The UK Work Visa – A Handy Guide

As an expatriate looking to work in the UK, you might need a work visa depending on your country of origin.

On the basis of the current situation [following the Brexit referendum, with the decision yet to be brought into action], if you are an EU or EFTA national, you won’t be needing a UK work visa to pursue employment in the country.

However, if you are a non-EU/EFTA national, then you will definitely require an authorization from UK Visas and Immigration to come to the UK and work here.

And this is exactly what we are here for – to help you understand the UK work visa requirements, different types of work visas you can apply for, how your eligibility will be assessed when issuing the work visa and what else you’ll need to legally work in the country.

So let’s start the discussion.

UK Work Visa Requirements

Before you can apply for a UK work visa, you’ll need to accept a legitimate job offer from a UK based employer. This offer would serve as a proof of sponsorship and your acceptance of it would show that you’re willing to move to the UK for work purposes.

Please keep this in mind that as a non-EU/EFTA national you cannot pursue a low-skilled employment in the UK. Therefore, if you have any such type of job offer from the country and you want to apply for a work visa on the basis of that, there’s no point in doing so.

As for those who want to work in the UK as freelancers or as self-employed individuals, the Home Office has designated separate visa categories (Tier 1: Entrepreneur visa, Tier 1: Graduate Entrepreneur visa, Tier 1: Investor visa). You can apply in a category most appropriate to your work plans. Of course, you don’t need an employer’s sponsorship or job offer to do so.

Required documents

While we are at it — discussing the prerequisites for a UK work visa — it only makes sense to overview the document which you’ll have to submit along with your visa application.

Document requirements vary from one work visa category to another, however, there are few things which apply to all. These are:

1. A valid travel ID or passport
2. Evidence that you can support your stay in the country financially

• Proof of English language competence

1. A document serving as a proof of payment of healthcare surcharge

Different Types of UK Work Visas You Can Apply For

Coming onto the different categories of UK work visas in which you can apply, the following is a complete list:

• Tier 1: Exceptional talent visa
• Tier 2: General visa
• Tier 2: Intra-company transfer visa
• Tier 2: Minister of Religion visa
• Tier 2: Sportsperson visa
• Tier 5: Temporary worker visa
• Tier 5: Youth mobility scheme visa
• UK work visa for private domestic workers
• Permitted paid engagement visa

You can learn more about these visa categories and their individual document requirements by clicking here.

Applying for a UK Work Visa – The Process

With all the visa category decided and all requirements in check, you can now start with the application process. You’ll first need to fill out the form for the UK work visa category in which you wish to apply. The forms are availableon this link.

Once you have filled the form and attached all required documents with it, you can book an appointment to a local UK visa application centre, and drop your form with them in person. The fee can be paid online or by visiting the application centre.

Scoring Your Work Visa Application

When assessing your visa application, the UK Visa and Immigrations Office scores it based on the following points:

• Academic qualifications
• Expected earnings
• Financial capability
• English language skills

The higher your total score, the brighter the chances of getting your application approved.

How Much Time It Takes for the Application to Get Processed?

It depends on the type of work visa you have applied for and your country of origin. You can establish a rough idea by clicking here.

Do you have any other questions about UK work visa or the application process?

Feel free to reach out, our expert immigration solicitors would be happy to serve you.