Whether you’re a UK employer who’s unable to meet your recruitment needs without recruiting skilled migrant workers or an employee requiring a work visa, you need to know about the skilled worker visa and the eligibility criteria under the UK points-based immigration system.
We assist the UK businesses, ranging from start-ups to SMEs to multinationals, on their Immigration law requirements so they can successfully apply for or renew their Sponsorship License to enable them to recruit highly skilled migrant workers from abroad or in-country who are already here on different visa routes.
• The new Skilled Worker Visa replaced the Tier 2 (General) Visa in December of 2020. To be eligible, the applicant must have been offered a job at a UK company that holds a sponsorship licence, and they must at least 70 points on the points-based system.
• The rules and specificities around Skilled Worker Visa depend entirely on the applicant’s individual circumstances and the nature of the job offered.
• The Skilled Worker route can lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain after five years of residency in the UK.
Skilled Worker Visa UK Eligibility:
You need to meet several requirements to be eligible for the Skilled Worker Visa.
The main eligibility criteria are as follows:
• Must have been offered a job by a UK employer who holds a sponsorship licence.
• The job offer must be a ‘genuine vacancy’ and at an appropriate skill level
• You must have been given a certificate of sponsorship from the employer, which details information about the job being offered in the UK
• The job must offer a specific minimum salary, which differs depending on the job role
• The job must offer a specific minimum salary, which differs depending on the job role
• You must be able to prove that your English language ability is to at least the level of B1 as set by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
• You must have enough money to support yourself whilst you are in the UK (you will need to provide documentation to prove this)
• For certain professions, you must provide a criminal record
• You need a valid TB certificate (if applicable)
If your application is successful, you can stay in the UK for up to five years under this immigration permission and subsequently settle in the UK.
Requirements of the Employer
An employer can only assign certificates of sponsorship if they hold a sponsorship licence.
The certificate of sponsorship must have been issued no more than three months before your Skilled Worker Visa application date.
Your employer also needs to pay the Immigration Skills Charge to sponsor you.
What are the Job Requirements?
In most circumstances, the job role must be skilled to at least RFQ level 3, which is roughly equivalent to A-levels. The job itself determines the skill level, and you will not necessarily need to hold a formal qualification.
Each eligible job for the Skilled Worker route has an occupation code, and your prospective employer must choose an appropriate occupation code for your role.
What is the Minimum Salary Threshold Requirement?
The job you will be fulfilling must be offered a salary that equals (or exceeds) the general salary threshold and the ‘going rate’ for the occupation, whichever is higher.
The absolute minimum possible salary to be eligible for the UK Skilled Worker Visa is £20,480.
The ‘mandatory’ points are as follows:
• Offer of a job from a UK company with a sponsorship licence ( CoS) (20 points)
• Job at the appropriate skill level (20 points)
• English-language ability at the level of B1 (10 points)
• If the job is offering a salary of at least £25,600 per year/at the going rate (whichever is higher), the applicant will accrue another 20 points to reach the required 70 points
However, tradeable points enable you to reach the 70-point threshold without necessarily having a salary of at least £25,600.
