A work permit for the UK allows you to legally live and work in the country for a certain duration, with an employer sponsoring your visa.
A work permit for the UK allows you to legally live and work in the country for a certain duration, with an employer sponsoring your visa. If you’re taking a step towards working in the United Kingdom, you’ll require a specific document called the work visa or work permit for the UK that allows you the same. The country offers various types of work visas for different job roles, skills and duration. Thus, the UK work visa requirements vary from job to job and have different eligibility criterias. In this blog, get to know about the work permit for the UK, especially about the Skilled Worker Visa that is the most common type of visa which allows people from different parts of the world to work in the UK.
What is the Skilled Worker Visa?
The skilled worker visa is a type of work permit that enables people from across the world to stay and work in the United Kingdom. This visa gives you a permit to work in the UK for a period of five years initially and also depends upon the duration of your certificate of sponsorship. This visa will only remain valid till as long as you remain in the same role as your sponsoring employer. If you switch to another job role, you’ll need a new Skilled Worker visa.
Key requirements and eligibility criteria
The Skilled Worker Visa can grant you a work permit for the UK only if you have attained 70 points by meeting specific requirements such as skills, salary levels, proven abilities in the English language and other sponsorship requirements. In order to obtain such a work visa for the UK, you must fulfil the following requirements:-
A Valid job offer from a licensed UK employer.
The job offer must be from a business listed on the Home’s Office list. Also check that the employer is licensed to hire international workers under the Skilled Worker Route and are A-rated.
Another requirement for such a work permit for the UK is that you will need a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from the Employer.
You will only be able to obtain such a permit to work in the UK if the job role you have applied for is listed on the list of eligible occupations. You can check this criteria with your employer.
To be eligible for a permit to work in the UK, the job role must be of RQF level 3 or more. Any roles lower than this level will not be considered and granted a work permit.
A strong proficiency in the English Language can serve as a pathway to obtain a work visa for the UK. If you get a minimum level of B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages scale for reading, writing, speaking and understanding the English Language.
The minimum salary offered to you for a Skilled Worker Visa is £38,700. The job must provide you with this amount at the minimum.
You must have a minimum of £1,270 in your bank account as evidence to prove that you can support yourself financially in the UK.
Documents required for the work permit for the UK
A work permit for the UK for a skilled worker visa will require the following documents:-
Transcripts and certificates of all your academic programs
Current information about your job/employment
Current and previous year’s salary and bank statements
Proof of sufficient maintenance of funds in the bank account
Certificates of all the required language proficiency tests
A functional passport
NOC after police verification for any criminal records
Birth and marriage certificates
Insurance details
How to apply for Skilled Worker Visa
Here is the detailed procedure to apply for a skilled worker visa if you wish to work in the UK.
Check your eligibility for the skilled worker visa.
Secure a job with a licensed sponsor in the UK.
Receive your certificate of sponsorship from them.
Prepare all the documents you require to obtain a permit to work in the UK.
Complete the online application form with all the correct and relevant details.
Pay the application fees.
Attend the biometric appointment.
Wait for the final call and decision on your application.
Summing up
When applying for a work visa for the UK, check the type of visa that you require. Different work visas are intended for different types of roles. The skilled worker visa is the most common type of visa that serves as a pathway if you wish to work in the UK. The decision for this work permit for the UK will take around 3 weeks if you apply outside of the UK. You will have to apply 3 months prior to your intended date of working in the country. The joining date will be mentioned on the sponsorship certificate. If you wish to know more details about student visa or tourist visa, read our guide to get more insights on the same. For any queries, check Immimart’s services that can help you find suitable consultants who can make your journey of working abroad super easy!
