Summary of the post
First and foremost, it will depend on your home country as to whether you need to apply for a UK visa. To work in the UK, you do not require a work permit or visa if you are from Switzerland, the EU, or the EEA. The UK has left the EU, however there will be a transition period until the end of 2020 during which time the regulations will stay the same. Applying for stay status UK through the EU Settlement Scheme as soon as possible is advised in order to obtain pre-settled status.
You must apply for a UK visa if you are not from the EU, EEA, or Switzerland and want to stay in the country for longer than six months for business, employment, or as a family member of a long-term applicant. You can lawfully dwell and work in the UK with a work visa and temporary residency. Following this time frame, you can be qualified for permanent residency, commonly referred to as indefinite leave to remain. The procedures, durations, and expenses associated with applying for and obtaining a UK visa vary based on your intended length of stay, the nature of your employment during this period, and your place of origin.. This section will cover all the information you need on UK visa types and fees, the UK immigration point system, and more
Work Permits and Employment-based Visas
You will require both an employment visa and a work permit in order to live and work in the UK. Depending on how long you plan to stay or what kind of work you plan to undertake, there are numerous kinds of work visas. By following the instructions in this, you can determine which visa applies to you and whether you qualify for a UK work permit.
Work Permit and Employment Visa Overview
It takes two to three months to get accepted for a UK work permit, which permits you to perform particular tasks and operate at a designated area. The work permit must be applied for on your behalf by your new employer. But until the appropriate visa has been granted and you have entry permission for both yourself and any dependents you may have, you will not be permitted to enter the nation or begin working. There will also be a healthcare surcharge that you must pay.
Entry clearances typically take one to two weeks following the issuance of the work permit. People from China (PRC), North Korea, Libya, Iraq, and Russia require significantly longer security clearances. You’ll find the visa in your passport. If you decide to change jobs while you’re in the UK, your new employer will need to apply for a new work visa on your behalf.
Who doesn’t Need a Work Permit?
Anyone who falls into one of the following categories does not require one:
- Citizens of the 25 EEA countries.
- Spouses and partners (not legally married but with two years of co-habitation) of EEA nationals.
- Permanent Residents*.
- Spouses of holders of works permits, training permits, sole representatives, investors, students, and ancestry visas*.
- Asylum seekers with pending applications.
- Commonwealth citizens with Ancestry visas (with a grandparent born in the UK).
- Application should take place at the British High Commission in their home country. They last four years, after which the candidate is eligible for permanent residence.
Family Visas
*For visa applications of spouses, partners, and families of work visa holders, check the Tier 2 family member visa. You will need a family visa to live with a family member in the UK for more than six months.
You can apply for a visa once you obtain your work permit. There are various points-based skilled worker levels in the UK, along with Tier 1 business visas and Tier 2 and 5 work permit types that correlate to them.
Types of Work Visas in the UK and Requirements
- Tier 1 (General) People with skilled jobs (making at least 25,000 GBP or 32,000 USD) are eligible for a Tier 1 (General) visa. For a maximum of six years, sponsorship from a licenced organisation in the field is necessary.
- Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) Those who are employed by a UK firm but are based abroad and are offered employment in the UK are eligible for the Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) visa. It has a six-month to nine-year validity period.
- Tier 3 (Minister of Religion) visa is for people who work for a sponsor faith community. It is valid for up to three years and can be extended.
- Tier 4 (Sportsperson) Elite athletes or coaches with approval from the national governing body of their sport are eligible for a Tier 4 (Sportsperson) visa. It can be extended for an additional three years, with a maximum validity of three years.
- Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) Athletes, artists, clergy, and other sponsored temporary workers are eligible for the Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) visa if they are on official exchange or are covered by an international agreement. It is good for a year or two.
- Tier 6 (Youth Mobility Scheme) Youth Mobility Scheme) visa is for those aged 18-30, from Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Hong Kong, South Korea or Taiwan and who have roughly 2,000 GBP (2,500 USD) in savings. It is good for a maximum of two years.
- Domestic Workers in Private Household visa – for private domestic workers who have worked for their employer for at least a year. It is valid for a maximum of six months.
- Permitted Paid Engagement visa is for short-term paid work in the UK without sponsorship. It is valid for one month.
Types of Business Visas in the UK and Requirements
- There are 1,000 Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visas granted annually. It can be extended for an additional five years, with a maximum validity of five years. Experts in the domains of science, humanities, engineering, medicine, digital technology, and the arts are eligible for this visa.
- For anyone who are prepared to invest at least 2 million GBP (2.6 million USD) in the UK, there is the Tier 2 (Investor) visa. It has a three-year expiration date and is renewable for an additional two years.
- Start-up visas are available to nationals of non-EEA/non-Switzerland countries who wish to launch a business and have the financial resources to do so. It has a two-year expiry date.
- Innovator visa- for people that have an “endorsement letter” to a business or idea, approved by an endorsing body from this list.
For Turkish nationals and Commonwealth citizens with a grandparent born in the UK, there are specific UK work visas available.
UK Visa Application Forms.
You will have to make an appointment to apply for a UK work visa in your home country. You can find locations of application centers in this list.
You can download work permit visa application forms prior to your appointment. The processing times for each visa type vary. You also may be notified to register your work visa after your arrival to the UK.
Basic Documents Required for Work Visas
- Valid passport or travel ID.
- Proof of financial means enough to support you during your stay (bank statements or sponsor confirmation).
- Proof of English language fluency
- Proof of payment of the healthcare surcharge.
- TB test if you will stay longer than six months and are a citizen of a listed country.
UK Work Visa Costs
The cost of a UK visa will vary based on the kind of visa you need and how long you plan to remain in the country. A helpful tool exists to determine the precise cost of your UK visa application.
Visas for Self-employmentA business or self-employment visa is required if you wish to operate independently in the UK. There are various kinds. Tier categories are point-based systems that determine the requirements for self-employment visas in the UK.Types of UK Self-employment VisasThere are 1,000 Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visas granted annually. It can be extended for an additional five years, with a maximum validity of five years. Experts in the domains of science, humanities, engineering, medicine, digital technology, and the arts are eligible for this visa.For anyone who are prepared to invest at least 2 million GBP (2.6 million USD) in the UK, there is the Tier 1 (Investor) visa. It is valid for three years and can be extended for a further two years.Start-up visa- for citizens of countries outside of the EEA/Switzerland who want to start a business and have enough means to support themselves in the process. It is valid for two years.Innovator visa- for people that have an “endorsement letter” to a business or idea, approved by an endorsing body from this list.You will be able to find the suitable application form per Tier category in the Work in the UK section of the government website.Documents Required for UK Self-employment Visas Valid passport or travel ID.Proof of financial means enough to support your business venture (bank statements, evidence of investment funds).Proof of payment of the healthcare surcharge .TB test if you will stay longer than six months and are a citizen of a listed country.nation.UK Costs of a Self-employment Visa The cost of a UK self-employment visa will vary depending on the kind of visa and the duration of your stay in the country. To determine the precise cost of your UK visa application, there is a helpful tool available.
Summary of Key Aspects for Workers in the Context of the Transition Period
- Any EU nationals who are already in the UK by the end of 2020 are eligible to apply for Settled Status.
- From January 2021, a new immigration system will be in place. In simple words, this means that EU workers will be treated the same as migrant workers from non-EU countries.
- The Government will be implementing an updated points-based system from January 2021.
- Following the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) recommendations, the Government has decreased the thresholds for skilled workers’ required salaries to 17,920 GBP (22,970 USD) for “new entrants” and 25,600 GBP (32,816 USD) for “experienced workers”.
