Skilled Worker visa
Overview
A Skilled Worker visa allows you to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job with an approved employer.
This visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa.
It also allows you to work in UK waters.
Eligibility
Your job
To qualify for a Skilled Worker visa, you must:
work for a UK employer that’s been approved by the Home Office
You must have a confirmed job offer before you apply for your visa.
How long you can stay
Your visa can last for up to 5 years before you need to extend it. You’ll need to apply to extend or update your visa when it expires or if you change jobs or employer.
If you want to stay longer in the UK
You can apply to extend your visa as many times as you like as long as you still meet the eligibility requirements.
After 5 years, you may be able to apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’). This gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you’re eligible.
What you can and cannot do
With a Skilled Worker visa you can:
work in an eligible job
study
bring your partner and children with you as your ‘dependants’, if you meet the eligibility requirements
take on additional work in certain circumstances
travel abroad and return to the UK
apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’) if you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years and meet the other eligibility requirements
do voluntary work
How much it costs
When you apply for a Skilled Worker visa, you’ll need to have enough money to:
pay the application fee – the standard fee ranges from £769 to £1,751 depending on your circumstances
pay the healthcare surcharge – this is usually £1,035 per year
support yourself when you arrive in the UK – you’ll usually need to have at least £1,270 available (unless you’re exempt)
You’ll pay a lower application fee if your job is on the immigration salary list.
You’ll be told how much you need to pay when you apply.
Example
You’re applying to come to the UK from Argentina for 2 years on a Skilled Worker visa.
Your job is not on the immigration salary list so your visa will cost £769, plus £1,035 for each year of your stay for the healthcare surcharge. This means you’ll pay a total of £2,839 when you apply for your visa.
You’ll also need to prove you have £1,270 available to support yourself in the UK if your employer cannot cover these costs.
Application fees
If you’re applying from outside the UK, the standard fee depends on whether you’ll be in the UK for:
up to 3 years – £769 per person
more than 3 years – £1,519 per person
If you’re applying from inside the UK to extend, switch or update your visa, the standard fee depends on whether you’ll be in the UK for:
up to 3 years – £885 per person
more than 3 years – £1,751 per person
If your partner or child applies to join you in the UK, they’ll pay the fee for the same length of time as you even if they apply after your visa has been granted.
Example
If your 5-year certificate of sponsorship expires in 2027 and your child applies to join you in 2025, they’ll need to pay the application fee for more than 3 years.
If your job is on the immigration salary list
You and your family will pay a lower application fee if your job is on the immigration salary list.
The fee for each person applying is:
£590 if you’re staying for up to 3 years
£1,160 if you’re staying for more than 3 years
The fee is the same whether you’re applying from inside or outside the UK.
If your partner or child applies to join you in the UK as your ‘dependant’, they’ll pay the fee for the same length of time as you.
Money to support yourself
You must have at least £1,270 in your bank account to show you can support yourself in the UK.
You will need to have had the money available for at least 28 days in a row. Day 28 must be within 31 days of applying for this visa.
You’ll usually need to show proof of this when you apply, unless either:
you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months