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The UK is among the most popular countries for individuals migrating overseas. The country offers a high quality of life and multicultural environment, making it lucrative for international professionals wanting a better life. It has a robust economy and renowned institutions involved in global trade, which leads to multiple job opportunities with high salaries. The most popular cities in the UK for immigrants include London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester, and Reading.
In the year ending June 2024, approximately 1.2 million international individuals migrate to the UK.
The UK offers various visa options, catering to different activities and durations. The various types of UK visas are given below.
The recent immigration rules have changed the requirements for some UK visas, especially work and family-related visas. ETA, or Electronic Travel Authorization, has been introduced, effective April 9, 2025, for visitors to the UK. The minimum income threshold for Skilled Worker visa applicants has been increased, and the Immigration Salary List has replaced the Shortage Occupation List.
The minimum income requirement for a spouse/partner visa was raised to 29,000 British Pounds on April 11, 2024.
The new Immigration Salary List identifies occupations facing skills shortages and prioritizes these job roles for UK Skilled Worker visas.
The UK issued over 210,090 work visas in 2024. Some of the top in-demand jobs in the UK are given below.
| Occupation | Salary |
| IT & Software | £41,124 |
| Marketing & Sales | £36,049 |
| Engineering | £40,921 |
| Hospitality | £30,339 |
| Healthcare | £45,961 |
| Accounting & Finance | £32,773 |
| Human Resources | £30,000 |
| STEM | £42,851 |
| Teaching | £34,616 |
| Nursing | £34,125 |
The UK comprises England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. It is one of the most popular overseas immigration destinations. The UK offers multiple options for foreign nationals wanting to settle abroad. International individuals must live in the UK temporarily and later apply for UK ILR or Indefinite Leave to Remain. Some of the pathways for UK immigration are given below. You can migrate to the UK with:
For UK immigration, candidates must obtain a good IELTS score and fulfill the eligibility criteria for professional, legal, and financial requirements. The criteria are based on your selected migration path. Y-Axis helps you identify the best immigration path and guides you at every step of the UK immigration process. Our more than 20 years of immigration experience make us your best choice to enhance your chances of migrating to the UK.
The UK visa applicants must obtain the required points for UK immigration. The applicant must get 50 points if they have a job offer from a UK-based employer. Points are given to proficiency in the English language. Any of the following factors can be used to gain the 20 points required to qualify for the visa:
*Want to know if you are eligible for UK immigration? Avail the Y-Axis UK Immigration Points Calculator for FREE and instant results.
The general eligibility criteria for UK immigration are given below. You must:
The documents required to apply for UK visas are given below. You must have:
Detailed information about the processing fees for UK visas is given in the table below.
| Visa Type | Processing Fee (in British pounds) |
| UK Visitor Visa | £127 to £1,059 |
| UK Student Visa | £490 |
| UK Skilled Worker Visa | £719 |
| UK Innovator Founder Visa | £1,191 |
| UK Expansion Worker Visa | £298 |
| UK Spouse Visa | Application fee: £1,846 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): £315 | |
| UK Naturalization (British Citizenship) | £1,500 |
The standard processing time for UK Visas is approximately 3 weeks.
Detailed information about the processing time for the UK visas is given in the table below.
| UK Visa category | Processing time | |
| Visit visa | 8 weeks | |
| Student visa | 8 weeks | |
| Child student visa | 8 weeks | |
| Family visas | 12 weeks | |
| Skilled worker visa | 8 weeks | |
| Health and care worker visa | 8 weeks | |
| Global talent route | 8 weeks | |
| Graduate route | 8 weeks | |
| High Potential Individual (HPI) visa | 8 weeks | |
| India Young Professionals Scheme | 3 weeks | |
| Innovator Founder | 8 weeks | |
| Start-up | 8 weeks | |
| Creative Worker | 8 weeks | |
| Scale-up Worker | 8 weeks | |
| Standard Visitor | 3 weeks |
The step-by-step procedure to migrate to the UK is given below.
Step 1: Check your eligibility for UK immigration.
Step 2: Arrange the documents required for the specific UK visa application.
Step 3: Submit the complete UK visa application form.
Step 4: Obtain your UK Visa.
Step 5: Fly to the UK with the visa.
Immigrants in Canada can migrate to the UK through a UK visa. They must fulfill the eligibility conditions of the visa they have applied for. The application process includes an online application for the UK visa, attending a biometric interview, and submitting the related documents.
You can apply for:
Canadian citizens can migrate to the UK using various visa routes. They can apply for:
Eligible candidates can also apply for UK ILR or Indefinite Leave to Remain after living and working in the UK for 5 years. The UK ILR holders can reside in the UK indefinitely and apply for British citizenship after fulfilling the eligibility conditions.
Y-Axis is the leading immigration consultancy service with over 25 years of experience. Our team of expert professionals will help you with the following:
The most in-demand jobs in the UK include:
Individuals who meet the following conditions are eligible to migrate to the UK. The candidate must:
The UK offers multiple visa routes. You can move to the UK from Canada through these routes.
The cost of a UK visa fee depends on the type of visa and its validity. Detailed information on the fees for some popular UK visas is given below.
| Visa Type | Processing Fee (in British pounds) |
| UK Visitor Visa | £127 to £1,059 |
| UK Student Visa | £490 |
| UK Skilled Worker Visa | £719 |
| UK Innovator Founder Visa | £1,191 |
| UK Expansion Worker Visa | £298 |
| UK Spouse Visa | Application fee: £1,846 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): £315 | |
| UK Naturalization (British Citizenship) | £1,500 |
99% of the normal UK Visa applications are adjudicated within ten working days. The maximum time will be 15 working days.
Priority UK Visa applications are adjudicated within 3 to 5 working days. The Super Priority applications are adjudicated within 24 hours.
The documents required for a UK Visa are as follows:
You may also have to include the following if you are travelling for business:
If you are a non-EU citizen it is advisable that you seek legal advice from UK Immigration Experts as your immigration can be slightly complex. There are diverse pathways for non-EU nationals to immigrate to the UK:
You must go through the below process for applying for a UK Visa:
The eligibility requirements to migrate to the UK are given below. You must:
Yes, the UK is accepting online applications from immigration candidates.
Yes, the UK’s skill assessment body, UK NARIC which is the United Kingdom’s national agency for the recognition and comparison of international qualifications and skills from visa applicants who wish to study or work in the UK.
UK NARIC is accepting applications for assessment from visa applicants but in the online form. The assessment report will also be sent online.
A UK Skilled Worker visa – formerly the Tier 2 [General] work visa for the UK – allows an individual to come to or stay in the UK for working for a UK employer approved by the Home Office.
An individual might be able to apply for switching or converting to a Skilled Worker visa if they are already in the UK on a different UK visa. In order to switch, their job must meet the eligibility requirements for the Skilled Worker visa and they must also be able to speak, read, write and understand the English language.
Certain categories of individuals – such as those in UK on a visit visa, short-term student visa etc. – cannot apply for a switch to the Skilled Worker visa.
If an individual has a job on the Shortage Occupation List [SOL], they can be paid 80% of the usual going rate for their job in order to be eligible for the UK Skilled Worker visa.
No, IELTS is not mandatory for UK immigration. However, you must prove your proficiency in the English language through other standardized English language tests.
Although the IELTS is a popular English language test for UK immigration, candidates can also take the following alternative tests:
The Tier 2 visa scheme allows skilled professionals to come to the UK. They can come to the UK on a long-term basis if their occupation is on the Tier 2 shortage occupation list. IT, finance, and engineering are among the most popular occupations on the list.
For foreign job searchers looking to work in the UK, there are two primary options:
Visa for Skilled Workers.
Tier 2 (Intra-Company Transfer) is for highly skilled employees of international corporations who are being relocated to a UK branch.
Skilled workers from other countries can be selected for this visa based on a shortage occupation list, and they will be eligible for an offer letter without the labor market test and stay in the UK for up to 5 years.
