Due to the recent Government announcement relating to upcoming changes to the Skilled Worker Visa, please note this webpage is under review
Overview
The Skilled Worker visa allows non-UK/Irish nationals to come to, or stay, in the UK to undertake an eligible job with an approved employer. This visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for a Skilled Worker visa at the University, the applicant must score a minimum of 70 points in total. This includes 50 points for mandatory or ‘non-tradeable’ criteria, and 20 points for ‘tradeable’ criteria.
An applicant must meet the following mandatory criteria to score 50 points:
| Points type | Description | Points available |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsorship | Offer of a job from the University accompanied by a Certificate of Sponsorship | 20 |
| Job at an appropriate skill level (RQF Level 3 and above) | The job must be in an eligible occupation code | 20 |
| English language | At Level B1 or higher. Applicants can evidence these skills by meeting one of these requirements | 10 |
| TOTAL | 50 |
In addition to scoring 50 points for the above criteria, the applicant must score a further 20 ‘tradeable’ points based on:
- their salary; and
- other criteria if necessary and applicable (such as relevant academic qualifications held by them, being sponsored to work in a shortage occupation or an eligible health or education occupation. Or because they are a ‘new entrant' to the UK’s labour market)
Other requirements
ATAS requirement
Applicants will require an ATAS certificate if they need to obtain a Skilled Worker visa and are intending to research at postgraduate level in certain sensitive subjects such as academics and researchers. Please visit our ATAS webpages for further information.
Financial requirement
If the applicant is applying for entry clearance from outside the UK or has been in the UK for less than one year at the date of application, they must show they have enough funds to support themselves and any family members in the UK.
As the University is an A-rated sponsor, we will certify this requirement is met (up to the value specified in the University’s Relocation Procedure) when we assign a Certificate of Sponsorship to the applicant. This should help to simplify the application process for them.
Criminal records certificate requirement
If the applicant is applying for entry clearance and is being sponsored for a job in any of the occupation codes, they must provide a criminal record certificate from the relevant authority in any country in which they have been present for 12 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the past 10 years, while aged 18 or over.
Dependants
Skilled workers can bring their family members (partner and children) to the UK and can apply to settle in the UK after five years’ continuous lawful residence.
Visa conditions
The Skilled Worker visa is a sponsored route into the UK and individuals holding this visa (or a Tier 2 (General) Visa) will still be subject to the University’s sponsor and compliance duties.
The visa will be subject to all of the following conditions:
- no access to public funds
- work is permitted only in the job the applicant is being sponsored for
- supplementary employment is permitted, providing the individual continues to work in the job for which they are being sponsored
- voluntary work is permitted
Further guidance
To help recruiting managers and applicants determine whether a role is likely to be sponsorable at the University (taking into account the minimum skill and salary threshold requirements and other tradeable characteristics), please refer to our guidance below.