UK Skilled Worker Visa:
UK Skilled Worker visa is an employment visa which allows skilled workers to take up a long term employment in UK. It replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa on 1 December 2020. There are many categories of UK work visa but Skilled Worker is mostly used by skilled workers to enter UK for employment purpose. [Read Also: New Zealand Seasonal Work Visa]
UK Skilled Worker Visa:
Skilled Worker is a long term employment visa for skilled workers. This is one of the best immigration routes to get Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in UK. ILR is also known as permanent residence. Foreign workers with Skilled Worker visa are eligible to apply for UK ILR after living five years in UK. They may need to meet certain requirements to apply UK ILR. Depending on sponsorship term, this visa can be granted for a period of up to five years. However, this visa can be renewed by meeting certain requirements. [Recommended: Germany Job Seeker Visa]
Skilled Worker Visa For Dependents:
Another benefit of UK Skilled Worker visa is, Foreign employee can bring dependents with this visa. Usually, dependents include spouse and children aged not more than 18 years.
IELTS for UK Visa:
You have to prove that you have sufficient knowledge of English. Usually, CEFR level B2 knowledge of English is required for Skilled Worker visa (level B1 is enough if you held this visa before 8 January 2026 and are extending or updating it). You can prove knowledge of English with other approved English Tests as well. If medium of instructions of your education was English, you can prove knowledge of English without ielts. For this purpose, you have to get your degree assessed by Ecctis. [Recommended: Japan Work Visa]
Requirements for UK Skilled Worker Visa:
There are some basic eligibility requirements for UK Skilled Worker visa, you have to meet these requirements to be eligible for this visa. The list of requirements of Skilled Worker visa is as follows:
- Certificate of Sponsorship: You have to obtain a certificate of sponsorship from UK employer. Employer must be registered and hold a sponsor licence for Skilled Worker visa. UK government has already published the list of registered and licensed sponsor, You can find this list by Clicking Here.
- Appropriate Salary: Annual salary offered in job offer and certificate of sponsorship must be at least £41,700 per year or the ‘going rate’ for your occupation, whichever is higher (lower rates from £33,400 can apply in some cases, such as for new entrants). Salary rates are specified by UK immigration in Appendix Skilled Occupations and can be found at this link of UK immigration Page. You can check required salary rate according to your occupation. Salary offered is a key to get this visa successfully.
- Knowledge of English: CEFR Level B2 (B1 if you held this visa before 8 January 2026 and are extending or updating it).
- Personal Savings: Bank statement showing a minimum balance of £1,270 held for 28 days in a row (the 28th day must be within 31 days of your application) to prove that you can bear expenses of first month in UK. If your employer certifies maintenance on your certificate of sponsorship and is willing to cover your costs up to £1,270, you do not need this statement. You can find list of Registered and A rated sponsor at this link of Uk Government.
- Medical Test
- Police Clearance Certificate
Skilled Worker Visa Eligibility (Points-Based):
UK immigration uses a points-based system for the Skilled Worker visa. You must have a confirmed job offer from a Home Office-approved sponsor, a certificate of sponsorship, a job on the list of eligible occupations, pay at the required salary rate, and English at the required level.
How to Apply Skilled Worker Visa:
Once you have arranged all required documents, you can apply for the Skilled Worker visa online on the official website of UK Visas and Immigration. After submission of online visa application, you have to prove your identity and provide your documents, which may include giving your biometrics at a visa application centre.
UK Tier 2 Visa Fees:
Skilled Worker visa fee when applying from outside the UK is £819 per person for a visa of up to three years (£1,618 for more than three years). If your job is on the immigration salary list, the fee is £628 per person for up to three years (£1,235 for more than three years). The same fee is charged for each dependant. You must also pay the immigration health surcharge, usually £1,035 per year.
Visit UK Immigration Official website for Skilled Worker Visa.
Immigration Salary List UK:
The immigration salary list is a list of occupations with a lower salary threshold for the Skilled Worker visa. It replaced the old shortage occupation list on 4 April 2024. (The 2019 shortage occupation list below is kept for historical reference only — do not use it for applications.) [Recommended: Cover Letter for Visa Application]
Benefits Being on Shortage Occupation List:
- A lower salary threshold applies to your application.
- A lower application fee applies.
Latest UK Shortage Occupation List:
Production managers in nuclear industry waste management and decommissioning:
• Managing director
• Programme director
• Site Director
Production managers in electricity transmission and distribution:
• Project manager
• Site manager
Physical scientists in construction related ground engineering:
• Engineering geologist
• Hydrogeologist
• Geophysicist
Physical scientists in the oil and gas industries:
• Geophysicist
• Geoscientist
• Geologist
• Geochemist
Physical scientists in nuclear industry waste management and decommissioning:
• Technical services manager
Physical scientists in the mining industry:
• Staff geologist
• Senior resource geologist
Civil engineers in construction related ground engineering:
• Geotechnical engineer
• Tunnelling engineer
Civil engineers in the oil and gas industries:
• Petroleum engineer
• Drilling engineer
• Completions engineer
• Fluids engineer
• Resevoir engineer
• Offshore and subsea engineer
• Control and isntrument engineer
• Process safety engineer
• Wells engineer
Civil engineers in the mining industry:
• Senior mining engineer
• Mechanical engineer in the oil and gas industries
• Electrical engineer in the oil and gas industry
Electrical engineers in electricity transmission and distribution:
• Power system engineer
• Control engineer
• Protection engineer
Electrical engineers in aerospace:
• Electrical machine design engineer
• Power electronics engineer
• Specialist electronics engineer in automotive manufacturing and design
Electronics engineers in the railway industry:
- Signalling design manager
• Signalling design engineer
• Signalling principles designer
• Senior signalling design checker
• Signalling design checker
• Signalling systems engineer
• Design engineer in electricity transmission and distribution
Design and development engineers in automotive manufacturing and design:
- Product development engineer
• Product design engineer
Design and development engineers in the electronics system industry:
- Integrated circuit design engineer
• integrated circuit test engineer - Chemical engineer
• Manufacturing engineer (process planning) in the aerospace industry
• Technical services representative in the decommissioning and waste areas of the nuclear industry
Engineering professionals in electricity transmission and distribution:
• Project engineer
• Proposals engineer
Engineering professionals in aerospace:
- Aerothermal engineer
• Stress engineer
• Chief of engineering
• Advance tool and fixturing engineer
Engineering professionals in the civil nuclear industry’s waste management and decommissioning areas:
- Operations manager
• Decommissioning specialist manager - Project/planning engineer
• Radioactive waste manager
• Radiological protection advisor
Other engineering professionals in the civil nuclear industry:
- Nuclear safety case engineer
• Mechanical design engineer (pressure vehicles)
• Piping design engineer
• Mechanical design engineer (stress)
• Thermofluids/process engineer - IT product manager employed by a qualifying company, in a role which requires five years of appropriate experience, as well as proven experience of team leadership
- Systems engineer in visual effects and 2D/3D computer animation for film, television or, video games
• Data scientist employed by a qualifying company, in a role which requires five years of appropriate experience, as well as proven experience of team leadership - Senior developer employed by a qualifying company, in a role which requires five years of appropriate experience, as well as proven experience of team leadership
Programmers and software development professionals in visual effects and 2D/3D computer animation for film, television, or video games industries:
- Software developer
• Shader writer
• Games designer
Programmers and software development professionals in the electronics system industry:
- Driver developer
• Embedded communications engineer - Cyber security specialist employed by a qualifying company, in a role which requires five years of appropriate experience, as well as proven experience of team leadership
Environmental Professionals in construction related ground engineering: - Contaminated land specialist
• Geoenvironmental specialist
• Landfill engineer
Medical consultants: - Clinical radiology consultant
• Emergency medicine consultant
• Old age psychiatry consultant
Non-consultant, non-training, medical staff in:
- Emergency medicine (including specialist doctors working in accident and emergency)
• Old age psychiatry
• Paediatrics
Trainees:
- CT3 trainee (emergency medicine)
• ST4 to ST7 trainee (emergency medicine)
• Core trainee (psychiatry)
• HPC registered diagnostic radiographer
• Nuclear medicine practitioner
• Radiotherapy physics practitioner
• Radiotherapy physics scientist
• Sonographer
Employers must present evidence of the worker’s HPC registration to the Home Office on request. The worker may register while in the UK, but MUST register before starting work.
• Neurophysiology healthcare scientist
• Neurophysiology practitioner
• Nuclear medicine scientist
• Orthotist
• Prosthetist
• All nurses
Nurses sponsored must:
- have obtained full registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council; or
- have passed the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s Computer Based Test (CBT) of competence; or
- have obtained a Nursing and Midwifery Council permission before the 30th of April 2015 to undertake the Overseas Nursing Programme, and be sponsored to undertake a supervised practice placement as part of the programme, which has been approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Evidence of 1,2, or 3 above must be presented to the Home Office on request, and MUST be provided if applying for a Restricted Certificate of Sponsorship.
Secondary education teachers in the following subjects:
- Mathematics
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Bio-informatician
• Informatician
• Chidlren’s and family services social worker
Quality control and planning engineers in electricity transmission and distribution: - Planning / development engineer
• Quality, health, safety and environment (QHSE) engineer
Engineering technicians in electricity transmission and distribution: - Commissioning engineer
• Substation electrical engineer
• All paramedics
• Animator in visual effects and 2D/3D computer animation for film, television, or video games industries:
• Classical ballet dancers who meet the standard required by internationally recognised UK ballet companies. To meet this standard the company must:
- have performed at or been invited to perform at renowed venues, such as the Royal Opera House, Sadler’s Wells, or Barbican (in th UK of elsewhere); or
- attract dancers and/or choreographers and other artists from other countries; or
- be endorsed as internationally recognised by a United Kingdom industry body such as the Arts Council England
- Contemporary dancers who meet the standard required by internationally recognised United Kingdom contemporary dance companies. To meet this standard the company must:
- have performed at or been invited to perform at renowed venues, such as Sadler’s Wells, the Southbank Centre, or The Place (in th UK of elsewhere); or
- attract dancers and/or choreographers and other artists from other countries; or
- be endorsed as internationally recognised by a United Kingdom industry body such as the Arts Council England
- Orchestral musicians who are leaders, principals, sub-principals or numbered string positions, and who meet the standard required by internationally recognised UK orchestras (such as the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)
Arts officers, producers, and directors in visual effects and 2D/3D computer animation for the film, television or video games industries: - 2D supervisor
• 3D supervisor
• Computer graphics supervisor
• producer
• Production manager
• Technical director
• Visual effects supervisor
Graphic designers in visual effects and 2D/3D computer animation for the film, television or video games industries: - Compositing artist
• Matte painter
• Modeller
• Rigger
• Stereo artist
• Texture artist
• Manufacturing engineer (purchasing) in aerospace
• High integiry pipe welder in a role that requires at least 3 years of appropriate work experience
• Licensed and military certifying engineer/inspector technician
• Overhead linesworker at Linesman Erector 2 (LE2) level and above,
• Executive chef (one per establishment)
• Head chef (one per establishment)
• Sous chef (one for every 4 kitchen staff) - Specialist chef (one per speciality)
All cheffing jobs must meet the following conditions:
- Must require at least 5 years of experience in a role at the same level as the Tier 2 job
- must not be in a fast food, standard fare, or take away establishment
Newly Added Occupations:
The following roles now feature on the SOL as of 9 September 2019:
• Health occupations:
o Medical practitioners SOC code 2211
o Psychologists SOC code 2212
o Veterinarians SOC code 2212
o Medical radiographers SOC code 2217
o Occupational therapists SOC code 2222
o Speech and language therapists SOC code 2223
o Nurses SOC code 2231
o Social workers SOC code 2442
o Paramedics SOC code 3213
• Engineering occupations:
•
o Civil engineers SOC code 2121
o Mechanical engineers SOC code 2122
o Electrical engineers SOC code 2123
o Electronics engineers SOC code 2124
o Design and development engineers SOC code 2126
o Production and process engineers SOC code 2127
o Engineering professionals n.e.c SOC code 2129
o Quality control and planning engineers SOC code 2461
o Welding trades, High integrity pipe welders within SOC code 5215
• Science professionals:
•
o Biological scientists and biochemists SOC code 2112
o Physical scientists SOC code 2113
o Social and humanities scientists including archaeologists SOC code 2114
• Digital and IT occupations
•
o IT business analysts, architects and systems SOC code 2135
o Programme and software development professionals SOC code 2136
o Web design and development professionals SOC code 2137
o Cyber security specialist (someone who applies security measures to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data: this encompasses other roles such as security architect, information assurance consultant, security operational analyst and cyber security consultant) and information technology and telecommunications professionals n.e.c within SOC code 2139
• Education occupations:
o Teachers in the subjects of maths, physics, science (where an element of physics will be taught), computer science and Mandarin (secondary education teaching professionals) within SOC code 2314
o Scottish Gaelic language teachers to the Scottish SOL
o Scottish Gaelic-medium primary and nursery teachers to the Scotland SOL
• Business, finance and legal occupations:
•
o Bio-informaticians and informaticians within actuaries, economists and statisticians SOC code 2425
• Artistic and creative occupations:
o Artists SOC code 3411
o Dancers and choreographers SOC code 3414
o Musicians SOC code 3415
o Arts officer, producers and directors SOC code 3416
o Graphic designers SOC code 3421
• Other occupations:
o Architects SOC code 2431
o Skilled chefs within SOC code 5434
