- Points Based
- Most people below the age of 51 years old, with an occupation (listed on each country’s list), 2+ years of work experience & good English / French are eligible for this
- It is the most popular way of settling overseas
Apply for a UK Skilled Worker Visa from Dubai. Know the Eligibility, Documents Required and Processing Time to work in the UK. Talk to Y-Axis ✅
Why UK Skilled Worker Visa?
- Earn an average salary of up to £20,000 to £27,000
- Work for 40 hours a week
- Over 1 million job vacancies for skilled workers
- Enjoy holiday entitlement for 30-45 days a year
- 4 million Residence visas issued in 2022
UK Skilled Worker Visa
The UK Skilled Worker Visa is allotted to candidates who wish to reside and work an eligible job in the country. Candidates with an employment offer from a registered UK-based employer can apply for the UK Skilled Worker Visa.
The UK Skilled Worker Visa is a replacement for the Tier 2 (General) work visa and is currently one of the most preferred work visas in the UK.
Benefits of UK Skilled Worker Visa
The UK is one of the most popular work destinations in the world owing to the immense opportunities and quality of life.
Some of the benefits of UK Immigration with a Skilled worker visa are listed below –
- Candidates with a UK Skilled worker visa can pursue the study course of their choice.
- The candidate can take up paid additional work or unpaid voluntary work based on their interests.
- The candidate can work for up to 20 hours a week upon eligibility, provided –
– The job is listed as a shortage occupation
– The job has the same occupation code as your primary job.
- The candidate can bring the dependents (spouse and children) upon eligibility.
- The candidate is free to travel abroad and return to the country.
- The candidate can apply for Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) upon eligibility and living in the UK for five years.
Jobs in UK Shortage Occupation List
The in-demand jobs in the UK which are lacking skilled labor are listed in the UK Shortage Occupation list. UK skilled worker visa is the prime pathway for candidates to enter the country with a job contract from the SOL.
The table given below has the shortage occupations in the UK.
| Occupation code | Job types included on the shortage occupations list |
| 1181 | Health services and public health managers and directors – all jobs |
| 1242 | Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors – all jobs |
| 2111 | Chemical scientists – only jobs in the nuclear industry |
| 2112 | Biological scientists and biochemists – all jobs |
| 2113 | Physical scientists – only the following jobs in the construction-related ground engineering industry: engineering geologist, hydro geologist, geophysicist |
| 2113 | Physical scientists – only the following jobs in the oil and gas industry: geophysicist, geoscientist, geologist, geochemist technical services manager in the decommissioning and waste areas of the nuclear industry senior resource geologist and staff geologist in the mining sector |
| 2114 | Social and humanities scientists – only archaeologists |
| 2121 | Civil engineers – all jobs |
| 2122 | Mechanical engineers – all jobs |
| 2123 | Electrical engineers – all jobs |
| 2124 | Electronics engineers – all jobs |
| 2126 | Design and development engineers – all jobs |
| 2127 | Production and process engineers – all jobs |
| 2129 | Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified – all jobs |
| 2135 | IT business analysts, architects and systems designers – all jobs |
| 2136 | Programmers and software development professionals – all jobs |
| 2137 | Web design and development professionals – all jobs |
| 2139 | Information technology and communications professionals not elsewhere classified – only cyber security specialists |
| 2216 | Veterinarians – all jobs |
| 2425 | Actuaries, economists and statisticians – only bio-informaticians and informaticians |
| 2431 | Architects – all jobs |
| 2461 | Quality control and planning engineers – all jobs |
| 3111 | Laboratory technicians – all jobs |
| 3411 | Artists – all jobs |
| 3414 | Dancers and choreographers – only skilled classical ballet dancers or skilled contemporary dancers who meet the standard required by internationally recognised UK ballet or contemporary dance companies. The company must be endorsed as being internationally recognised by a UK industry body such as the Arts Councils (of England, Scotland or Wales). |
| 3415 | Musicians – only skilled orchestral musicians who are leaders, principals, sub-principals or numbered string positions, and who meet the standard required by internationally recognised UK orchestras. The orchestra must a full member of the Association of British Orchestras. |
| 3416 | Arts officers, producers and directors – all jobs |
| 3421 | Graphic designers – all jobs |
| 5215 | Welding trades – only high integrity pipe welders, where the job requires 3 or more years’ related on-the-job experience. This experience must not have been gained through illegal working. |
| 6145 | Care workers and home carers – private households or individuals (other than sole traders sponsoring someone to work for their business) cannot sponsor Skilled Worker applicants |
| 6146 | Senior care workers – all jobs |
The Education and Healthcare sector have a separate list of occupations that are mentioned in the table given below –
| Healthcare and Education occupations: Shortage occupation list | |
| Occupation code | Job types included |
| 2211 | Medical practitioners – all jobs |
| 2212 | Psychologists – all jobs |
| 2217 | Medical radiographers – all jobs |
| 2222 | Occupational therapists – all jobs |
| 2223 | Speech and language therapists – all jobs |
| 2231 | Nurses – all jobs |
| 2314 | Secondary education teaching professionals [only teachers in maths, physics, science (where an element of physics will be taught), computer science and Mandarin] |
| 2315 | Primary and nursery education teaching professionals – only Gaelic medium teachers |
| 2442 | Social workers – all jobs |
| 3213 | Paramedics – all jobs |
In-demand jobs in UK
The UK has some of the most marketable jobs in the world with high-earning wages.
The top 9 most in-demand jobs in the UK are as follows –
- IT and Software
- Engineering
- Accounting and Finance
- Human Resources Management
- Hospitality
- Sales & Marketing
- Healthcare
- Teaching
- Nursing
The top in-demand jobs in the UK in 2023 are offering plenty of openings for skilled workers from around the world.
Apply to work in the UK and kick-start your European dream!
UK Skilled worker visa eligibility
The basic eligibility criteria for UK Skilled worker visa are as follows –
- The candidate should fulfill the language proficiency requirements with at least B1 in all four scoring sections.
- The candidate should score at least 70 points in a points-based system.
- The candidate must have a verified job offer from a UK-based employer.
The job eligibility criteria for UK skilled worker visa are as follows –
- The candidate should have an employment offer from a registered UK employer.
- The candidate should have a CoS from the employer with information about the job offered.
- The candidate should work a job that is listed on the SOL.
- The employer should pay the candidate a minimum salary. The minimum wage differs with the type of job that is offered.
- Given below is a quick overview of the minimum salary options provided to skilled workers –
– £26,200 per year
– £10.75 per hour
– Must get paid the ‘going rate’ if the ‘going rate’ job for your role is higher than the options mentioned above.
*Check your eligibility for free with Y-Axis UK Skilled Immigration points calculator
Requirements for UK skilled worker visa
The requirements for the UK Skilled worker Visa are given below –
- The (Certificate of Sponsorship) CoS along with the reference ID.
- Proof of English language proficiency
- Evidence stating your job role and annual wage details.
- The occupation code of the job offered to you.
- Employer details, including the license number of the sponsor.
Some of the other primary requirements for the UK skilled worker visa are as follows –
- Evidence of sufficient funds of a minimum of £1,270 to sustain yourself in the country. (The funds must remain in your account for 28 consecutive days of applying for the visa)
- Proof of Dependents (If they are applying or accompanying you)
- Proof of medical wellness.
- ATAS Certificate for jobs that involve classified research at the level of Ph.D. or higher (if applicable)
- The Ph.D. certificate of the UK or the reference number of Ecctis (if the qualification is not from the UK). The candidate must apply via Ecctis.
An empty page in the passport for –
- Candidates applying outside Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, EU, or Liechtenstein.
- Candidates from Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, or the EU who possess chip-less biometric passports.
A certificate of a criminal clearance record if applying from outside the country with a job in any of the sectors mentioned below –
- Therapy (Psychologists, Speech and language therapists, Counsellors)
- Education (Teachers, Education advisers, and school inspectors, Child-minders, Teaching assistants)
- Healthcare (Nurses, Doctors, Paramedics, Managers, Pharmacists, Dentists and Dental nurses, Ophthalmic opticians)
- Social services (Social workers, Managers, Probation officers, Welfare and Housing officers)
*Note: Candidates with requirements that are not in English or Welsh would require providing a certified translation for the same.
How to apply for UK skilled visa?
You can follow the simple steps given below to apply for the UK Skilled Worker visa from outside the UK –
Step 1: Receive a CoS from a registered employer and check the checklist for the Skilled Worker visa.
Step 2: Submit the application along with the requirements.
Step 3: Pay the application fee along with the healthcare surcharges.
Step 4: Schedule an appointment at the nearest local embassy.
Step 5: Attend the visa interview and await your visa status.
UK Skilled Worker Visa processing time
The UK Skilled worker Visa processing time generally takes around 3-8 weeks, based on the mode of application.
- The UK Skilled worker visa processing time outside the country is three weeks.
- The UK Skilled worker visa processing time from inside the UK is eight weeks.
Cost of UK skilled worker visa
The cost of the UK skilled worker visa is £625.
A detailed breakdown of the costs of application fee and healthcare surcharges are mentioned below –
If you are applying from outside the country –
- £625 per individual to stay for a period of 3 years. £1235 per applicant to stay for over three years.
- £624 per individual for healthcare surcharge.
If you are applying from within the country (Switch, extend, or update the visa) –
- £719 per individual to stay up to 3 additional years.
- £1235 per individual to stay for over three years.
If the job offered to you is listed on the SOL (Shortage occupation list) –
- £479 per individual to stay for a period of 3 years
- £943 per individual to stay for over three years
How can Y-Axis help you?
Y-Axis, One of the top immigration consultancies in UAE, provides unbiased immigration services for every client based on their interests and requirements.
Our impeccable services include:
- Free eligibility check through UK Immigration Points Calculator
- Get advanced English language coaching from experts.
- Free career counseling by booking your slot today.
- Complete guidance to migrate to the UK.