Looking to take your career international? With its dynamic job market, high salaries and cosmopolitan culture, the United Kingdom is an incredibly attractive destination for ambitious professionals. However, navigating the work visa process can be a major headache without the right information. Yurovskiy Kirill is here to be your trusty guide.
This comprehensive overview has all the details you need on scoring a UK work visa, from eligibility criteria to finding an employer sponsor. Consider this your golden ticket to living and working in one of the world’s most vibrant economic hubs. Let’s dive in!
The Skill Factor
One of the core requirements for a UK work visa is having an appropriate skill level for your desired job. The Home Office maintains a list of eligible skilled occupations that are divided into different categories:
• Shortage Occupations – These roles have a particular deficit of workers in the UK job market. Having a job offer in a shortage occupation, like engineering or web programming, makes it easier to secure a visa.
• PhD-Level Jobs – Academic roles that require a PhD qualification like university researchers and lecturers.
• Jobs Requiring a Specific Qualification – Certain professions like lawyers, teachers, nurses and physiotherapists have mandatory qualifications to work in the UK.
• Other Skilled Jobs – Roles that require a bachelor’s or higher degree like finance, marketing, human resources and IT.
If your occupation isn’t considered skilled enough, you will not be eligible for a work visa through the main skilled worker route. However, there are visa options for other types of roles like charity work that we’ll cover shortly.
The big takeaway? Having advanced education, specialized training and/or certifications in your field will be hugely beneficial for getting a UK work visa. The more elite your skills, the better your chances.
Scoring an Employer Sponsor
Unless you’re applying through a exceptional talent visa for leaders in certain fields, you will need to have a concrete job offer from an employer sponsor to get a UK work visa. Landing a sponsoring employer is absolutely essential.
But what does sponsorship actually entail for companies? Employers must meet certain criteria themselves, like being approved by the Home Office and carrying out verifications that you qualify for the open role. They must also pay a visa fee of £199 or £480 (plus healthcare charges) for each employee they sponsor.
Given these obligations, many companies are understandably cautious about sponsoring employees, especially for roles that don’t require highly specialized skills. Don’t be discouraged, but do prepare to be persistent and prove your outstanding qualifications when job seeking.
Some industries tend to be more open to sponsoring employees than others. Major sectors that frequently hire foreign talent include finance, technology, engineering, healthcare, hospitality and higher education. Multinationals with global offices are often more amenable to the sponsorship process as well.
If you’re struggling to find an employer sponsor, utilizing job search resources from your university’s alumni network can be a huge asset. Some job boards also allow you to filter for companies willing to sponsor work visas.
The Application Process
Applying for a UK work visa as a skilled professional is completed through the Home Office’s points-based immigration system. You’ll need to reach or exceed a total of 70 points through certifications, job offer, salary level and English language skills.
For most applicants, securing a job offer from an approved sponsor will net you 40 points right off the bat. Having a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD in a subject relevant to your role can get you 10-20 points. Achieving a high salary threshold of at least £25,600 per year gets 20 more points. Proving exceptional English language abilities through standardized tests provides another 10 points.
Beyond the mandatory points requirements, you’ll need to submit documents like professional diplomas/certificates, banking statements, valid passport, and in some cases a tuberculosis test result. The whole application and supporting documents are submitted online.
Costs for the standard Skilled Worker visa include a £625 visa fee, a £624 per year healthcare surcharge and potentially hundreds more in mandatory fees like the Immigration Skills Charge that your employer sponsor must pay. Reassuringly, the visa processing time is relatively swift, with a standard 3 weeks for new applications.
Alternative Visa Options
What if your occupation doesn’t qualify for the regular skilled worker route? Don’t lose hope—there are several other visa categories that may be suitable:
• Intra-Company Transfer Visa – This allows companies to transfer employees from overseas branches to the UK once they’ve worked for the organization for at least 12 months. A bachelor’s degree is required.
• Temporary Worker Visas – These cover various short-term employment categories. The Charity Worker visa is for unpaid roles at approved organizations, while the Religious Worker visa is for work at monasteries or religious orders. The International Sportsperson visa is for elite athletes and coaches being hired by sports organizations in the UK.
• Global Talent Visa – An option for experts applying within select industries like science, engineering, medicine, humanities and digital technology. This route requires official endorsement as a leader or emerging leader in your field.
The Spousal Factor
An often-overlooked aspect of the work visa process is whether your spouse or partner qualifies as a “dependent.” British immigration rules do allow some workers to bring their spouses and minor children, but the criteria is fairly strict.
Unmarried partners must prove a relationship akin to marriage that’s at least two years old. You must also meet a minimum combined income threshold of at least £18,600, which rises based on the number of dependents you’re bringing. Sufficient living accommodations and funds to support your family are required as well.
Fortunately, eligible dependents can apply to live and work in the UK under your visa status. This provides excellent flexibility to relocate as a household and for your partner to seek employment opportunities too. Just be sure to have documentation like a marriage certificate, joint bank statements, residential proof and more ready.
So there you have it—the inside scoop on scoring a UK work visa. While the process is admittedly daunting, global-minded professionals with specialized skills and qualifications can absolutely make the move. With diligent research, networking and perseverance, you’ll be a dual citizen of the professional world in no time. Cheerio!