How to Apply for & Get a UK Skilled Worker Visa

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The UK Government’s Visa and Immigration for Skilled Workers

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Home Office – The UK Visa and Immigration. Image credit: The Guardian

The UK Government through Its Visa & Immigration Programme offers non-UK citizens both outside and living in the UK the opportunity to apply for a Skilled Worker Visa to live and work in the UK as long as possible if they meet the necessary requirement and they are eligible.

The UK Government’s Skilled Worker Visa is one of the permanent and long-term work visas in their Visa & Immigration Programme. Others are Health and Care Worker Visa, Senior or Specialist Worker Visa (Global Business Mobility), among others.

Application for UK Visa for Skilled Worker under UK Visa and Immigration Programme

In this blog post, you will learn how can apply for UK Skilled Worker Visa and get the visa based on the information guidelines from the UK Government’s Visa and Immigration Programme. Learning how to apply for & get UK Skilled Worker Visa to work in the UK isn’t rocket science. It’s that simple. In this UK Visas and Immigration Guidelines, you will find out as you read about job, sponsorship & salary eligibility.

Applying for a UK visa for a skilled worker has become simplified and straightforward in terms of available information from the UK Government under its Visa and Immigration Service.

Eligibility for UK Skilled Worker Visa: How to Qualify for a Skilled Worker Visa in the UK

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Eligibility for a Skilled Worker to qualify for a UK Visa and work in the UK is in different categories. They are UK Job Eligibility (Eligibility for the Job), UK Sponsorship Eligibility (Eligibility for Sponsorship from a UK Employer) & UK Minimum Job Salary Eligibility (Job Meeting Salary Requirement). Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Eligibility for UK Skilled Worker Visa to Qualify for a Job in the UK

Applicants for UK Skilled Worker Visa under the UK Visa and Immigration Programme have to qualify for the visa. How do foreign citizens qualify for the UK Skilled Worker Visa? Before applying for a UK Skilled Worker Visa, you should check the available if you are eligible based on certain criteria as released by UK Government.

Eligibility for a Skilled Worker to qualify for a UK Visa and work in the UK is in different categories. There are 3 criteria that qualify a non-UK citizen and make him eligible for a Skilled Worker Visa and work in the UK. They are UK Job Eligibility (Eligibility for the Job), UK Sponsorship Eligibility (Eligibility for Sponsorship from a UK Employer) & UK Minimum Job Salary Eligibility (Job Meeting Salary Requirement)

UK Job Eligibility (Eligibility for the Job)

UK Sponsorship Eligibility (Eligibility for Sponsorship from a UK Employer)

UK Minimum Job Salary Eligibility (Job Meeting Salary Requirement)

UK Job Eligibility (Eligibility for the Job)

How to Check for the UK Job Eligibility

Here are 3 criteria on how to check the UK job eligibility

1. Get employment for a UK employer who is your sponsor: Get an offer for a job from a UK employer that is on the list of eligible occupations. Your job must be eligible for this Skilled Worker Visa to qualify to apply for a Skilled Worker Visa.

2. Check the UK job eligibility: Checking for UK job eligibility requires ensuring your job is listed in the occupation coding tool of the UK Office of National Statistics (ONS) and find out if the job occupation code is eligible for this visa since every job is not included in the tool. Only jobs listed in the tool will be issued visas. If you’re a doctor or nurse, or you work in health or adult social care, check if you’re eligible to apply for the Health and Care Worker Visa instead. You can use the 4-digit occupation code to search if the job is listed. If you already have a job offer, ask your employer for your occupation code. Again, make sure the job description matches the exact job title you will be doing.

Click here to view a list of eligible occupations and codes for the Skilled Worker visa.

3. Working for a UK employer that is been approved by the Home Office of the UK Government: You must have a job offer from an approved UK employer before you apply for a Skilled Worker visa. Approved employers are also known as sponsors because they are sponsoring you to come to or stay in the UK.

UK Sponsorship Eligibility (Eligibility for Sponsorship from a UK Employer)

How to Check for UK Sponsorship Eligibility (Eligibility for Sponsorship from a UK Employer)

Here is how to check for UK Sponsorship Eligibility (Eligibility for Sponsorship from a UK Employer)

Your employer – also known as your sponsor – will check that you meet the eligibility requirements. They’ll give you a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ to prove this. Having been issued with a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your UK employer with information about the role you’ve been offered in the UK, you must apply for your visa within 3 months of getting your certificate of sponsorship.

he certificate of sponsorship is an electronic record, not a physical document. It will have a reference number, which you’ll need for your visa application Approved employers are also known as sponsors because they are sponsoring you to come to or stay in the UK.

You can check the list of UK government-approved UK employers, in case you need to contact any of them for a sponsorship request. Click here to view and check.

Eligible UK employers who are currently not approved can apply to the UK government to get approval for sponsorship of non-UK Skilled Workers. The UK employers who wish to sponsor any non-UK worker in the UK are expected to know the procedure for getting a UK government license as Skilled Worker Visa sponsors. However, in case you desire to know, any UK sponsor who wishes to employ a non-UK to work in the UK will have to pay a fee of £536 for small businesses and charities or £1,476 for medium and large organisations and it usually takes around 8 weeks to process a license application.

UK Minimum Salary Eligibility: Meeting Salary Requirement

How to Check for UK Minimum Salary Eligibility

1. You must be paid the minimum salary required for the job offered by the UK employer: You must meet the UK minimum salary requirement in order to apply for the UK Skilled Worker Visa. This means that you will be paid your job’s minimum salary by your UK employer – the amount is dependent on the type of work you do. The minimum salary for the type of work you will be doing is whichever is the highest out of the following 3 options: £25,600 per year or £10.10 per hour or the ‘going rate’ for the type of work you will be doing.

Each occupation code has its own annual going rate. A list of annual going rates for jobs eligible for the Skilled Worker Visa in a table is provided in the UK Government’s Visa and Immigration Scheme. Click here to find, including jobs qualifying for the Health and Care Visa.

2. You won’t be issued the visa if your UK employer offers you an annual salary of less than £25,600 or the annual ‘going rate’ for jobs eligible for the Skilled Worker Visa except in certain situations.

3. You can be paid between 70% and 90% of the usual going rate for your job if your salary is not up to the going rate and is at least £20,480 per year and you meet one of the following conditions:

your job is on a Shortage Occupation List. That is, there is a high demand for your job in the UK due to a shortage of workers. If your job is on the shortage occupation list, you can be paid 80% of the job’s usual going rate.
You are not up to 26 years of age on your application date and are either studying or you are a recent graduate, engaged in professional training or working towards a recognised qualification in a UK-regulated profession, or working towards full registration or chartered status in the job you’re being sponsored for. In this case, you can be paid 70% of your job’s usual going rate.
you have a science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) Ph.D. level qualification that’s relevant to your job. If you have a science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) qualification, you can be paid 80% of your job’s usual going rate, as long as you will still be paid at least £20,480 per year. For a Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths (STEM) or non-STEM qualification for a minimum salary of £20,480 offered by your UK employer, you will be paid 70% and 90% of the annual going rate. If you have a non-STEM qualification, you can be paid 90% of your job’s usual going rate, as long as you will still be paid at least £23,040 a year. If you have a relevant Ph.D. level qualification (be it a UK Ph.D. or an equivalent doctorate-level overseas qualification) in any other subject your salary must not be less than £23,040. If your job is eligible for a Ph.D. salary discount, you can be paid 80% or 90% of the job’s usual going rate, depending on which subject you are qualified in.
you have a postdoctoral position in science or higher education. if you will be working in a postdoctoral position in certain science or higher education roles and for you to be paid 70% of your job’s usual going rate, Your job must be in one of the following occupation codes to qualify for this salary discount: 2111: chemical scientists, 2112: biological scientists and biochemists, 2113: physical scientists, 2114: social and humanities scientists, 2119: natural and social science professionals that are ‘not elsewhere classified’, such as research fellows and sports scientists and 2311: higher education teaching professionals. These going rates apply whether you’ll be working in the public or private sector.

4. Different salary rules (‘going rates’) apply if your UK employer offers you some healthcare or education jobs, where the going rate is based on national pay scales set by the relevant independent body, for example, the NHS whether you will be working in the public or private sector. View the list of eligible healthcare and education jobs to see if your job is included. If your job is on the list, your salary must be at least the national pay scale rate for the job you will be doing. Check how much you’ll need to be paid in the table of national pay scales for eligible healthcare jobs – listed by NHS pay band and area of the UK and the table of national pay scales for eligible teaching and education leadership jobs – listed by role and area of the UK

The minimum annual salaries for jobs that are eligible for a Skilled Worker visa and that meet the minimum salary requirements eligibility criteria. are provided comprehensively in a table depending on the occupation code, job type, and related job title. Click here to view.

UK Visa Requirements for a Skilled Worker

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Anyone who wishes to apply for a UK Skilled Worker Visa must be able to read, write, speak and understand English to at least level B1, prove his knowledge of English, have a job offer from an approved UK employer, have a sponsor who is your approved employer, meet the usual salary requirements, obtain all relevant documents needed to apply and will need to pay the UK visa application fee. Photo by Evangeline Shaw on Unsplash

For anyone outside the UK to apply for a UK Skilled Worker Visa, he or she must meet the visa requirement, but it isn’t demanding as space travel.

Here are 7 requirements for a non-UK applying for a Skilled Worker Visa to live and work in the UK through the government’s Visa & Immigration Service.

1. First and foremost, being able to speak, read, write and understand English is a basic UK visa requirement for a skilled worker. This includes reading, writing, speaking and understanding English to at least level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.

2. You will need to prove your knowledge of English when you apply as a requirement to apply for the UK Skilled Worker Visa. You’ll usually need to prove your knowledge of the English language when you apply, except you a national of one of the following countries or territories: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the British overseas territories, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and USA or if you’re a doctor, dentist, nurse, midwife or vet and have already passed an English Language assessment that is accepted by the relevant regulated professional body.

You can prove your knowledge of English by passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider or having a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English, gained through study at a UK school that you began when you were under 18 or 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. unless you did this in a previous successful visa application

3. One of the UK visa requirements for a skilled worker is that you must have a job offer from an approved UK employer before you apply for a Skilled Worker Visa.

4. You must have a sponsor who is your approved employer. Approved employers are the ones who will sponsor you to come to or stay in the UK. If you already have a job offer from an approved employer, the employer – also known as your sponsor – will check that you meet the eligibility requirements and issue you a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ to prove that it is willing to employ you as a Skilled Worker in the UK. Your sponsor must also be an approved employer by the Home Office of the UK Government.

5. Your job must meet the usual salary requirements for the Skilled Worker Visa.

6. You must obtain all relevant documents needed to apply for the UK Skilled Worker Visa. These are your certificate of sponsorship reference number from your employer (Ask your employer for a copy of your certificate of sponsorship if you do not have one), proof of your knowledge of English, a valid passport or other documents that show your identity and nationality, your job title and annual salary, your job’s occupation code and the name of your employer and their sponsor license number – this will be on your certificate of sponsorship.

Other relevant documents you might need evidence your have at least £1,270 in your bank account or certificate of sponsorship shows your employer, can support you, your tuberculosis test results if you’re from a listed country, a criminal record certificate – if you’re working in certain jobs (education, for example teachers, education advisers and school inspectors, childminders, teaching assistants; healthcare, for example, nurses, doctors, paramedics, managers, pharmacists, dentists and dental nurses, ophthalmic opticians; therapy, for example psychologists, speech and language therapists, counsellors and social services, for example, social workers, managers, probation officers, welfare and housing officers), a valid ATAS certificate if your employer tells you that you need one because your job involves researching a sensitive subject at PhD level or higher, your UK PhD certificate, or your unique Ecctis reference number (formerly unique UK NARIC reference number) if your qualification is from outside the UK – you’ll need to apply through Ecctis and a blank page in your passport for your UK visa shows you are from outside the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. You might need to provide a certificate from each country you have lived in, depending on your age and how long you stayed in each country if you have lived in more than one country.

7. You will need to pay the UK visa fee ranging from £3,143 to £5,625 per person depending on the number of years you apply to live in the UK. See details of the breakdown of the fees in visa years. £1,270 of the visa fee should be for your self-support while living in the UK you must have the money in your bank account available for at least 28 days in a row. Day 28 must be within 31 days of applying for this visa and will have to show proof of this when you apply, except if you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months or your employer can cover your costs during your first month in the UK, up to £1,270.

UK Skilled Worker Salary

The minimum salary for the type of work you’ll be doing is whichever is the highest out of the following 3 options:

£25,600 per year
£10.10 per hour
the ‘going rate’ for the type of work you’ll be doing

How to Apply for and Get a UK Skilled Worker Visa

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To apply for UK Skilled Worker Visa, you need to secure a job with a UK employer, check if you need a UK Visa, check if you are eligible to apply, provide all the documents you need to apply, provide proof you have knowledge of English, have your biometric fingerprint and photograph captured, attend visa application interview, pay the visa application fee and apply online by completing the online application form. Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

How to Apply for UK Skilled Worker Visa from Outside the UK

Application form for a UK Skilled Worker Visa from outside the UK coming to the UK under the Visa and Immigration Programme of the UK Government is completed online. That is, you must apply online for a UK Skilled Worker Visa.

Application Steps for UK Skilled Worker Visa from Outside the UK

Here are the 10 steps you take to apply online for UK Skilled Worker Visa from Outside the UK

1. Search for job listings on the websites, and find and apply for a job online. Get interviewed and secure the job. You need to secure a job from a UK employer before you apply for the Skilled Worker Visa.

2. Check if you need a UK Visa: You may need a visa to come to the UK to visit, study or work. Whether you need a visa to visit, study or work in the UK depends on your nationality evident on your passport or travel document. Click here to check if you need a Skilled Worker Visa.

3. Check if you are eligible to apply: Once clicked, you be asked to confirm that you meet all of the eligibility requirements

4. Provide all the documents you need to apply. That is, proving your identity and providing supporting documents

5. Provide proof you have knowledge of English

6. Start your application by creating an account and signing in to your account using the link from your sign-up email.

7. Have your biometric fingerprint and photograph captured: You will have your fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre – this is to get a biometric residence permit. Alternatively, you could use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document. You will have to create an account with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), and sign into your account to access the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ Service.

8. Attend Visa Application Interview: If you do need an appointment, the UK visa application centre may need to keep your passport and documents while they process your application and you may have to travel to get to your nearest visa application centre (this could be in another country).

9. Pay the visa application fee for the completion of the online application form.

10. Track your application status and secure your Skilled Worker Visa for UK travel.

Start your application for a UK Skilled Worker Visa from outside the UK. Click here to start your visa application. Once you have started your application, you can save your form and continue your application to complete it later.

Note that ‘Steps on How to apply for a UK Skilled Worker Visa’ discussed above is for non-UK nationals outside the UK and those in UK apply either to update or extend their UK visas or switch to another visa for changing employment status or employer.

UK Visa Fee for Skilled Workers

UK Skilled Worker Visa Fee

The UK Visa fee is paid upon application. The application fee ranges from £625 to £1,423 depending on your circumstances. The visa fee depends on if you are applying from outside or inside the UK.

UK Visa Application Fee for Skilled Worker outside the UK

If you’re applying for a Skilled Worker Visa from outside the UK, the standard fee depends on whether you will be in the UK for up to 3 years or beyond. To apply to be in the UK for up to 3 years, you should budget £3,767 and for 5 years (the maximum number of years the Skilled Worker Visa is issued), you should budget £5,625 per person.

The UK Visa and Immigration charge £625 per person for a non-UK national or immigrant applying for a 3-year Skilled Worker Visa from outside the UK and for more than 3 years stay, it charges £1,235 per person.

As part of the UK Visa fee for Skilled Workers, you will be required to pay the healthcare surcharge of £624 per year for the number of years you will live and work in UK.

In addition to the UK Visa fee, you will need some funds to support yourself when you arrive in the UK. You will need to have at least £1,270 available (unless you are exempt) in case your UK employer cannot cover these costs. If your employer can support you instead, your employer will need to complete the ‘sponsor certifies maintenance’ section on your certificate of sponsorship under ‘Additional data’.

If you are applying from Nigeria to come to UK on a 5-year Skilled Worker Visa and your job is not on the shortage occupation list, for example,, you will need to pay £1,235 plus (£624 x 5) equals £4,355 and you will have £1,270 for self-support in case your UK employer cannot cover these costs, making a total of £5,625. So, you need to budget £5,625 if you are applying from Nigeria to come and work in UK on a 5-year Skilled Worker Visa when your job is not on the shortage occupation list

If, for example, you are applying from India on a 3-year Skilled Worker Visa and your job is not on the shortage occupation list, you will need to pay £625 plus (£624 x 3) equals £2,497 and will have £1,270 for self-support in case your UK employer cannot cover these costs, making a total of £3,767. So, you need to budget £3,767 if you are applying from India to come and work in UK on a 5-year Skilled Worker Visa when your job is not on the shortage occupation list

UK Visa Application Fee for Skilled Worker inside the UK

If you are applying as a Skilled Worker from inside the UK to extend, switch or update your visa, the standard visa fee depends on the number of years you will be in UK (that is, whether you will be in the UK for up to 3 years or beyond). To apply to be in UK for up to 3 years, you will need to pay an application fee of £719 and for more than 3 years, you will a UK visa fee of £1,423 per person.

UK Visa Application Fee for Skilled Worker Whose Job is on the Shortage Occupation List

If your job is on the shortage occupation list, you will pay a lower application fee if your job is on the shortage occupation list of £479 if you’re staying for up to 3 years and £943 if you’re staying for more than 3 years.

Your visa application fee for a Skilled Worker whose job is on the Shortage Occupation List is the same for a person applying outside or living in UK already.

Make sure you check if there’s a shortage in the job in the part of the UK you’ll be working in – England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland before applying for the job.

When to Apply for UK Skilled Worker Visa from Outside the UK

When should a non-UK worker apply for the UK Skilled Worker Visa from outside the UK?

You can apply for a Skilled Worker Visa for up to 3 months from outside the UK before the day you are due to start work in the UK. This date is listed on your certificate of sponsorship.

As part of your application for the UK Skilled Worker Visa, you may need to allow extra time if you need an appointment to do this. You’ will find out if you need one when you start your application form completion.

Application Status of UK Skilled Workers Visa & Visa Application Tracker

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You need to track your UK Skilled Worker Visa for status updates in order to meet the expected processing time. Photo by Mikhail Nilov

UK Visa Application Tracker: How to Track UK Visa Application for Status Update

How do I track my UK Visa application status with the UK Visa & Immigration to know the processing status of the visa in order to get the visa on time? You can start tracking the status of your application after 3 months of applying.

The UK Skilled Workers Visa Application status refers to the processing stage leading to notification of the applicant. Many UK visa applications are tracked to reduce the processing time and avoid getting the visa later than expected.

One of the ways to track your UK visa after the application is to check status updates through emails received from the UK Visa and Immigration Office containing the status or decision on your application. Email information received from the visa application centre of the UK Visa and Immigration Service will explain what you need to do next. Another way to track your visa application status is to visit the UK Visa Application Centre for updates.

A visa application tracker is necessary to ensure the visa is gotten adult without extended processing time.

Post-application Status of UK Skilled Worker Visa

After applying for UK Visa, if you need to change something in your application after you’ve sent it, contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). You can ask to cancel your application, but only get your fee refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application.

UK Skilled Worker Visa Application Time: When to Apply for UK Skilled Worker Visa Prior to Start of Work

When should a non-UK citizen apply for UK Skilled Worker Visa prior to the start of work?

While actually, that is not the visa processing time, you will need to apply for the UK Skilled Worker Visa up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK.

This due date to start work is listed on your certificate of sponsorship issued by your UK sponsor.

That notwithstanding, you may need to allow extra time beyond the 3 months expected visa application time if you need an appointment. You will get more information on whether you will need an appointment or not when you start the application process.

As part of your application, you will need to prove your identity and provide your documents.

UK Skilled Worker Visa Processing Time

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The normal UK Skilled Worker Visa processing time can last up to 3 weeks for prospective skilled workers who are outside the UK before they find out about their application status.You can get a shorter visa processing time within 5 working days through ‘priority service’ or by the end of the next working day through ‘super priority service’. Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

UK Skilled Worker Visa Processing Time for Applicants Who Are Outside the UK

What is the UK Skilled Worker Visa processing time for applicants who are outside the UK? The normal UK Skilled Worker Visa processing time can last up to 3 weeks for prospective skilled workers who are outside the UK before they find out about their application status. That’s to say that upon applying for a Skilled Worker Visa, you will be notified about the status of your application 3 weeks from the date you submitted your online application.

You will be contacted on your application status if your UK visa application processing time will take longer. This might be the case when your supporting documents need to be verified, you need to attend an interview and/or due to personal circumstances, for example, if you have a criminal conviction record.

Getting a Shorter UK Visa Processing Time for Applicants Who Are outside the UK

Getting a shorter UK Visa processing time for applicants outside the UK means you will be notified of your UK Visa application status faster or earlier than the usual expected 3 weeks processing time/duration.

You can get a shorter visa processing time within 5 working days through ‘priority service’ or by the end of the next working day through ‘super priority service’ and be notified of your UK visa application status.

For using the ‘priority service’ visa processing time, you will be required to pay an additional £573 UK visa fee, if your visa gives you the option to settle permanently in the UK (that is, ‘indefinite leave to remain’) or additional application visa fee of £250 if your visa does not give you the option to settle permanently in the UK.

For using the ‘the super priority service’ visa processing time, you will be required to pay an additional visa fee of £956.

Whether you are getting a shorter UK visa processing time depends on what you are applying for and whether you applying at a visa application centre or using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app.

Applying at a visa application centre may not shorten the visa processing time since not all visa application centres offer faster decisions. In this case, you will need to find out whether you will get a shorter visa processing time through your visa application centre if you are applying from Europe, Africa or some Middle Eastern countries.

To find out if you can get a faster decision through your visa application centre, select the country you’re applying from on the TLScontact list (and the right centre, if there’s more than one). Then check the ‘Added Value Services’ section of the page for that centre to see if the option is available.

Using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app for your UK visa application avails you a better chance to enjoy 5 days ‘priority service’ or end of the next working day ‘super priority service’ and ensure to get reduced processing time for your Skilled Worker Visa.

UK Skilled Worker Visa Processing Time for Applicants Who Are inside the UK

UK Skilled Worker Visa processing time for skilled workers who are inside the UK will wait for about 8 weeks before you know the status of your application. There is a need to track your visa application in order to get it duly.

7 Opportunities for Skilled Workers in UK outside their Eligible Job

While you may not be eligible to apply for benefits from public funds or the state pension, there are 7 opportunities for skilled workers in UK outside their primary assignment (the eligible job for which they came to UK). They are:

change jobs or employer once you apply to update your visa.
study
bring your partner and children with you as your ‘dependants’, if they’re eligible
take on additional work in certain circumstances
do voluntary work.
travel abroad and return to the UK
apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’) if you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years and meet the other eligibility requirements

UK Skilled Worker Visa Expiration

What is the UK Skilled Worker Visa expiration time? How long do you stay working with UK Skilled Worker Visa? When should I extend my UK Skilled Worker Visa?

Your Skilled Worker Visa can last for up to 5 years before you need to extend it. This means you will be issued a 5-year Skilled Worker Visa. You can be issued a 4-year visa if you apply for one of these reasons stated in item 2 of the UK Minimum Salary Eligibility Section above.

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.

You will need to apply to extend or update your visa when it expires after 5 years or if you change jobs or employers. You can also apply to extend your visa as many times as you like as long as you still meet the eligibility requirements.

Permanent UK Skilled Worker Visa

You can secure a permanent UK Skilled Worker Visa which will enable you 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, like a UK citizen, and apply for other benefits if you are eligible. Apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’) if you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years and meet the other eligibility requirements.

You will need to pay an additional: £573, if your visa gives you the option to settle permanently in the UK and £250 if your visa does not give you the option to settle permanently in the UK

Contact UK Visa & Immigration

You can contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) from inside or outside the UK.

Contact UK Visas and Immigration for help if you are outside the UK or in UK. If you are contacting UK Visas and Immigration on behalf of someone outside the UK, select ‘Outside the UK’, even if you are in the UK.

Contact UK Visas and Immigration for Help Online

Contact UK Visas and Immigration online.

Queries cost £2.74. You will not be charged for any follow-up emails about the same enquiry.

You will get a reply to your query within 5 days, except on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and UK public holidays.

If you’ve not had a response within 5 working days, check your email’s spam or junk folder before contacting UKVI again.

Contact UK Visas and Immigration for Help By phone

You can get help on the phone with English-speaking staff.

Telephone: +44 (0)300 790 6268 – select option 1
Monday to Friday, 24 hours
Calls cost 69 pence per minute on top of your standard network charges

If you cannot contact UK 0300 numbers, use +44 (0)203 875 4669.