Why Apply for a UK Skilled Worker Visa?

A UK Skilled Worker Visa offers access to the UK economy which is among the most powerful and job diverse in the world. Professionals who meet the requirements can reside and work in the UK through employer sponsorship which leads to permanent residency alongside the possibility of obtaining citizenship.

• Over 1.2 million job vacancies across the UK in 2024
• Visa valid for up to 5 years, renewable or leading to settlement
• Minimum salary starts at £26,200/year or £10.75/hour
• Access to NHS healthcare, pension schemes & public benefits
• Eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after 5 years
   

*Looking to work in the UK? Let Y-Axis help you with the process.
 

UK Skilled Worker Visa

The UK Skilled Worker Visa enables foreign professionals to work in the UK through a designated employer. The visa serves individuals who have formal qualifications together with relevant work experience inside sectors which experience workforce deficits. You will require sponsorship from an authorized UK employer while your work must meet established salary standards. The visa provides a 5-year duration and allows you to include your family members as dependents. The UK replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa with this visa which is now among the most sought-after immigration pathways for skilled employees.
 

Benefits of Working in the UK

• Work in a world-class economy with competitive salaries
• Access to free public healthcare through the NHS
• Eligibility for permanent residency after 5 years
• Dependents can work or study without restrictions
• Live in vibrant cities like London, Manchester, and Edinburgh with global career exposure
   

UK Immigration Points-based Assessment System

The UK immigration system evaluates Skilled Worker Visa applications through a points-based framework. You must obtain 70 points to successfully complete your application.
 

The point distribution system operates in the following way:
 

• 20 points for a job offer from a licensed sponsor (mandatory)
• 20 points for a job which matches the demanded skill level
• 10 points for the applicant's English language skills
• 10 points for salaries between £26,200–£29,999
• 20 points for salaries beyond £30,000
   

The system awards between 10 and 20 points based on the applicant's qualifications in a shortage occupation or their possession of a relevant PhD. Meeting the required 70 points is necessary for obtaining approval.
 

*Want to check your eligibility to the UK? Avail the FREE Y-Axis UK Immigration points calculator and get an instant score!

 

Eligibility for a UK Skilled Worker Visa

To qualify for this visa you must satisfy the following requirements:
 

• The minimum age for applicants is 18 years
• Applicants need to have a valid job offer from a UK-licensed sponsor
• The occupation the applicant will be working on must appear on the eligible occupation list
• The salary the applicant receives must equal or exceed £26,200 per year
• The applicant must demonstrate their language proficiency at CEFR level B1
• Applicants need to prove they have enough financial support either through personal funds or through their employer's sponsorship
   

*Want to migrate to the UK? Get in touch with experts at Y-Axis to assist you with the procedure.
 

Requirements for UK Skilled Worker Visa

• A valid passport is required
• You will need a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from your employer
• The job you are applying for must match the required skill level and salary
• Applicants must show they have PASSED either IELTS UKVI or any equivalent test
• Applicants must prove they have financial resources of at least £1,270 or provide evidence of sponsorship by their employer
• Applicants from certain countries need to complete a tuberculosis test
• Your employer must be registered as a UK licensed sponsor.
   

Documents required to apply for a UK Skilled Worker Visa

• Your passport needs to have six months of remaining validity
• You must provide the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number
• Applicants must demonstrate their English language skills by providing IELTS UKVI or any approved test results
• Applicants need to submit either three months of bank statements or an employer sponsorship letter for maintenance funds
• Applicants need to provide a police clearance certificate if it is necessary
• Applicants from certain countries need to complete a tuberculosis test if it is necessary
• Applicants must submit academic or professional qualifications that are required for the role
• All documents should be presented in English or certified translations should be provided by authorized translators.
   

Jobs listed in the UK Immigration Salary List

The UK Immigration Salary List presents certain job categories for visa sponsorship that require lower income thresholds. Established in 2024 this list replaced the Shortage Occupation List to maintain important roles needed for UK economic development. Employers can offer jobs from this list at 80% of the usual pay rate while maintaining a minimum annual salary of £23,200. The main sectors affected by this list are health care, engineering, construction and education.

Occupation code	Job types included on the immigration salary list	Areas of the UK which qualify	Standard rate	Lower rate
1212	Managers and proprietors in forestry, fishing, and related services – only “fishing boat masters.”	Scotland only	£30,960 (£15.88 per hour)	£27,000 (£13.85 per hour)
2111	Chemical scientists – only jobs in the nuclear industry	Scotland only	£35,200 (£18.05 per hour)	£29,600 (£15.18 per hour)
2112	Biological scientists – all jobs	UK wide	£41,900 (£21.49 per hour)	£32,100 (£16.46 per hour)
2115	Social and humanities scientists – only archaeologists	UK wide	£36,400 (£18.67 per hour)	£25,200 (£12.92 per hour)
2142	Graphic and multimedia designers – all jobs	UK wide	£30,960 (£15.88 per hour)	£35,800 (£18.36 per hour)
3111	Laboratory technicians – only jobs requiring 3 or more years’ related on-the-job experience. This experience must not have been gained through working illegally.	UK wide	£30,960 (£15.88 per hour)	£23,200 (£11.90 per hour)
3212	Pharmaceutical technicians – all jobs	UK wide	£30,960 (£15.88 per hour)	£23,400 (£12.00 per hour)
3411	Artists – all jobs	UK wide	£32,900 (£16.87 per hour)	£27,300 (£14.00 per hour)
3414	Dancers and choreographers – only skilled classical ballet dancers or skilled contemporary dancers who meet the standard required by internationally recognized UK ballet or contemporary dance companies. The company must be endorsed as being internationally recognized by a UK industry body such as the Arts Councils (of England, Scotland or Wales).	UK wide	£30,960 (£15.88 per hour)	£23,200 (£11.90 per hour)
3415	Musicians – only skilled orchestral musicians who are leaders, principals, sub-principals, or numbered string positions and who meet the standard required by internationally recognized UK orchestras. The orchestra must be a full member of the Association of British Orchestras.	UK wide	£32,900 (£16.87 per hour)	£27,300 (£14.00 per hour)
3416	Arts officers, producers, and directors – all jobs	UK wide	£37,500 (£19.23 per hour)	£31,300 (£16.05 per hour)
5119	Agriculture and fishing trades are not elsewhere classified – only jobs in the fishing industry	UK wide	£30,960 (£15.88 per hour)	£23,200 (£11.90 per hour)
5213	Welding trades – only high integrity pipe welders, where the job requires 3 or more years’ related on-the-job experience. This experience must not have been gained through working illegally.	UK wide	£31,700 (£16.26 per hour)	£26,400 (£13.54 per hour)
5235	Boat and ship builders and repairers – all jobs	Scotland only	£32,400 (£16.62 per hour)	£28,100 (£14.41 per hour)
5312	Stonemasons and related trades – all jobs	UK wide	£31,000 (£15.90 per hour)	£25,800 (£13.23 per hour)
5313	Bricklayers – all jobs	UK wide	£30,960 (£15.88 per hour)	£25,800 (£13.23 per hour)
5314	Roofers, roof tilers, and slaters – all jobs	UK wide	£31,000 (£15.90 per hour)	£25,800 (£13.23 per hour)
5316	Carpenters and joiners – all jobs	UK wide	£30,960 (£15.88 per hour)	£25,200 (£12.92 per hour)
5319	Construction and building trades not elsewhere classified – only retrofitters	UK wide	£30,960 (£15.88 per hour)	£25,500 (£13.08 per hour)
6135	Care workers and home carers – all jobs, except jobs with a working location in England are only eligible in this SOC 2020 occupation code where the sponsor holds registration with the Care Quality Commission and is currently carrying on a regulated activity. Private households or individuals (other than sole traders sponsoring someone to work for their business) cannot sponsor Skilled Worker applicants.	UK wide	£30,960 (£15.88 per hour)	£23,200 (£11.90 per hour)
6136	Senior care workers – all jobs, except jobs with a working location in England are only eligible in this SOC 2020 occupation code where the sponsor holds registration with the Care Quality Commission and is currently carrying on a regulated activity.	UK wide	£30,960 (£15.88 per hour)	£23,200 (£11.90 per hour)
6129	Animal care services occupations not elsewhere classified – only racing grooms, stallion handlers, stud grooms, stud hands, stud handlers and work riders	UK wide	£30,960 (£15.88 per hour)	£23,200 (£11.90 per hour)
9119	Fishing and other elementary agriculture occupations not elsewhere classified – only deckhands on large fishing vessels (9 meters and above) where the job requires the worker to have at least 3 years full-time experience in using their skills.This experience must not have been gained through working illegally.

 

Top in-demand occupations in the UK

The UK actively seeks professionals from various industries with over 761,000+ job vacancies.

The table below has the list of top 10 in-demand jobs in the UK along with the average annual salaries:

Occupations	Average Salaries per year
Engineering	£43,511
IT	£35,000
Marketing & Sales	£35,000
HR	£32,842
Healthcare	£27,993
Teachers	£35,100
Accountants	£33,713
Hospitality	£28,008
Nursing	£39,371

 

UK Skilled Worker Visa Fees

The fees for the UK skilled worker visa change according to the type of occupation, duration and the location of the visa application.

Visa category	Fee Category Amount (GBP)
Application Fees for stay up to 3 years	£719
Application Fees for stay more than 3 years stay	£1,420
Application Fees if your job is on the Immigration Salary List for a stay of up to 3 years	£551

 

How Can Y-Axis Assist You?

Testimonials and feedback from several individuals prove that Y-Axis has helped them achieve their career ambitions overseas. Our services include:

• Resume Writing Services: Ensuring your resume fulfils international standards and exhibits your strengths.
• LinkedIn Marketing: Improve your chances of being seen online by companies and recruiters with our LinkedIn marketing services.
• Resume Marketing: Be discovered by organizations in your preferred country’s job market through our Resume Marketing services.

With Y-Axis, discover opportunities best suited for you and avail of the services and experience to improve your chances of success. Contact Y-Axis today to start your journey of working abroad.