Easy guide on how to switch to a Skilled Worker Visa in the UK

The UK sees a massive number of inward migrations each year, mainly from working-class individuals. Many of them seek job opportunities in the UK due to the stable & secure work environment, strong economy, world-class infrastructure & education, and advanced healthcare facilities. The list is long.

Talking of migration, the UK Skilled Worker Visa and Health and Care Worker Visa are the two most popular work visa categories. And in this blog, we are discussing the UK Skilled Worker Visa – its overview, the requirements to qualify, eligibility criteria, and whether you can switch to a Skilled Worker Visa in the UK if you are already in the UK on a different visa.

The UK Skilled Worker Visa replaced the Tier 2 (General) Work Visa. A UK Skilled Worker Visa permits skilled professionals to enter and live in the UK for work purposes. The jobs undertaken on a UK Skilled Worker Visa are sponsored by UK-based companies for the applicants coming under this route.

The Skilled Worker Visa UK Eligibility Criteria are, mentioned below, for a smooth Skilled Worker Visa UK Application Process:

• Have a job offer from a UK-based employer who is also registered with the UK Home Office as a ‘Sponsor Licence’ holder
• Have a ‘Certificate of Sponsorship’ (CoS) from your UK-based employer with information about the job role you’ve been offered in the UK
• Do a job that’s on the UK government’s list of eligible occupations
• Be paid salary at an appropriate level
• Meet the English language requirement
• Meet the maintenance funds requirement

• You will usually need to be paid at least £25,600 per year or £10.10 per hour, whichever is higher
• Or the ‘going rate’ for the type of work you’ll be doing – for example, if your salary is £27,000 per year, but the annual going rate for the job you’ll be doing is £30,000, then you do not meet the usual salary requirements for this visa

• You are required to prove English language proficiency.
• You must prove you can read, write, speak, and understand English to at least level B1 on the (CEFR) scale.
• You can prove your knowledge of English by –
  • Passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider
  • Having a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English, gaining through study at a UK school that you began when you were under 18
  • Having a degree-level academic qualification that was taught in English – if you studied abroad, you’ll need to apply through Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC) for confirmation that your qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or Ph.D.

• You must have at least £1,270 in your bank account to show you can support yourself in the UK after arrival.
• You will need to have this amount in your bank account for at least 28 days in a row
• You will usually need to show proof of this when you apply, unless either –
  • You have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months
  • Your employer can cover your costs during your first month in the UK, which is up to £1,270

Here is a general list of documents that you will require at the time of Skilled Worker Visa UK Application Process

• Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) – provided by the UK-based employer
• Proof of your knowledge of the English language
  A valid passport with a blank page
• Evidence that you have £1,270 as maintenance funds to support yourself in the UK
• Your job title and annual salary
• Your job’s occupation code (mentioned on the CoS)
• The name of your UK-based employer and their Sponsor Licence number (mentioned on the CoS)
  Criminal record certificate
• Your tuberculosis test results if you’re from a listed country

Below-mentioned are the Skilled Worker Visa UK Fees to apply for a UK Skilled Worker Visa – as of April 2023

• Visa application fees – from £625 to £1,423 depending on your circumstances
• Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) – £624 for each year granted to you on your UK Skilled Worker Visa

• Your initial ‘Entry Clearance’ UK Skilled Worker Visa will be valid for a maximum of 5 years
• You will have to apply to extend Skilled Worker Visa UK – known as ‘Leave to Remain’ – before your Entry Clearance UK Skilled Worker Visa expires
• You may also be eligible to apply for an ‘Indefinite Leave to Remain’ (ILR) i.e. settlement in the UK at the end of 5 years

If you are in the UK on any of the below-mentioned visa categories, then you might be able to switch to a Skilled Worker Visa in the UK without having to leave the country:

1. UK Expansion Worker Visa
2. UK Innovator Visa
3. UK Start-up Visa
4. UK Health & Care Worker Visa
5. UK Student Visa
6. UK Graduate Visa(also known as Post-study Work Visa)
7. UK Dependant Visa (of any visa category)

However, You cannot apply to switch to a Skilled Worker Visa in the UK if you are currently in the UK on a

1. UK Visitor Visa
2. UK Short-term Student Visa
3. UK Parent of a Child Student Visa
4. UK Seasonal Worker Visa
5. UK Domestic Worker in a Private Household Visa
6. Immigration bail
7. Permission given to you to stay outside the immigration rules – for example on compassionate grounds

You must leave the UK and apply for a UK Skilled Worker Visa from your home country if you are under any one of these categories.

1. Bring your partner (spouse / unmarried partner / same-sex partner) to the UK
2. Bring your children (under the age of 18 years) to the UK
3. Pathway to settlement in the UK, and eventually British citizenship