Entry Clearance For Skilled Worker Visa

• Page Contents
• Overview
• Eligibility Requirements
• Mandatory Non-Tradeable Points
• Tradeable Points
• Fianancial Requirement
• Criminal Record Certificate
• Period and Conditions Of Grant
• How Can We Help You?
• How Much We Charge?
• Other Related Services
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

You can apply entry clearance for Skilled Worker visa UK if you are sponsored for a skilled job by a UK employer holding Skilled Worker Sponsor licence. The Skilled Worker visa has replaced Tier 2 General Skilled Worker visa category from 1 December 2020. The Skilled Worker visa is a Point Based System (PBS) visa category and points can be awarded for the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), job skill level, English language, appropriate Salary, Phd level qualifications, job in shortage occupation, and applicant being new entrant.

A total of 70 points are required to be eligible to apply for Skilled Worker visa; 50 points from mandatory non-tradable points and the remaining 20 from tradable points.

Our expert team of Skilled Worker visa solicitors are specialists in Skilled Worker visa entry clearance applications. As one of the best Skilled Worker visa solicitors in London, Manchester and Birmingham, our Skilled Worker visa solicitors have wealth of knowledge and experience to provide high quality fixed fee legal services for Skilled Worker visa entry clearance applications. Ask a question to our expert Skilled Worker visa lawyers for free immigration advice concerning your Skilled Worker visa entry clearance application.

Eligibility Requirements For Skilled Worker Visa Entry Clearance For UK

To be eligible for Skilled Worker visa for UK, you need to:

• score 50 points from mandatory non-tradeable points;
• score at least 20 points from tradeable points;
• have have funds for maintenance in the UK or your Skilled Worker sponsor has certified your maintenance;
• show you can travel and your travel history over the last 5 years;
• have tuberculosis test results if you’re from a country listed in Appendix T of the Immigration Rules;
• provide a criminal record certificate from any country you have lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years, if you will be working with vulnerable people.

Mandatory Non-Tradeable Points (50 Points Required)

The applicant must score 50 mandatory non-tradeable points to succeed in the entry clearance application for Skilled Worker visa and the remaining 20 points can be scored from tradeable points. The mandatory non-tradeable points are given in the table below:

Scoring 20 Mandatory Points For Sponsorship

The applicant can score 20 mandatory points for sponsorship if the following requirements are satisfied:

• The applicant must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the job they are planning to do.
• The sponsor must be authorised by the Home Office to sponsor the job in question under the Skilled Worker route.
• The sponsor must be listed as A-rated on the Home Office’s register of licensed sponsors, unless the applicant was last granted permission as a Skilled Worker and is applying to continue working for the same sponsor as in their last permission.
• The sponsor must have paid in full any required Immigration Skills Charge.
• The decision maker must not have reasonable grounds to believe the job the applicant is being sponsored to do:
  • does not exist; or
  • is a sham; or
  • has been created mainly so the applicant can apply for entry clearance or permission to stay.
• The decision maker must not have reasonable grounds to believe the job the applicant is being sponsored to do amounts to:
  • the hire of the applicant to a third party who is not the sponsor to fill a position with that party, whether temporary or permanent; or
  • contract work to undertake an ongoing routine role or to provide an ongoing routine service for a third party who is not the sponsor, regardless of the nature or length of any arrangement between the sponsor and the third party.

Scoring 20 Mandatory Points For Appropriate Job Skill Level

The applicant can score 20 mandatory points for appropriate job skill level if the following requirements are satisfied:

• The applicant must be sponsored for a job in an eligible occupation code listed in Appendix Skilled Occupations.
• The sponsor must choose an appropriate occupation code, and the decision maker must not have reasonable grounds to believe the sponsor has chosen a less appropriate occupation code for any of the following reasons:
  • the most appropriate occupation code is not eligible under the Skilled Worker route; or
  • the most appropriate occupation code has a higher going rate than the proposed salary; or
  • the most appropriate occupation code is not a shortage occupation and the applicant is claiming points for a job in a shortage occupation; or
  • the most appropriate occupation code is not listed as “eligible for PhD points” in Table 1 of Appendix Skilled Occupations and the applicant is claiming points for an educational qualification.

Scoring 10 Mandatory Points For English Language

The applicant can score 10 mandatory points for English language if the following requirements are satisfied:

• An applicant must show English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in all 4 components (reading, writing, speaking and listening) of at least level B1 (intermediate).
• The applicant must show they meet the English language requirement as specified in Appendix English Language.

Tradeable Points  (20 Points Required)

An applicant must be awarded 20 tradeable points from the table below. An applicant may only be awarded 20 points from one entry in the table.

Scoring 20 Tradeable Points Under Option A

The applicant must meet the following requirements to score 20 tradeable points under option A:

• The applicant must be sponsored for a job in an appropriate eligible occupation code listed in Table 1 of Appendix Skilled Occupations.
• The salary for the job for which the applicant is being sponsored must equal or exceed both:
  • £25,600 per year; and
  • the going rate for the occupation code.

Scoring 20 Tradeable Points Under Option B

The applicant must meet the following requirements to score 20 tradeable points (10 points for PhD level qualification and 10 points for salary) under option B:

• The applicant must be sponsored for a job in an appropriate occupation code listed as being “eligible for PhD points” in Table 1 of Appendix Skilled Occupations.
• The applicant must have a UK PhD or other academic doctoral qualification, or an overseas academic qualification which UK NARIC confirms meets the recognised standard of a UK PhD.
• The applicant’s sponsor must provide a credible explanation of how the qualification is relevant to the job for which the applicant is being sponsored.
• If the applicant has been correctly awarded points for an educational qualification in a previous grant of permission as a Skilled Worker, the applicant does not need to provide evidence of the qualification again, but the sponsor must still provide the explanation of how the qualification is relevant to the job for which the applicant is being sponsored.
• The applicant may only be awarded points for one qualification.
• The salary for the job the applicant is being sponsored for must equal or exceed both:
  • £23,040 per year; and
  • 90% of the going rate for the occupation code.

Scoring 20 Tradeable Points Under Option C

The applicant must meet the following requirements to score 20 tradeable points under option C for a relevant educational qualification in a STEM subject and their salary:

• The applicant must be sponsored for a job in an appropriate occupation code listed as being “eligible for PhD points” in Table 1 of Appendix Skilled Occupations.
• The applicant must have a UK PhD or other academic doctoral qualification, or an overseas academic qualification which UK NARIC confirms meets the recognised standard of a UK PhD.
• The applicant’s sponsor must provide a credible explanation of how the qualification is relevant to the job for which the applicant is being sponsored.
• If the applicant has been correctly awarded points for an educational qualification in a previous grant of permission as a Skilled Worker, the applicant does not need to provide evidence of the qualification again, but the sponsor must still provide the explanation of how the qualification is relevant to the job for which the applicant is being sponsored.
• The applicant may only be awarded points for one qualification.
• The applicant’s sponsor must provide a credible explanation that the qualification in question is in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) subject.
• The salary for the job the applicant is being sponsored for must equal or exceed both:
  • £20,480 per year; and
  • 80% of the going rate for the occupation code.

Scoring 20 Tradeable Points Under Option D

The applicant must meet the following requirements to score 20 tradeable points under option D for a job in a shortage occupation and their salary:

• The applicant must be sponsored for a job in an appropriate eligible occupation code listed in Appendix Shortage Occupation List as being a shortage occupation in the nation of the UK where that job is based.
• If, on or before the date the sponsor assigned the Certificate of Sponsorship to the applicant, the applicant’s job was removed from Appendix Shortage Occupation List, both of the following conditions must be met:
  • the applicant’s most recent permission was as a Skilled Worker in which they were sponsored to work in a shortage occupation under the applicable rules at that time; and
  • the applicant is being sponsored to continue working in the same job for the same sponsor as in their previous permission.
• The salary for the job the applicant is being sponsored for must equal or exceed both:
  • £20,480 per year; and
  • 80% of the going rate for the occupation code.

Scoring 20 Tradeable Points Under Option E

The applicant must meet the following requirements to score 20 tradeable points under option E for being a new entrant to the labour market and their salary:

• The applicant must be sponsored for a job in an appropriate eligible occupation code listed in Table 1 of Appendix Skilled Occupations.
• The applicant must meet one or more of the following requirements:
  • the applicant must be under the age of 26 on the date of application; or
  • the job offer must be for a postdoctoral position in any of the following occupation codes:
    • 2111 Chemical scientists
    • 2112 Biological scientists and biochemists
    • 2113 Physical scientists
    • 2114 Social and humanities scientists
    • 2119 Natural and social science professionals not elsewhere classified
    • 2311 Higher education teaching professionals; or
• the job offer must be in a UK regulated profession and the applicant must be working towards a recognised professional qualification for that profession; or
• the applicant must be working towards full registration or chartered status with the relevant professional body for the job they are being sponsored for; or
• the application must be for permission to stay and the applicant’s most recent permission must have been as a Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) Migrant; or
• all of the following conditions apply:
  • the applicant’s most recent permission was as a Student: and
  • that permission expired less than 2 years before the date of application; and
  • in that permission or any previous permission as a Student, the applicant was sponsored to study one of the following courses (not any other qualifications of an equivalent level):
    • a UK bachelor’s degree; or
    • a UK master’s degree; or
    • a UK PhD or other doctoral qualification; or
    • a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE); or
    • a Professional Graduate Diploma of Education (PGDE); and
    • the applicant has completed (or is applying no more than 3 months before they are expected to complete) the degree course, or the applicant is studying a PhD and has completed at least 12 months study in the UK towards the PhD.
• Granting the application must not mean the applicant’s combined permission as a Skilled Worker and/or Tier 2 Migrant would be more than 4 years in total, whether or not the permission is for a continuous period.
• The salary for the job the applicant is being sponsored for must equal or exceed both:
  • £20,480 per year; and
  • 70% of the going rate for the occupation code.

Scoring 20 Tradeable Points Under Option F

The applicant must meet the following requirements to score 20 tradeable points under option F for a job in a listed health or education occupation and their salary:

• The applicant must be sponsored for a job in an appropriate eligible occupation code listed in Table 2 of Appendix Skilled Occupations.
• The salary for the job for which the applicant is being sponsored must equal or exceed both:
  • £20,480 per year; and
  • the going rate for the occupation code.
• If the applicant is being sponsored for a job in the occupation code “2231 Nurses” or “2232 Midwives”, their salary may be temporarily (for up to 8 months) less than the £20,480 per year in either of the following circumstances:
  • the applicant has previously held Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registration and is undertaking an NMC-approved programme with a view to returning to practice; or
  • the applicant is working towards NMC registration and all of the following conditions apply:
    • the applicant has passed the NMC’s English language requirements and Computer Based Test of competence, before the date of application; and
    • the applicant will sit an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) to obtain NMC registration no later than 3 months after the stated job start date. 
• the sponsor must confirm that the applicant (non registered nurse or midwife) will stop being sponsored if they do not achieve full NMC registration within 8 months of the job start date (if the applicant was last granted permission as a as a nurse or midwife on the Skilled Worker route, the 8 months is counted from the start date of the job they were sponsored to do in their most recent permission); and
• during the relevant 8 months, or until the applicant achieves NMC registration (if sooner), the applicant’s salary must be at least equal to the appropriate Agenda for Change Band 3 rate, as stated in Table 3 of Appendix Skilled Occupations.

Financial Requirement (Mandatory) For A Skilled Worker

• If the applicant is applying for entry clearance, or has been in the UK for less than 12 months on the date of application, either:
  • the applicant must have funds of at least £1,270 held for at least 28 days as required in Appendix Fianance; or
  • the sponsor must certify that they will, if necessary, maintain and accommodate the applicant up to the end of the first month of their employment, to an amount of at least £1,270.

Criminal Record Certificate Requirement (Mandatory) For A Skilled Worker

If the applicant is applying for entry clearance and is being sponsored for a job in any of the occupation codes listed below, 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 10 years before the date of application, and while aged 18 or over:

• 1181 Health services and public health managers and directors
• 1184 Social services managers and directors
• 1241 Health care practice managers
• 1242 Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors
• 2211 Medical practitioners
• 2212 Psychologists
• 2213 Pharmacists
• 2214 Ophthalmic opticians
• 2215 Dental practitioners
• 2217 Medical radiographers
• 2218 Podiatrists
• 2219 Health professionals not elsewhere classified
• 2221 Physiotherapists
• 2222 Occupational therapists
• 2223 Speech and language therapists
• 2229 Therapy professionals not elsewhere classified
• 2231 Nurses
• 2232 Midwives
• 2312 Further education teaching professionals
• 2314 Secondary education teaching professionals
• 2315 Primary and nursery education teaching professionals
• 2316 Special needs education teaching professionals
• 2317 Senior professionals of educational establishments
• 2318 Education advisers and school inspectors
• 2319 Teaching and other educational professionals not elsewhere classified
• 2442 Social workers
• 2443 Probation officers
• 2449 Welfare professionals not elsewhere classified
• 3213 Paramedics
• 3216 Dispensing opticians
• 3217 Pharmaceutical technicians
• 3218 Medical and dental technicians
• 3219 Health associate professionals not elsewhere classified
• 3231 Youth and community workers
• 3234 Housing officers
• 3235 Counsellors
• 3239 Welfare and housing associate professionals not elsewhere classified
• 3443 Fitness instructors
• 3562 Human resources and industrial relations officers
• 6121 Nursery nurses and assistants
• 6122 Childminders and related occupations
• 6123 Playworkers
• 6125 Teaching assistants
• 6126 Educational support assistants 6141 Nursing auxiliaries and assistants
• 6143 Dental nurses
• 6144 Houseparents and residential wardens
• 6146 Senior care workers

The requirement to provide criminal record certificate does not apply if the applicant provides a satisfactory explanation why it is not reasonably practicable for them to obtain a criminal record certificate from any or all of the relevant authorities.

Period and Conditions of Grant For A Skilled Worker

• The applicant will be granted entry clearance until 14 days after the end date of their certificate of sponsorship (which may be up to a maximum of 5 years after the start date of their certificate of sponsorship).
• The grant will be subject to all the following conditions:
  • no access to public funds; and
  • work is permitted only in the job the applicant is being sponsored for; and
  • supplementary employment is permitted, providing the person continues to work in the job for which they are being sponsored; and
  • voluntary work is permitted; and
  • working out a contractual notice period is permitted, for a job the applicant was lawfully working in on the date of application; and
  • study is permitted, subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS; and
  • if Part 10 applies, the applicant will be required to register with the police.

How Can We Help You?

Our specialist team of Skilled Worker visa solicitors can provide fast, friendly, reliable and fixed fee legal services for your Skilled Worker visa entry clearance application. As your appointed legal representatives for Skilled Worker visa entry clearance application, our work can include the following:

• assessing your eligibility for Skilled Worker visa for UK by considering all the relevant eligibility requirements;
• assisting your prospective Skilled Worker sponsor with correctly assigning the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to you;
• advising on relevant documents to be submitted in support of the Skilled Worker visa entry clearance application;
• assessing the documentary evidence including the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to ensure that the documents are in line with the Home Office UKVI requirements for Skilled Worker visa entry clearance;
• completing online application form for Skilled Worker visa entry clearance for UK;
• preparing a detailed cover letter in support of the Skilled Worker visa entry clearance application to explain in detail how all the relevant requirements for Skilled Worker visa entry clearance have been satisfied by the applicant;
• submitting the Skilled Worker visa entry clearance application online, paying the Home Office UKVI fees for Skilled Worker visa application and booking applicant's appointment with the relevant UK visa application centre;
• uploading all the supporting documents online in support of the Skilled Worker visa entry clearance application;
• preparing the applicant for an interview by the Entry Clearance Officer (ECO) in relation to Skilled Worker visa entry clearance application;
• making any post interview representations to the Entry Clearance Officer (ECO), if necessary;
• doing all the follow up work until decision is reached on your Skilled Worker visa entry clearance application.

Our Fee For Skilled Worker Visa Entry Clearance Application

Our fees for Skilled Worker visa entry clearance application are given in the fee table below:

The agreed fixed fee will depend on the complexity of the Skilled Worker visa entry clearance application and the volume of casework involved in the application. In addition to our fixed fee for Skilled Worker visa entry clearance, the applicant will also have to pay the Home office UKVI fees for the entry clearance application.

Other Related Services

• Administrative Review (AR) Of Skilled Worker Visa Refusal
• Skilled Worker Visa UK
• Switching Into Skilled Worker Visa
• Extension Of Skilled Worker Visa
• ILR As A Skilled Worker
• Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence
• Dependants Of Skilled Worker