Skilled Worker Visa | Overview
The Skilled Worker visa allows foreign nationals to work in the UK for a licensed employer in an eligible job.
This visa replaced the Tier 2 (General) visa in 2020.
The route leads to settlement in the UK and applicants can be joined by dependent partners and children.
The route is open to individuals who attain 70 points by meeting specific eligibility requirements such as skill and salary level, English language ability, and a qualifying job offer from a UK employer with a valid sponsorship licence.
Eligibility
The requirements applicants must meet are split into 3 parts:
Validity
These outline the minimum criteria which must be met for the application to be considered fully. They ensure, for example, the applicant has used the correct form and supplied their identity documents.
Applications which do not meet these requirements are invalid and may be rejected.
Suitability
These check the suitability of the applicant to be granted any form of permission, not specifically whether they qualify as a Skilled Worker.
Applicants must not fall for refusal on general grounds or be in breach of immigration laws.
Applications which do not meet these requirements must be refused.
Eligibility
These are the main criteria specific to the Skilled Worker
route.
Applications which do not meet these requirements must be refused.
a. Tuberculosis certificate: An applicant must provide a valid TB certificate with their application, if they have been residing within a country requiring TB testing for more than 6 months immediately preceding the application.
b. Mandatory points requirement: An applicant must score 50 mandatory points
against the following requirements such as, for example,sponsorship, job at appropriate skill level.
English language skills at level B1.
c. Tradeable points requirement: an applicant must score 20 mandatory points for
the salary.
d. Financial requirement: An applicant can meet the financial
requirement by either: their sponsor (providing they are A-rated) certifying they will, 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 or providing evidence showing they have held funds of at least £1,270 for a 28-day period.
e. Criminal record certificate requirement: For certain Skilled Worker visa routes, particularly those in education, health, or social care, applicants must
provide criminal record certificates for any country (excluding the UK) where they have lived for 12 months or more in the past 10 years (while aged 18 or
over).
Requirements
- You are aged 18 or over.
- You have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the job you are planning to do.
- Your job offer is a genuine vacancy.
- Your job is at an appropriate skill level.
- You will be paid a salary which equals or exceeds both a general salary threshold and
the ‘going rate’ for the applicable SOC 2020 occupation code. - Your sponsor has paid any required Immigration Skills Charge.
- You are competent in the English language to at least CEFR Level B1 (equivalent to
IELTS 4.0). - You have enough money to support yourself without relying on public funds.
- You have provided a criminal record certificate, if required;
- You have provided a valid TB certificate, if required.
Job
To qualify, you must meet all the following:
- Have a job offer from a UK employer who is approved (holds a sponsor licence) by
the Home Office. - Have a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from your employer that gives details about
the role. - The job must be on the list of eligible occupations (with a specific occupation code)
and meet the required skill level. - The job must meet the minimum salary threshold for the role.
Salary
Minimum salary & when you can be paid less
Normally, the salary requirement is whichever is higher: £41,700 per year or the
“going rate” for that job.
There are circumstances when a lower salary is permitted if you are under 26, a recent graduate, hold a relevant PhD, or your job is on the “immigration salary
list”).
Knowledge of English
English language requirement
You must be able to read, write, speak and understand English.
You will need to prove your knowledge of English at level B1 (CEFR), unless you
have a UK degree or a degree taught in English from another country (if the latter, you will need to apply through Ecctis for confirmation that your qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or PhD).
Note: From 8 January 2026 the requirement for first-time applicants will move to B2.
Exemptions apply.
Sponsored role requirement
The sponsor must hold a valid sponsorship licence with an A rating.
The sponsor must also have paid the Immigration Skills Charge.
The worker must have been assigned a valid Certificate of Sponsorship by the employer specific to the role they are being recruited for.
Certificate of Sponsorship requirement
Before the worker can submit their visa application, their UK sponsor must first issue them a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to confirm that the individual and role meet the sponsorship eligibility requirements.
Skill requirement
Prior to 22 July 2025, the role must be deemed to be at RQF level 3 or above.
This is the equivalent of a UK A-level but with effect from 22 July 2025, a job must be classed at RQF level 6 or above (roughly graduate level) to qualify for new Skilled Worker sponsorship
Financial maintenance requirement
The applicant must show they meet the financial requirement and have sufficient funds to support themselves, as they will not have access to public funds such as benefits.
The rules state applicants must have at least £1,270 in their bank account when applying.
This amount must have been available for at least 28 consecutive days, with day 28 being within 31 days of making the visa application.
The applicant will need to provide evidence of their savings, unless they have been in the UK for 12 months with lawful status, or if their sponsor agrees to meet their costs of up to £1,270 during their first month in the UK.
The sponsor should confirm on the Certificate of Sponsorship that they will meet the financial requirement under the ‘sponsor certifies maintenance’ section on your certificate.
Documents
The documentation stage is critical, and the risk of errors or omissions is high, particularly given the strict requirements of the Home Office. Inaccuracies can lead to refusals or long delays.
We provide expert, hands-on support to ensure your documentation is complete, compliant, and professionally presented at every stage of the process.
The documents required are:
- Valid passport or travel document
- Certificate of Sponsorship reference number
- Job title and salary
- Employer’s sponsor licence number
- Proof of English ability
- Bank statements (if needed for financial requirement)
- Criminal record certificate (if required for your job)
- TB test (for some countries)
Visa fees & processing time
When you apply for a Skilled Worker visa, you will need to have enough money to:
- Pay the application fee. The standard fee ranges from £769 to £1,751 depending on your circumstances.
- Pay the healthcare surcharge: this is usually £1,035 per year.
- Support yourself when you arrive in the UK. You’ll usually need to have at least £1,270 available (unless you’re exempt). You will pay a lower application fee if your job is on the immigration salary list
- You will be told how much you need to pay when you apply.
Application fees
If you are applying from outside the UK, the standard fee depends on whether you’ll be in the
UK for:
- Up to 3 years: £769 per person
- More than 3 years: £1,519 per person
If you’re applying from inside the UK to extend, switch or update your visa, the standard fee
depends on whether you’ll be in the UK for:
- Up to 3 years: £885 per person
- More than 3 years: £1,751 per person
Visa duration & settlement
- You can be granted up to 5 years at a time.
- You can extend your visa as many times as needed.
After 5 continuous years, you may apply for settlement in the UK.
How to apply
- Get a job offer from a licensed UK sponsor.
- Receive your Certificate of Sponsorship.
- Apply online: Skilled Worker visa application.
Submit documents and biometrics at a visa application centre or through the UK Immigration ID Check app if applying from within the UK. - Wait for a decision (usually within 3 weeks if applying from outside the UK or within 8 weeks if applying from inside the UK; priority options are available).