Why Apply for the UK Work Visa?

• More than 781,000 job vacancies
• Annual salary ranges from £17,988 to £61,584
• Average working hours of 36.6 per week
• 28 days of paid leave annually
• Pathway for UK Indefinite Leave to Remain

*Want guidance to apply for work abroad? Let Y-Axis guide you with the process.

About the UK

The United Kingdom, or the UK, is an island country situated on the Northwestern coast of Europe. London, also the UK's capital city, is one of the leading global commercial, financial, and cultural hubs. The UK has approximately 781,000 work opportunities, with an average annual salary ranging from.

International professionals can work in the UK by applying for a UK work visa. Individuals with advanced skills and expertise can apply for the UK Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK.

Some interesting facts about the UK are given below.

• The UK consists of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
• The largest country in the UK is England.
• Heathrow in London is the biggest airport on the European continent.
• London is the biggest city in the UK
• The largest inhabited castle in the world is the Windsor Castle of the UK.
• The UK’s Stonehenge is among the oldest monuments in the world.
• The UK has over 130 universities, and Cambridge and Oxford are the most prestigious.
• The UK currency, the Pound Sterling, is among the strongest currencies in the world.
• The UK is the 3rd-largest economy of Europe.
• The biggest companies in the UK are Shell, BP, HSBC, Tesco, and Lloyds Banking Group.

*Want to check your eligibility for UK immigration? Avail of Y-Axis UK immigration Points Calculator for FREE and instant results.
 

Benefits of working in the UK

The benefits of working in the UK are given below.

• Avail UK's National Health Service (NHS) for inexpensive healthcare services.
• Access social security benefits such as unemployment and retirement pensions.
• Apply for varied job opportunities in the UK.
• Enjoy a healthy work-life balance
• Avail pension, holiday pay, sick pay, and maternity/paternity pay
• Experience high quality of life
• Live in a diverse and multicultural society
• Pathway for UK ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) for permanent residency in the UK.
• Eligible for UK citizenship.

*Looking to migrate to the UK? Y-Axis is here to support you with the process.

Jobs in the UK

The most in-demand jobs in the UK are given below.

Occupation	Annual Salary (in British Pounds)
IT	£41,124
Marketing & Sales	£36,040
Engineering	£40,931
Hospitality	£30,355
Healthcare	£45,961
Accounting & Finance	£32,767
Human Resources	£30,000
STEM	£39,793
Nursing	£34,125
Teaching	£34,616

 

Types of UK Work Visa

The UK offers various work visas for different skills and durations of stay. The visas are categorized depending on the type of work and the required skills. Some of the popular UK work visas are the UK Skilled Worker Visas, UK Health and Care Worker Visas, and Global Talent Visas. Foreign workers can also apply for temporary work through visas such as the Seasonal Worker Visa or the High Potential Individual Visa.

Long-Term UK Work Visas

The UK long-term work visas facilitate international professionals' extended stays in the UK. Eligible individuals can also apply for permanent residency in the UK after five years. Individuals can also apply for UK ILR for an indefinite stay in the UK.

UK Skilled Worker Visa

The UK Skilled Worker visa is for international professionals who want to move to the UK and work for an approved UK-based employer. It replaced the Tier 2 (General) Work Visa.

The eligibility conditions for the Skilled Worker Visa are given below. You must have:

• Job offer from an approved UK-based employer.
• A sponsorship certificate from your UK employer with information about your job role.
• A job that has been mentioned on the UK’s eligible occupations list
• A minimum salary appropriate for your job role in the UK.
• Have the required English language proficiency of B1 level on the CEER scale.

The UK Skilled Worker Visa is valid for 5 years. It can be extended after its expiration, and you can also apply for a UK ILR after 5 years.

Health and Care Worker Visa

With the Health and Care Worker Visa of the UK, medical professionals can enter, reside, and work in the UK. The occupations must be deemed eligible by the UK’s NHS or National Health Service. International healthcare professionals can also apply for this visa if they are a valid supplier for the NHS or work in adult social care.

To be eligible for the UK Health and Care Worker Visa, you must fulfill the criteria given below. You must:

• Be a certified nurse, healthcare professional, adult social care professional, or doctor
• Work for an approved UK-based employer
• Work in a health or a social care job role which is considered to be eligible by the UK government
• Have a certificate of sponsorship from your UK-based employer
• Have a minimum salary according to the UK standards for the job role.

To apply for this visa, you must secure a job offer in the UK. It is valid for 5 years, after which you can apply for an extension. The visa also acts as a pathway for UK ILR.

Intra-Company Visas

The UK Intra-Company Transfer visa facilitates multinational companies' transfers of employees from their overseas locations to a UK branch for work assignments. This visa is now known as the Senior or Specialist Worker visa. It is part of the Global Business Mobility route and is aimed at individuals in managerial or specialist roles.

This visa is further sub-categorized into two types.

• Intra-company Transfer visa –This visa is issued to international individuals who have been transferred to the UK by their employers. It is aimed at experienced employees of the company.
• Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa –This visa is for individuals who want to participate in the graduate training program for a job role as a specialist or a manager.

The eligibility criteria for the UK Intra-Company Transfer visa are given below. You must:

• Be an existing employee in a company that has been approved as a sponsor by the UK Home Office
• Have a sponsorship certificate from your employer.
• Have a job specified on the eligible occupations list.
• Have  a minimum salary of 41,500 Euros for an Intra-company Transfer visa or a minimum salary of 23,000 Euros for an Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa

Detailed information about the validity of the UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa is given below.

Type	Specification	Validity
Senior or Specialist Worker	Earning 120,000 Euros or above per year	9 to 10 years
	Earning less than 120,000 Euros annually.	5 to 6 years
Graduate Trainee		12 months

 

Individuals with the visa can enter the UK 14 days before the certificate of sponsorship starts. The date would be mentioned in the certificate of sponsorship.

Short-Term UK Work Visas

UK short-term work visas, or Temporary Worker visas, allow skilled foreign workers to work in the UK for a specific period, usually up to 2 years. Foreign nationals can work for specific roles or purposes, such as seasonal work, charity work, or exchange programs.

Temporary Work – Charity Worker Visa

The UK Temporary Work—Charity Worker Visa is issued to international individuals who want to work as temporary and unpaid volunteers for charities or UK-based NGOs. The visa is valid for 12 months.

The applicants must obtain sponsorship from a licensed charity organization in the UK to apply for this visa.

Temporary Work – Creative Worker Visa

The UK Temporary Work—Creative Worker visa is issued to international individuals who have a short-term job offer in the creative sector. It allows individuals such as actors, musicians, dancers, and entertainers to work in the UK for up to 12 months.

The visa is not a pathway to UK ILR but can be extended in certain cases through the same employer.

Temporary Work – Government Authorized Exchange Visa

The UK Temporary Work – Government Authorized Exchange visa facilitates international individuals to come to the UK to take part in programs such as training, internships, gain work experience, or research under a government-authorized exchange program.

The eligibility criteria for the UK Temporary Work – Government Authorized Exchange visa are given below. You must:

• Be participating in an approved program by the UK government.
• Have a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a designated sponsor in the UK.
• Have a report stating that the role does not fill a job vacancy in the UK.

The validity of the visa ranges from 12 to 24 months.

Temporary Work – International Agreement Visa

The UK Temporary Work—International Agreement Visa is issued to international individuals who want to perform a service in the UK under international law, including personal household help in diplomatic households or employees of international governments and organizations. The visa is valid for a maximum of two years.

UK Youth Mobility Scheme Visa

The UK Youth Mobility Scheme Visa facilitates young international individuals aged between 18 and 35 from specific countries. The visa lets you live and work in the UK for a maximum of 2 years and is formulated to offer opportunities for cultural exchange.

The applicant's home country sets the eligibility criteria. You can apply for this visa if you are a citizen of the country given below.

• Canada
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Iceland
• San Marino
• Hong Kong
• South Korea
• Japan
• Taiwan
• India
• Monaco

The participants can work in various jobs, with certain restrictions. They can study and be self-employed.  

 

UK Graduate Visa

The UK Graduate Route is a visa pathway aimed at international students who have graduated from the UK. It facilitates their staying back in the UK to search for employment opportunities.  

Detailed information about the validity of the UK Graduate Visa is given below.

Type	Validity
Bachelor's or Master's	2 years
PhD Holders	3 years

 

Key Features of the UK Graduate Visa:

• Applicants do not require a job offer to apply for the visa.
• Applicants can pursue any type of job without restrictions.
• It facilitates graduates' changing jobs while living in the UK. 
• There are no salary limits to apply for or work on this visa.
• This visa is not considered for UK ILR.

 

What is the UK work permit?

The UK work permit is a legal document authorized by the UKVI or UK Visas and Immigration to facilitate the entry of international professionals to the UK for a specific time and in a particular job role.

Your employer in the UK must apply for a work permit on your behalf. The validity of the permit depends on the type of work and the specific UK work visa granted.

To be eligible for a work permit, you must fulfill the conditions given below. You must:

• Have a job offer from a UK-based employer
• Fulfill the skill and salary requirements of the job role in the UK.
• Demonstrate adequate funds to support yourself and any other dependents.

UK work visa vs. UK work permit

The primary differences between the UK work visa and the UK work permit are given below.

UK Work Visa	UK Work Permit
It allows you to enter, leave, or travel to the UK for various reasons, such as work or training.	It authorizes you to work legally in the UK.
It is a document or stamp on the passport.	It is a card or a document.
The application has to be submitted before entering the UK	The application can be submitted after coming to the UK.
The UK embassy or consulate	issues it. The UK immigration service issues it.

 

UK work visa requirements

The general documents required to apply for a UK work visa are given below. You must have:

• A valid passport.
• A job offer from the UK.
• The certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number was issued to you by your UK-based employer.
• Proof of proficiency in the English language is required.
• Details of your job title and the annual salary.
• Occupation code of your job in the UK.
• Evidence of having the required funds of £1,270 to support yourself in the UK.

 

UK Work Visa Fee

Detailed information about the UK work visa fee is given below.

Type	Fee
Work Visa for up to 3 years	£769 per person
Work Visa for more than 3 years	£1,519 per person
Healthcare surcharge	£1,035 per year

 

UK Work Visa Processing time

The processing time for the UK work visa ranges from 3 to 8 weeks.

How to apply for a UK work visa?

The step-by-step procedure to apply for a UK work visa is given below.

Step 1: Secure a job in the UK.

Step 2: Check if you meet the eligible conditions for the UK work visa.

Step 3: Arrange the required documents to apply for the UK work visa.

Step 4: Submit the duly filled UK work visa application form.

Step 5: Obtain the UK work visa.

How Can Y-Axis Help You?

Thousands of individuals looking to apply for UK work visa avail the guidance and expertise of Y-Axis. We help you realize your overseas career ambitions. The services of Y-Axis include:

• Resume Writing Services: We ensure your resume meets the international standards and exhibits your strengths
• LinkedIn Marketing: Enhance your chances of being discovered online by international recruiters and companies through our LinkedIn marketing solutions
• Resume Marketing: Be discovered in your desired country’s job market through our Resume Marketing services. We apply for jobs on your behalf on international job boards, classifieds, and job postings.
• Avail Y-Axis Job Search Services to find a suitable job in the UK.
• Ace language proficiency tests with the Y-Axis Coaching Services.

With Y-Axis, you can explore suitable opportunities and avail yourself of services our experienced professionals offer to help you secure the highest chance of success. Contact us today to start your journey of working overseas.