Skilled Worker visa

Skilled Worker visa enables licensed employers to sponsor nationals from overseas for skilled positions that cannot be filled from within the resident labour workforce.  

The Skilled Worker visa category is for individuals who have an offer for a skilled job in the UK from a licensed UK employer that’s been approved by the Home Office. This category includes applicants coming to the UK to fill shortage occupations. You will need to have an offer of employment before applying for a visa.

Your Sponsor will need to show that there is no suitable settled worker to fill the role. In most cases, they will need to prove that they have undertaken a genuine ‘Resident Labour Market Test’.

If your application for a Skilled Worker visa is approved, your first visa can be valid for a maximum period of 5 years and 14 days, or the time given on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus 1 month, whichever is shorter. Your stay must start no more than 14 days before the start date on your Certificate of Sponsorship.

Additional part-time employment, voluntary work and study is permitted with some restrictions. 

Your partner and any children under the age of 18 may accompany you as your dependents. Generally, these individuals may work and study in the UK subject to certain restrictions.

Individuals in this category may extend their stays for up to a total period of six years.  If you were initially granted for one year, you can apply to extend your stay for up to another 5 years, as long as your total stay is not more than 6 years.