled Worker Visa.
Eligibility:
To qualify for a Skilled Worker visa, the applicant must:
- Work for a UK employer that’s been approved by the Home Office.
The employer must be a licensed sponsor in order to employ overseas nationals who wish to work in the UK. They must ensure that the Sponsor License – which is a procedure we also assist with – is granted for the skilled worker route and they must be an A-Rated sponsor. This licence is a way for the Home Office to keep tabs on various companies and make sure they are adhering to the rules and regulations of their corporate duties.
- The applicant must have a confirmed job offer.
The licenced employer mentioned above, must have offered the intended employee a genuine job offer before they apply for a skilled worker visa. The job in question must also be on the list of eligible occupations, discussed below.
- The job needs to be listed on the list of eligible occupations.
As part of their employment, the applicant must have met the necessary skills or qualifications to be offered the job role. For the Home Office, they need to be satisfied that the job title matches what is known as a ‘Standard Occupation Code’. This would show the caseworker that the applicant meets the skills and salary threshold for the job proposed.
- Be paid a minimum salary , which depends on what type of work you do.
The minimum salary will be outlined in the SoC mentioned above. It is important to note that there has been some recent changes to the minimum salary requirement as of 12th April 2023. The minimum gross annual salary threshold for most applications is increasing by £600 from £25,600 to £26,200 and the minimum hourly rate is increasing from £10.10 per hour to £10.75 per hour. Going rates will also now be based on a 37.5-hour working week rather than a 39-hour working week therefore any for work above 37.5 hours, the salary may need to be prorated.
- Have a ‘Certificate of Sponsorship’ from your employer, which we also assist with.
A Certificate of Sponsorship or ‘Cos’ will be assigned to the applicant when the application is ready to be submitted. This can be provided by the employer or we can undertake this process ourselves as part of the skilled worker application service.
A CoS is an electronic record of all details of employment and upon assignation of a CoS, a unique number will be generated to include with the application.
Financial requirement
The applicant can meet the financial requirements for a skilled worker visa by either:
- The sponsor certifying maintenance, and if necessary, maintain and accommodate the applicant up to the end of the first month of their employment, to an amount of at least £1,270.
- Providing evidence showing that the applicant has held funds of at least £1,270 for a 28 day period.
Knowledge of English:
The applicant must prove that they understand the English language. They will therefore need to pass an approved test at Level B1 of the Common European Framework of References for the English Language in all 4 components (reading, writing, speaking and listening).
We can provide the list of approved centres in which the applicant can sit the above test in.
Length of stay
A skilled worker visa can last up to 5 years. Following this, it can be extended or updated when it is near its expiry date.
The applicant will also need to change their visa if they change jobs or employer.
After the completion of a continuous period of 5 years, the applicant may be able to apply for settlement in the UK.
Application
The process of applying for a Skilled Worker visa is completed digitally. Upon instructing us, we ask for the applicant’s information, and we will proceed to complete the form and assign the CoS. As part of the process, the applicant will need to prove their identity (which can be done via an app or face to face) and provide their documents.
The applicant can apply for a visa up to 3 months before the day they are due to start work in the UK.
Fees
A Skilled worker visa can cost up to £1,500, depending on different varying factors. In addition, the applicant or the employer will have to pay the Immigration Healthcare Surcharge and this is £624 for every year the applicant is working in the UK.
If you wish to talk to us about your skilled worker visa application, please contact our friendly team of London immigration lawyers at Barar & Associates at barar.london@bararassociates.co.uk or call us on 020 7487 8370. You can access more information about us at https://bararassociates.com/
