Skilled Work Visa
New rules for Skilled Worker visa: the minimum salary requirement is scheduled to increase 50% to £38,700 per year in Spring 2024. The scheme now is open to those with skills at RQF Level 3 (this is equivalent to A-level in the UK) or above in an eligible occupation.
The Skilled Worker visa, which replaced the Tier 2 (General) visa, is the primary UK work visa for skilled overseas nationals. It allows you to work for an approved employer in an eligible job, and you must meet specific eligibility requirements such as skill and salary level, English language ability, and having a qualifying job offer from a UK employer with a valid sponsorship licence.
What are the eligibility requirements?
- Have a job offer from a UK employer
- Your employer must be on the list of licenced sponsors approved by the Home Office
- Your employer must have issued you with a valid “Certificate of Sponsorship”
- The job for which you are being employed must be on the list of eligible occupations
- You must meet the skill level requirement: at least equivalent to RQF level 3
- You must meet the minimum salary requirements: £26,200 per year*
- You must meet the English language requirements
- You must have £1,270 in your bank account to show you can support yourself in the UK
- Criminal record certificate from the appropriate authority
- Attain at least 70 points. made up of 50 points for mandatory criteria (the job offer, speaking English, and the requisite skill level for the job) and 20 points for ‘tradeable’ criteria.
The minimum salary for a skilled worker visa will increase to £38,700 per year starting in the spring of 2024, with the exception of healthcare workers.
The visa is usually granted for up to 5 years, and individuals can apply to extend it or for Indefinite Leave to Remain after this period. The Skilled Worker visa also allows for spouses, ‘durable’ partners, and dependent children to join the main visa applicant in the UK
What is the minimum salary requirement?
The Skilled Worker visa provides skilled individuals with an incredible opportunity to work in the United Kingdom. However, meeting the Skilled Worker minimum salary requirement is essential to ensure that workers receive fair compensation for their valuable skills.
The Skilled Worker visa general minimum salary threshold is determined by the highest of the following:
- £26,200 per year
- £10.75 per hour*
The ‘going rate’ for the specific role being recruited for. It’s crucial to note that the salary level must be calculated by the hour, not just annually. The minimum pay cannot be less than £10.75 per hour, even if the annual salary exceeds the required level.
*£11.44 in April 2024
What is the English Language requirement?
The English language requirements for the Skilled Worker visa are as follows:
- Minimum Level: Applicants must prove that they can read, write, speak, and understand English to at least level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.
- Ways to Prove Knowledge of English: Applicants can prove their knowledge of English by passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider.
- Having a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English, gained through study at a UK school that was started when the applicant was under 18.
If the qualification was obtained abroad, the applicant will need to apply through UK ENIC (formerly UK NARIC) for confirmation that the qualification is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or PhD taught in English.
Applicants are exempt from the English language requirement if they are from:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- the Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Canada
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Jamaica
- Malta
- New Zealand
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- USA
To meet the financial requirement for a Skilled Work Visa
You must have at least £1,270 in your bank account to support yourself in the UK. This amount must be available for at least 28 days in a row, with day 28 falling within 31 days of applying for the visa. You’ll need to show proof of this when you apply, unless you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months or your employer can cover your costs during your first month in the UK, up to £1,270.
How does the skilled work point system work?
The Skilled Worker visa points system requires applicants to score a total of 70 points to be eligible for the visa. The breakdown of these points is as follows:
- Mandatory Points (50 points): A valid Certificate of Sponsorship: 20 points
- Tradeable Points (20 points): The final 20 points must be scored through combinations of salary and other attributes. These are known as “tradeable” points. The table below lists acceptable combinations which gain the necessary 20 points.
Therefore, to qualify for a Skilled Worker visa, an applicant must earn 70 points, with 50 points being mandatory and 20 points being tradeable.
What are the sponsorship requirements?
- Valid Sponsorship Licence with A Rating: The sponsor must hold a valid sponsorship licence with an A rating. This demonstrates the sponsor’s compliance with UK immigration laws and regulations.
- Immigration Skills Charge: The sponsor must have paid the Immigration Skills Charge, contributing to funding training and development opportunities for UK workers.
- Genuine Vacancy and Employment: The Home Office ensures that the vacancy and employment are genuine, ensuring that the sponsoring organisation has a legitimate need for the skilled worker’s role.
- Valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): The worker must have been assigned a valid Certificate of Sponsorship by the employer. The CoS is specific to the role they are being recruited for and confirms their eligibility for the Skilled Worker visa.
Once granted, a sponsor licence is valid for four years. Skilled worker sponsor licence applications take around 8 weeks to process, with fast-tracked processing available for an additional fee.
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