Skilled Worker Visa UK: Applicant Guide 2026
Section A: Can You Get a Skilled Worker Visa? The Skilled Worker visa allows an overseas worker to come to the UK, or remain in the UK after an eligible in-country application, to work in a specific sponsored role. The sponsoring employer must hold a valid sponsor licence and assign a Certificate of […]
Temporary Shortage List Guide 2026
Section A: What is the Temporary Shortage List? The Temporary Shortage List (TSL) is part of the Skilled Worker route. It allows specified occupations below the usual RQF Level 6 skill threshold to remain eligible for sponsorship on a time-limited basis. The list was introduced on 22 July 2025 when the general Skilled […]
Student to Skilled Worker Visa: Employer Guide 2026
Section A: International Graduate Recruitment UK employers are permitted to employ student visa holders within certain restrictions and where the individual’s visa conditions allow. For example, where the visa holder is still studying, they may carry out paid employment up to 20 hours per week during term time if studying at degree level […]
Switching from Graduate Visa to Skilled Worker Visa UK
Section A: Switching from the Graduate Visa to Skilled Worker Visa The Graduate route was introduced in July 2021 to allow international students who have completed a qualifying UK degree to remain and work for a fixed period after their studies. It is an unsponsored route, meaning employers do not need a sponsor […]
Skilled Worker Visa Extension Guide 2026
Section A: How Long Are Skilled Worker Visas Valid For? A Skilled Worker visa is granted for the length of the job you have been sponsored to do, up to a maximum of five years at a time. Most sponsors choose to issue a CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship) that covers the full expected contract (for example three years), and the […]
Skilled Worker Change of Employment Rules 2026
A Skilled Worker change of employment is one of the most common and most misunderstood compliance risks under the UK sponsorship system. Many sponsored workers assume that moving roles within the same organisation, accepting a promotion or transferring to a related company within a group does not require Home Office approval. In practice, the Immigration […]
Skilled Worker Visa Minimum Salary 2026
Section A: What is the Skilled Worker Visa Minimum Salary? The Skilled Worker visa does not impose one flat “minimum salary”. Instead, the Immigration Rules set multiple salary-points options with different cash thresholds and different going-rate percentages, and the correct option depends on the role, the worker’s circumstances and whether any transitional provisions […]
Skilled Worker Visa Fees & Sponsor Costs 2026
Section A: Skilled Worker Visa Fees in 2026 The Home Office Skilled Worker visa application fee varies, depending on whether the application is made from outside the UK (entry clearance) or from inside the UK (permission to stay). The fee also changes depending on whether the Certificate of Sponsorship has been assigned for […]
New Entrant Skilled Worker Visa Criteria 2026
Section A: What is a Skilled Worker New Entrant? The Skilled Worker route includes a specific concession for individuals at an early stage of their career, described in the Immigration Rules as “new entrants”. New entrant status affects how salary thresholds are applied, but it does not relax the underlying requirements around job […]
UK Skilled Worker English Requirement 2026: Tests, Levels & Exemptions
Section A: What is the Skilled Worker English Language Requirement? If you’re applying for the UK Skilled Worker visa, you are required to meet an English language requirement as part of the Immigration Rules. Under the Immigration Rules in force from 8 January 2026, the Skilled Worker English language requirement is set at […]