Have you thought of the UK as the next big destination for work? Whether you are a skilled professional or an uneducated labourer, the UK provides you with an avenue where you can create a home away from home. While, on the contrary, this can be a complex and perplexing process for immigrants. In this article, we shall provide the necessary information to immigrate to the UK for both skilled and unskilled workers. Whatever you do for a living – a doctor, an engineer, or a cleaner – we will help you with the UK settlement process.
About Migrating to UK as a Skilled Worker
In December 2020, a new UK work visa, namely, the Skilled Worker visa, was introduced to replace the Tier 2 (General) visa. This, in turn, opens up the UK employment market to competent foreign workers who have a valid job offer from a sponsoring employer. Getting a job that is either at or above RQF level 3 (which is equivalent to an A-level qualification), meeting English language skills standards, and earning a minimum income should be important conditions for eligibility. The immigration visa selection is based on a point system, and the mandatory points levels are given for an employment offer, skill level, salary, and English language proficiency.
The UK Skilled Worker Visa is allowed for a period of 2-5 years, and this is mostly dependent on the duration shown in the Certificate of Sponsorship. It is compulsory to take the same position with your sponsoring employer to sustain the validity of the visa. If you want to switch roles or employers, it’s better to apply for a new Skilled Worker visa. However, there are opportunities to prolong the visa before it expires under the Skilled Worker route. If you meet the requirements of having worked for a qualified period of five years in the country, you can become eligible for applying for an Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), and then within one year, you can apply for British Citizenship. Securing a job offer and meeting the respective conditions is imperative to be able to apply for a UK Skilled Worker visa. However, if the Skilled Worker Visa doesn’t fit your situation, then there are other work visas that you can apply for such as Scale Up Visa, Temporary Worker Visa, Global Business Mobility Visa etc.
From April 4, 2024, the starting point for Skilled Workers’ minimum salary requirement rose to £38,700 per year, from £26,200. Alongside that, the individual occupational thresholds has changed based on the 2023 median full-time salary value for related jobs. Individuals who already have Skilled Worker visas preceding this policy tenure aren’t mandated to fulfill the new salary threshold if they switch jobs, extend their stay, or decide to settle in the UK. Nevertheless, the price of this should be approximately equivalent to that of a local applicant for a fresh application or a new proposal. Whether they are healthcare workers who possess the Health and Care Visa or education workers who are paid at the national minimum salary level, they will be exempt from the £38,700 salary threshold for Skilled Workers. The changes to the Skilled Worker visa has started functioning since April 4, 2024.
Benefits of Migrating to UK with a Skilled Worker Visa
1. Settlement: By qualifying for the Skilled Worker visa, you can get Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in five years and prepare for all the processes involved in permanent residence in the UK.
2. Family: Your children under 18 years and eligible partners have the opportunity to come with you to the UK as dependents through the skilled route, while also being eligible to apply for ILR together with you.
3. Study: Skilled Worker visa holders can have as much study time as they want as this is not considered a violation of their employed job.
4. Unlimited: Although first granted for 5 years, this rule can be changed indefinitely, giving the possibility of obtaining Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
UK Skilled Worker Visa Eligibility Criteria
1. First , get a proposal from a UK employer.
2. Make sure you are working under the approval of the Home Office, and the employer is listed as a licensed sponsor.
3. Get the “Certificate of Sponsorship” through your company, which must be valid.
4. Ensure that the occupation for which you will apply satisfies the eligibility conditions.
5. Achieve the skill level, which requires RQF level 3 or its equivalent.
6. Make sure your earnings will allow you to live above the minimum threshold of £38,700 a year.
7. An essential requirement is to have a knowledge of the English language.
8. Provide £1,270 set aside as proof of your ability to sustain yourself in the UK financially.
Now, let’s go ahead to explain each of these requirements for easier understanding:
1. Job Offer from a Licensed UK Employer: For an individual to qualify for a Skilled Worker visa in the UK, he/she must first get a job offer from a licensed UK employer. The employer must have an A rating and the job be from the approved list if it is at the indicated pay level or above. Moreover, a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from your UK employer will be a necessity.
2. Employer Approval: It is important to see to it that your job position is advertised by an employer that is a Home Office, licensed sponsor. Make sure that your employer’s has the required licensing to grab skilled workers from other countries under the Skilled route. Employers belonging to a B-rating cohort cannot issue a new Certificate of Sponsorship unless they fulfill compliance and rise to an A-rating.
3. Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): The first crucial step is obtaining the CoS from your UK employer, the document must contain detail information about the role which is attributed for sponsorship, salary, and sponsorship details.
4. Eligible Occupation: Your employment job should be part of this occupation and you should also possess the proper skills and experience for the position. Show that the job is eligible by writing to your employer for standard occupational code (SOC).
5. Skill Level Requirement: People should demonstrate abilities to match grades at least RQF level 3 which is comparable to UK A-level qualification.
6. Minimum Salary Adjustment: From 4th of April 2024, the minimum salary level to be met for the Skilled Worker visa has increased from £26,200 to £38,700 annually. The category of exemptions is exclusive for certain vocations, special health and social care routes, and teachers who belong to the national remuneration scale.
7. Financial Provision: It is essential that you must be able to present evidence of £1,270 in your bank account which you will use to sustain yourself during the first month of your stay in the UK. There may be other times where the employer will be asked to provide a letter that verifies their intention to fulfill this particular benchmark.
8. English Proficiency Verification: Demonstrate your command of the English language by several means, such as passing an approved English examination or having academic credentials taught in English or exempt per nationality or by passing an English language assessment conducted by a professional body in your specialization.
UK Skilled Worker Visa Required Documents
1. A Valid Passport: Just ensure that your passport has validity for the whole time you stay in the UK and has one blank page for visa stamp.
2. Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): The document from your British employer which contains details pertaining to your sponsored position, package, reference number and sponsorship details.
3. Job Offer Confirmation: A confirmation of your job offer from an officially licensed employer in the UK is essential and should contain details about the job title and income offered.
4. Eligibility Proof: The official document proving that your profession is among those authorized to be applied for and you can reach the skill level requirement should be presented. Additionally, you’ll be required to indicate your job occupation category.
5. English Language Proficiency Evidence: If applicable, provide a proof of your English proficiency through language test or academic reports.
6. Financial Documentation: Prove that you have sufficient money to care for you in the UK, including bank statements or your sponsor’s letter stating the financial support he or she is going to give you.
7. Police Clearance Certificate: In line with the country you live, it is possible that police background check can be requested to prove you are a person of moral standing. This is especially crucial for a few professions like healthcare and education where all individuals are vulnerable.
8. Additional Supporting Documents: You may need different documents such as marriage certificates and birth certificates, documented proof of qualifications, working experience proof or chest X-ray tests history (depending on your place of origin).
Noteworthy, you will be assisted on verifying your identity and giving your biometrics (like fingerprints and a picture to get Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). This can be done by visiting a visa application center in your current country or using the Home Office’s mobile app, ‘UK Immigration: A system like ‘ID Check,’ that allows you to scan and upload your identity documents digitally, so that they are directly accessible by the Home Office.
UK Skilled Worker Visa Application Guide
Before starting the process for a Skilled Worker visa coming from the UK, you must be able to navigate through the official portal of the Home Office. You will need to get a job offer and Certificate of Sponsorship, as well supporting documents then start with your application. Note, if you save your progress you can always continue at another time if needed.
1. Analyze your possibilities for a skilled worker visa.
2. Try to get an employment offer from a licensed sponsor in the UK for you to be eligible for a work visa.
3. Your UK employer will send you a Certificate of Sponsorship.
4. Collect the necessary documents to prove you fit the competency level for a Skilled Worker visa.
5. Fill out the form on the website, for which you have to select either the one for outside the UK applicants or the one for applicants switching their visas from within the UK.
6. Pay application fee, biometric fee, and healthcare surcharge including possible exceptions.
7. Upload any key documents that are necessary for your application.
8. Plan an appointment for the biometric capture of your fingerprints and photo.
UK Skilled Worker Visa Processing Time
After submitting your application, you will receive a response on about three weeks if you’re from outside the UK. If additional data is required, the UKVI will get in touch with you. Please keep in mind that processing times could differ based on specific factors that can influence the overall application.
About Migrating to the UK as an Unskilled Worker
As of now, the UK primarily focuses on attracting skilled workers through various visa routes such as the Skilled Worker Visa. Migrating to the UK as an unskilled worker can be challenging due to the UK’s points-based immigration system, which prioritizes skilled workers. Previously, the Tier 3 (Unskilled) visa was a great pathway for unskilled workers, however, this route is currently suspended. Other alternatives for unskilled workers would now be discussed:
1. The Temporary Work – Seasonal Worker Visa
This is a programme designed for persons with a job offer or who have been recruited under an approved scheme by a UK Scheme Operator, in the field of horticulture or poultry production jobs. Immigration regulations allow people to work under the horticulture route for a maximum duration of six months in a year. Workers within poultry production are allowed to reside in the UK from October 2nd until December 31st on an annual basis. It must be understood that Seasonal Worker scheme is not a settle-down visa and there is no provision for partners and dependent children along with the applicant.
Requirements for a Temporary Work – Seasonal Worker Visa
1. You are up to 18 years.
2. The employer has issued you with a ‘Certificate of Sponsorship’ which includes all the job details that you need. (All the people who work in the poultry production sector sector should submit their request form on or before 15 November annually. )
3. You will work as a worker in any of the workplace like ‘horticulture’ or ‘poultry production.
4. You have submitted all required visa documents, which include the visa application charge and Immigration Health Surcharge, successfully. In addition, you have also supplied all of your biometric information.
6. You are not an individual who the grounds for refusal applies to in general circumstances.
Temporary Work – Seasonal Worker Visa Eligible Job Roles
To be considered for an Temporary Work – Seasonal Worker Visa in the horticulture or poultry production sectors, your job should be below the required criteria.
– Protected Vegetables: cultivated in glasshouse infrastructure.
– Field Vegetables: grown outdoor in fields, covering many crops such as lettuce and fish herbs, leafy salads, and potatoes.
– Soft Fruit: grown both outdoors and greenhouse-harvested, with cultivars such as strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, blueberries, among others.
– Top Fruit (Orchard Fruit): edible tree like apple, plum cherries, and apricots.
– Vine and Bines: relates to the particular type of stems of some plants which to the flexible stems of certain plants, hops and grapes.
– Mushrooms: including a discussion of Agaricus bisporus and other exotics like porcini or chanterelle, often in controlled conditions.
– Bulbs and Cut Flowers: like any forms of outdoor and indoor cultivation of products like the daffodils.
– Pot Plants: the colorful spring and winter bedding vegetation such as pansy, viola, geranium and poinsettia.
– Hardy Ornamental Nursery Stock: including decorative Christmas trees, shrubs, roses, ornamental trees, and perennials.
– Tree and Forest Nurseries are called Arborists and Forest managers.
For eligibility based on poultry production work, the roles may include:
– Butcher
– Bird/Game Dresser
– Killer and Plucker
– Plucker
– Poulterer
– Poultry Processor
– Poultry Sticker
– Trusser
– Food Operative
– Poultry Catcher/Handler
– Poultry Vaccinator
– Poultry Meat Packer
2. Domestic Workers Visa
The UK Domestic Worker Visa, also known as the Domestic Helper Visa or the Overseas Domestic Worker Visa, is the preferred immigration route for foreign domestic workers seeking employment with private individuals in the UK on behalf of their overseas principals. It is specifically intended for employees in domestic service positions, such as nanny, housekeeper, cook, chauffeur and those who render personal care services to the employers and their family members, by the Domestic Helper Visa UK Program.
Domestic Servants who have been issued Tier 5 Visas may stay in the UK up to 6 months. Nevertheless, on completion of this visa stay, it is necessary for recipient to return back to one’s home country since there is no method to get extension in this regard. You need to know that the foreign worker visa does not provide the holders a chance to obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain (settlement) in the UK.
UK Domestic Workers Visa Requirements
Applicants for the Domestic Helper visa UK must adhere to specific eligibility requirements outlined by the Home Office, which include:
– Being 19 years of age or older.
– Demonstrating at least 12 months of employment with the overseas employer.
– Conducting duties within the same household as the employer or a household regularly used by them.
– Receiving compensation at or above the UK national minimum wage.
– Traveling to the UK alongside the employer, their partner, or children.
– Engaging as a full-time domestic worker in a UK household where the overseas employer will reside.
– Leaving the UK before the visa expiration date.
– Possessing sufficient funds to sustain and sustain one’s self in the UK without reliance on public funds.
3. Youth Mobility Visa
The Youth Mobility Scheme visa focuses on the young people having their home countries and territories among the list of participating countries, giving them the opportunity to acquire the UK culture for a time ranging from one to two years (three years for the citizens of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand).
The dependents are excluded from applying through the Youth Mobility Scheme visa route and it can be agreed that the route does not automatically encourage the path for indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
Requirements for the Youth Mobility Program
– You fall between the ages of 18 to 30 (or 18 to 35 for native citizens of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the Republic of Korea) at the time of application.
– You are an Australian, New Zealand, Canadian, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Japanese, Indian, Icelandic, Monaco, Andorran, Uruguayan, Taiwanese, or San Marinese citizen etc.
– If you are an Indian citizen holding an education degree at the equivalent level of or higher than RQF level 6 or have at least 3 years of work experience in a professional job which corresponds to one of the eligible occupations listed in Appendix Skilled Occupations.
– You have access to funds worth £2,530 which you received at least 28 days before your application and maintained for the last 31 days prior to the application, up to the time of your application.
– There are no minor dependents living with you or entirely dependent on you for their financial needs.
– You have never been granted entry to the UK on the Youth Mobility Scheme basis prior to your application.
– So all in all, you have submitted your Visa Application and the Immigration Health Surcharge as well as provided any biometric information that was required.
– You have been tested for tuberculosis, if needed.
Conclusion
Migrating to the UK is a good idea as the UK is a land of opportunities. Whether you are an unskilled worker or skilled worker, there is a pathway for you to try. Although it is much better travelling to the UK as a skilled worker but there are still options as an unskilled worker. If you are thinking of migrating to the UK regardless of your status then we hope this article has been of tremendous help to you.
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