LONDON – The United Kingdom is known for its scenic views, a unique history as well as a hub for top educational institutes which attract thousands from across the world.
With a thriving economy and multiple tourist destinations, the country is an ideal place to work and enjoy the leisure time with your family. But to relocate to the country, you need a visa to the country if you are a non-UK citizen.
For working in the United Kingdom, one needs work visa and there are multiple types of it, the suitability of which depends on your qualification and the job.
Who needs UK Work Visa
If you belong to any developing country like Pakistan, you need a visa to relocate to the UK and work there. There are different types of work visas for the UK.
Types of UK Work Visa
There are two broad categories of Work visas in the UK; long-term and short-term.
With a long-term visa, one can stay and work in the UK for 3 to 5 years while with a short-term visa one can work in the UK for 6 to 12 months.
It is to be highlighted that most long-term visas are renewable indefinitely so long as you keep meeting the eligibility requirements. The long and short-term visas are further subdivided into several types.
Types of British Long-Term work visa
There are multiple types of British Long term work visas elaborated as under:
International Sportsperson Visa
This type of visa is for distinguished sportspersons or expert coaches. This visa will help them develop their sportsmanship in the UK.
You can apply for an International Sportsperson visa if you meet the eligibility requirements and your sport’s governing body endorses your application, confirming:
- You’re an elite sportsperson or qualified coach
- You’re internationally established
- Your employment will develop your sport in the UK at the highest level
This visa replaced the Sportsperson (T2) visa and the sporting part of the Temporary Worker – Creative and Sporting visa (T5).
Health and Care Worker Visa
Doctors, nurses, and certified adult care professionals who want to work with the British National Health Service (NHS) can avail this visa. They can also apply if they are associated with NHS supplier or in adult social care.
You must be able to speak, read, write and understand English. You’ll usually need to prove your knowledge of English when you apply.
Senior or Specialist Worker visa
A Senior or Specialist Worker visa allows you to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job at your employer’s UK branch.
This visa has replaced the Intra-company Transfer visa, previously the Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) Long-term Staff visa.
To qualify for a Senior or Specialist Worker visa, you must be an existing employee of an organisation that’s been approved by the Home Office as a sponsor as well as have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your employer with information about the work you will do in the UK. Moreover, to be eligible you must do a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations and be paid at least £42,400 per year for securing this visa.
Ministry of Religion Visa
You can apply for a Minister of Religion visa (T2) if you’ve been offered a job within a faith community (for example as a minister of religion, missionary, or member of a religious order) in the UK. The fee for applying for this visa type is £625 per person.
You can come to the UK with a Minister of Religion visa (T2) for a maximum of up to 3 years and 1 month, or the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter. The benefit of this visa is that you can apply to extend your stay.
Skilled Worker Visa
This visa for workers who have sponsorship from a British employer. Under the agreement, they should be paid a minimum compensation which would depend upon the type of job as well as their skill level.
This visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa and you must have a confirmed job offer before you apply for your visa. It is to be explicitly mentioned here that for this type, you must be able to speak, read, write and understand English and you will usually need to prove your knowledge of English when you apply.
Your visa can last for up to 5 years before you need to extend it. You’ll need to apply to extend or update your visa when it expires or if you change jobs or employer.
This is one of the most desired visas considering the fact that you can apply to extend your visa as many times as you like as long as you still meet the eligibility requirements.
After 5 years, you may be able to apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’). This gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you’re eligible.
Scale-up Worker Visa
A Scale-up Worker visa allows you to come to the UK to do an eligible job for a fast-growing UK business (sometimes called a ‘scale-up business’). For this visa type, your UK employer must meet specific eligibility criteria to sponsor scale-up workers.
To qualify for a Scale-up Worker visa, you must have a confirmed job offer to work for an approved scale-up business for at least 6 months as well as have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your employer with information about the role you’ve been offered in the UK. You must also have a job offer to do a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations and be paid a minimum salary in your new job.
Types of British Short-Term work visa
After having discussed the British long-term visa, let’s explore what short-term British work visa offers. Here are the types:
Charity Worker Visa
This temporary form of visa is issued to individuals who intend to take up voluntary or charity work in the UK. The work undertaken would be unpaid.
To be eligible for Charity Worker visa you must have a certificate of sponsorship reference number from your UK sponsor as well as have enough money to support yourself in the UK as you’ll usually need to have at least £1,270 available (unless you’re exempt). Moreover, for this type, you must be
18 or over when you apply.
International Agreement Visa
You can apply for a International Agreement visa if you’ll be contracted to do work covered by international law or treaty while in the UK. This includes working for an overseas government or ‘recognised international organisation’ or as a private servant in a diplomatic household.
The application fee for each person applying is £259 and you can stay for 2 years but if you are a private servant in a diplomatic household you can stay for upto 5 years.
Religious Worker Visa
Individuals associated with religion are also eligible for British short-term visa under this type which is issued for religious and non-pastoral work. With this visa, individuals can stay in the UK for up to 24 months. This visa has replaced the T5 (Temporary Worker) Religious Worker visa.
Graduate Visa
This category covers the students who want to work in the UK after their study programs. This visa is given for a maximum of two years and is renewable.
You can apply for a Graduate visa if you meet all of the following conditions mentioned below:
- You’re in the UK
- Your current visa is a Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa
- You studied a UK bachelor’s degree, postgraduate degree or other eligible course for a minimum period of time with your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa
- Your education provider (such as your university or college) has told the Home Office you’ve successfully completed your course
When you apply for a Graduate visa, you’ll need to pay the £715 application fee as well as
the healthcare surcharge which is usually £624 for each year you’ll be in the UK.
Seasonal Worker Visa
You can apply for a Seasonal Worker visa to come to the UK and work in:
- horticulture for up to 6 months – for example, picking fruit and vegetables or flowers
- poultry from 18 October to 31 December, in the same year
You need to apply for poultry Seasonal Worker visas by 15 November each year. You can apply for horticulture Seasonal Worker visas at any time of year.
The application fee is £259 and you can stay in the UK for up to 6 months for horticulture work and
from 18 October to 31 December each year for poultry work.
Youth Mobility Scheme Visa
This type of visa is awarded to young individuals between the ages of 18 to 30, who have the nationality of one of the listed countries and want to live and work in the UK. The visa is valid for two years.
You can apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa if you have £2,530 in savings.
It must be noted that you cannot apply if you have children under the age of 18 who live with you
or children you’re financially responsible for or you are already in the UK under the scheme.
Graduate Trainee Visa
A Graduate Trainee visa allows you to come to or stay in the UK to work for your employer in their UK branch.
Your job must be eligible and part of a graduate training programme for a managerial or specialist role. This visa has replaced the Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa, previously Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) Graduate Trainee visa.
To qualify for a Graduate Trainee visa, you must:
- Be an existing employee of an organisation that’s been approved by the Home Office as a sponsor
- Have worked for your sponsor outside the UK for at least 3 months immediately before you apply
- Have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your employer with information about the work you will do in the UK
- Do a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations
- Be paid at least £23,100 per year
You cannot apply to change (‘switch’) to a Graduate Trainee visa from inside the UK.
As far as the duration of stay is concerned, for Graduate Trainee Visa, you can stay in the UK with a Graduate Trainee visa for whichever is shorter of:
- the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days
- 12 months
Creative Worker Visa
The creative worker visa is awarded to people who are engaged with some sort of creative work. For instance performing arts, painting, writing, etc. This visa has replaced the Temporary Worker – Creative and Sporting visa (T5).
It is to be clarified here that you need to have a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed sponsor before you can apply to come to the UK for work. The work you do in the UK must relate to the work of your sponsor organisation.
Eligibility Criteria for UK Work Visas
The Home Office of the UK has now introduced a point-based immigration system to attract and invite only the most skillful talent in the UK, a system already in place by countries like Canada. Under this system, any applicant is eligible to apply for desired UK work visa if they score a minimum number of points set for that particular type of visa.
The points are based on your job type, salary level, sponsorship offer, educational qualifications, language skills, and whether or not your profession is in demand in the UK. They may include other factors as well based on the type of visa.
Application Process for UK Work Visas
Traditionally, one can apply online for desired work visa or through one of the UK visa application centers in home country.
It is to be kept in mind that all the requsite documents need to be submitted along with the visa application. Though the visa can be applied online, for the biometric verification you will need to visit the visa application center.
Duration of Processing for UK Work Visa Application
The British government has itself clarified some timeline for applying. According to the official guidelines, the earliest you can apply is usually:
3 months before your planned travel date for visit visas
3 months before your employment start date for most work visas
6 months before your course start date for Student and Child Student visas
Documents Required for UK Work Visa
Although a complete list of the documents regarding work visa can’t be furnished because it depends on the type of visa; however, in general, you need following documents to submit along with the visa application.
- Sponsorship certificate from your British employer.
- A valid passport
- The details of your salary. This should meet the minimum salary requirements for your job type or profession. If your paid salary falls below the eligibility criteria, you might be declared ineligible.
- English language proficiency scores.
- Medical certificate indicating that you are in good health
- Name of the sponsor/employer and his/her license number
- A police certificate indicating a clean criminal record but only for certain types of jobs only
- Job title and occupation code
- Financial or bank statements as proof of your savings
- Proof of investment funds
- Test results of tuberculosis if you belong to the countries mentioned here.
- A valid photo ID.
British (UK) Work VISA Application Cost
The cost of applying for a British work visa varies for long and short-term visas. The long-term visa costs from £232 to £1,418 while most short-term visas cost £259 except for the Graduate Visa which costs £715. You also have to pay £20 for the Biometric Residence Permit or BRP. The variance in costs of long-term visas depends upon which kind of work visa you are applying for as well as the duration of stay allowed.
