If you are looking to come or remain in the UK under the work visa, you need a UK company to sponsor you. The process has been significantly relaxed following Brexit. Employers don’t need to advertise the jobs to the settled workers before hiring a migrant worker. There is no limit on the number of applications and no cooing-off periods. Your visa will be tied to your job, so if you decide to a change a job, you would need to get a new visa. After 5 years you can settle in the UK and work without restrictions. Book a consultation with our lawyers here!
If you are already in the UK on another visa, you can switch from most categories inside the UK, if you find a Sponsor (employer). You can switch from Student / Tier 4 visa, Youth Mobility Scheme, Graduate and some others. You can also change employment but need a new Skilled Worker visa, sponsored by a new employer. There are more relaxed rules if a company sponsors a Student or Graduate.
Coming to the UK as a Skilled Worker
If you are outside the UK, you need a company, willing to sponsor you for this visa. There is an official register of all licensed employers, it also helps if your skills are on the Shortage Occupation list. Very often people come to the UK on another visa, such as Student, then remain here under the Sponsorship.
Legal guidance for British companies on hiring migrant workers
At 1st 4Immigration we have vast experience in offering legal advice to British businesses, wishing to hire migrant workers. We can work an employer, a worker or both at the same time. We even used to have our own Sponsor Licence until our workers happily settled in the UK. We analyse a job on the type and salary (whether it qualifies), help with a Sponsor Licence application, request a correct Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) and prepare a visa application. Start from booking an online consultation here.
All our consultations cost £150, with this amount being deducted from our service fee if you hire us afterwards.
A company can sponsor migrant workers for jobs at RQF Level 3 or above. Level 3 is the UK ‘A Level’, it is lower than pre-Brexit Level 6 (degree level). This is a level of job offered, duties a worker is performing, it is not a level of the worker’s qualifications. There are also jobs on the Shortage List, which could be a lower level of skill but still acceptable, such as a care worker.
This is a category for skilled workers in the medical profession and healthcare, such as doctors, nurses and many others. There is an exhaustive list of acceptable occupations and you still need a Sponsor, such as the UK National Health Service (the NHS) or a company that provides care services. This work visa sub-category is faster and cheaper than the main Skilled Worker visa. Start from booking a consultation here.
The new blanket minimum from April 2023 is £26,200 per annum or £10.75 per hour. Plus, it is still subject to the ‘going rate’ for your occupation code, whichever is higher. A lower salary can be offered if you are eligible as a New Entrant, such as if you are switching from a Student visa or being under 26 years old (New Entrant doesn’t mean a new employee). You can also trade the salary points for a job being on Shortage Occupation list or for having a PhD relevant to the job. There will be no separate salary threshold for settlement (Indefinite Leave). To discuss your situation, book an online consultation here.
The new Points-Based Immigration System is now in force and Britain is open for business! Skilled Workers need a job offer from a UK employer (Sponsor). UK businesses still need a Sponsor Licence. The process, however, has been simplified, mainly by abolishing the Resident Labour Market Test. The British employers don’t have to advertise a job to resident workers before hiring a foreigner. The whole work visa system has been made easier than ever!
How to find a Sponsor? This is a simplified summary, for details please book our advice session on this link.
Option 1 – most popular: come to the UK on another visa, such as Student or Youth Mobility Scheme (“working holiday”), do some work, then secure a job offer from a company that is willing to sponsor you for the longer term. If they don’t have a Sponsor licence yet, we can help to apply for it. You can work part-time on a Student visa, full-time on YMS.
NEW – Return of the Post-Study Work visa, now called a Graduate Route! International students are able to switch from Tier 4 / Student visa to the Graduate Route visa. You can stay in the UK and work for 2 years – without sponsorship! This visa doesn’t count or lead to settlement but it gives you an opportunity to secure a Sponsor and switch to a Skilled Worker visa. Or to use these 2 years to qualify for an Unmarried Partner visa, another very common step.
Help for UK employers: we have vast experience in helping small and medium-size employers to hire a migrant worker. We can work with you and your employer at the same time, from analysing a job (whether it qualifies) to Sponsor Licence application and all the way to the actual visa. Start from booking our advice session here, you can include your employer, we work over WhatsApp, Zoom, email etc. We help clients of all nationalities based anywhere in the world and employers anywhere in the UK.
Option 2: You can apply for jobs from abroad in most in-demand occupations, such as IT workers, web-designers, graphic designers, engineers, architects, artists, almost all scientists, teachers (especially maths, physics, computer science) and many others. The occupation list has been expanded greatly and it is the biggest change in the work visa system that so many jobs can now be offered in the UK.
If you are a medical or social care professional, such as a doctor, nurse or a senior care worker, there is also Health and Care Worker Visa. If your Sponsor doesn’t have a licence yet, we can help to obtain it.
We can help to obtain it! 1st 4Immigration is one of the most experienced companies in the UK Work visas law sector. We have a fantastic successful track record of helping small and medium-size employers to hire migrant workers, be it someone who worked for them previously (while on Tier 4, Student or Tier 5 visa) or someone they are inviting from overseas. We can work together with the migrant and their employer at the same time, from analysing a job (whether it qualifies) to a licence application and all the way to the actual Skilled Worker visa, Health and Care Worker visa and others.
We also offer compliance services while a company is holding a Sponsor Licence. We know the rules well – we had our own Sponsor Licence for 8 years. We know at first hand what it feels like when a Government official turns up for an unannounced inspection!
Under the new Points-Based Immigration System from December 2020, a British business can sponsor migrant workers to perform jobs at RQF Level 3 or above. Level 3 is the UK ‘A Level’, it is lower than pre-Brexit Level 6 (degree level). This is a level of job offered, duties a worker is performing, it is not a level of the worker’s qualifications.
This is a category for skilled workers in the medical profession and healthcare, such as doctors, nurses and many others. There is an exhaustive list of acceptable occupations and you still need a Sponsor, such as the UK National Health Service (the NHS) or another company providing health or care services. This work visa sub-category is faster and cheaper than the main Skilled Worker visa.
Care Worker: for those wishing to work as a Senior Care Worker in a care home (nursing home or an old people’s home) or in a home for disabled people/children in the UK, providing social care to the people living there.
The new blanket minimum from April 2023 is £26,200 per annum or £10.75 per hour. Plus, it is still subject to the ‘going rate’ for your occupation code, whichever is higher. Unless you are eligible for a lower, Entrant Salary, such as if you are switching from a Student visa. Or unless you can ‘trade’ the salary points for a job on shortage occupation list or for having a PhD relevant to the job. Or unless you can change the working hours. The new PBIS does offer a room for manoeuvre but you have to get the points on salary exactly right!
There will be no separate salary threshold for settlement (Indefinite Leave).
Switching from Tier 4 / Student visa remains possible and beneficial. You would qualify for a New Entrant salary level, which appeals to UK employers when sponsoring you. If you have a UK company willing to sponsor you for a Skilled Worker visa, it is a good option because this category leads to settlement in the UK after 5 years. If you don’t have a Sponsor, a Graduate visa allows working in the UK for 2 years without sponsorship. It won’t count to settlement but will give you time to find a Sponsor.
To discuss your situation, please book a consultation with us here.
We made a list of the 10 most welcome changes in the current system here on our Blog.
#1 More jobs (occupations) can be sponsored for a UK work visa. Care Workers have finally been added.
#2 Switching from another visa category – without leaving the UK – has been made easier!
#3 Switching from more categories is now allowed!
#6 No annual limit – no more restricted certificates or waiting for a place!
#7 No cap on how many years you can spend in the UK.
#8 Salary: this part is being made easier but also comes with a points table.
#9 No higher salary threshold for settlement (Indefinite Leave), ie no more ‘minimum £35,800’ etc.
#10 Truly points-based.
We made a list of the 10 most welcome changes in the current system here on our Blog.
#1 More jobs (occupations) can be sponsored for a UK work visa. Care Workers have finally been added.
#2 Switching from another visa category – without leaving the UK – has been made easier!
#3 Switching from Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) is now allowed!
#6 No annual limit – no more restricted certificates or waiting for a place!
#7 No cap on how many years you can spend in the UK.
#8 Salary: this part is being made easier but also comes with a points table.
#9 No higher salary threshold for settlement (Indefinite Leave), ie no more ‘minimum £35,800’ etc.
#10 Truly points-based.
Click here to arrange online consultation with a UK Immigration Lawyer over Zoom, WhatsApp or email.
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