Skilled Worker Visa: Visa Requirements, Eligibility, Salary Requirements

The primary pathway to immigration to the UK for non-UK resident employees is the Tier 2 (General) visa, which the Skilled Worker visa has superseded.

Understanding the Skilled Worker visa requirements will be important if you want to prevent problems or delays with the Home Office application, whether you are an employer trying to hire a skilled foreign worker or a person applying for a sponsorship visa.

If your application is denied, you will lose the application fee. Because there is so much risk for skilled workers and the companies that sponsor them, it is important to have legal advice to fully grasp the range of migration alternatives and ensure that the skilled worker visa is the best option.

My Legal Services have extensive experience and well-known expertise in helping employers and employees with UK employment sponsorship and Skilled Worker visa applications as specialised UK immigration lawyers. Contact us for the right immigration advice.

Requirements of Skilled Worker visa?

A new Appendix, Skilled Worker, lays out the guidelines and requirements for the path for skilled worker visas. For consideration under this method, applicants—including EEA citizens hired from outside the UK after January 1, 2021, and who are not qualified for status under the EU Settlement Scheme—must accumulate 70 points.

The required 70 points for a skilled worker visa are divided into 20 points for “tradeable” criteria and 50 points for mandatory or “non-tradeable” requirements.

Skilled Worker skill requirement

Roles with skill levels below RQF3 will not be accepted via the skilled visa route. There are no standard work permits or immigration routes for “low-skilled” workers or occupations below this level, while other immigration routes may be considered.

Salary Requirement of Skilled Workers Visa

Unless the “going rate” for the particular role is higher, the minimum annual salary for skilled worker visas is £25,600. Every occupational code has a going wage. Instead of only annually, the wage level must be calculated hourly. The minimum payment cannot be less than £10.10, even if the annual salary exceeds the required minimum.

The applicant may still be qualified to apply for a Skilled Worker visa in some circumstances where the job on offer will pay less than the general salary threshold or specific salary requirement for that role—but no less than £20,480—by trading some of their desirable qualities for a lower salary to gain the required number of points.

English language requirement

The minimum required level of English for reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension is B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Unless they have already shown their English proficiency as part of a prior UK immigration application or if they are a citizen of one of the numerous exempt nations, most candidates for a skilled worker visa will need to show that they meet the language criterion.

Unless exempt, language proficiency must prove by passing an approved Secure English Language Test and having a degree-level academic qualification taught in English.

Financial maintenance requirement

The applicant must demonstrate that they have the financial means to maintain themselves since they will need to access public resources like benefits. According to the criteria, candidates must have at least £1,270 in their bank accounts at the time of application. The money had to be available for at least 28 days straight, with day 28 happening 31 days after submitting the visa application.

Who is able to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for a Skilled Worker Visa?

Applicants must possess a Certificate of Sponsorship, a digital reference number issued by an employer who must have registered and been granted a licence to sponsor foreign employees to be eligible for this visa. The reference number, generally valid for up to three months, must be supplied on the application form to complete the application process.

Conclusion

My Legal Services have years of experience in immigration law and visa applications and a personal understanding of the procedure. For your application process, we offer individualised and efficient help and manage the case from beginning to end.