If you are travelling to the UK in pursuit of job opportunities, it is important to know that you would need a work visa. In this article, we summarized all the types of UK work visa available so you know the appropriate one for you.
Many people looking to relocate abroad to live permanently or just work for a while and return home often have UK in their mind. In fact, the United Kingdom is the country with the fifth highest population of immigrants. This is due to the many benefits associated with living in the UK. Some of the reasons people travel to the UK are the presence of the following
- Advanced technology achievements
- Excellent healthcare facilities
- Attractive business environment, and so on
However, just like any other country, foreigners usually require a travel document, Visa to enter the United Kingdom. Non-UK residents or non-citizens require a visa to legally enter and stay in the country, whether for work or any other reasons. The type of visa an individual will apply for totally depends on the reason why he/she is traveling into the country. There are different types of visas specific to those coming into the country for studies, work, ordinary visits, and other reasons.
However, in this article, we will be going through the types of visas for non-UK residents interested in working in the UK.
UK Work Visa
A non-UK resident or non-UK citizen looking to work in the UK requires a “work permit” most times called a “work visa” to be able to work in the UK legally. However, there are different types of UK work visas, and they depend on the migrant’s skills, professions, qualifications, and types of jobs.
Since there is nothing like a general work permit or general work visa, an intending migrant, therefore, has to select the type of visa that best suits his condition to work in the UK. He/she must also understand the application process, requirements, eligibility, costs, processing time, etc. peculiar to the type of work visa that is applicable to him
Types of UK Work Visa
The following are the eight types of UK work visas
UK Skilled Work Visa:
The UK skilled work visa is the type of visa that enables a migrant worker with certain specific skills and qualifications to work in the UK. The migrant must have received a job offer from a Home-Office licensed and approved UK employer/ sponsor before applying for this visa. And the job must be from the lists of jobs on the Shortage Occupation List.
The intending migrants must have proof of their proficiency in the English Language. They must also present proof of having enough funds to support themselves and those who are depending on them. This is because the skilled worker visa allows an individual to migrate with his/ her family.
Once the intending migrant gets the job offer and meets the remaining requirements, he/ she can then proceed with the application for the UK Skilled Worker visa. The visa is valid for a maximum of five years. Once the visa expires, the migrant can proceed to apply for an indefinite leave to remain. However, he/ she must pass the requirements before he/ she can be awarded indefinite leave to remain.
UK Global Business Mobility Visa:
The global mobility visa came in to existence on the 11th of April 2022. The visa allows individual workers with certain skills/expertise to enter the UK mainly for business proposes. The business purpose can be in form of meetings, conferences, negotiating deals, etc.
However, there are different categories of workers that can apply for this type of visa. This as a result led to having different types of sub-visa such as
- Senior or specialist worker visa
- Graduate trainee visa
- UK expansion worker visa
- Services suppliers visa
The UK Global Business Mobility Visa is valid for a maximum of 3 years and is liable to renewal anytime need arises. The visa allows the migrant workers/staffs to stay in the UK for as long as six months at a time. It however doesn’t allow them to move with their family and dependants. The GBM visa holder cannot take a job in the UK. This makes it easier for them to face their primary business and complete their work.
UK Graduate Visa
The UK graduate visa is designed for foreign students in the UK who have recently completed their studies at a UK university. It allows them to stay in the country for as long as two years after graduation. The time extension was given to allow the graduates to look for work within the country. This period of stay is referred to as the “Post-Study” work visa. The Graduate Visa costs £700 and the applicants also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. Applicants who recently completed their Doctoral programs are allowed to stay for a year longer than the rest, i.e. three years.
UK Health and Care Worker Visa
This is a UK work visa for foreign medical professionals to work in any eligible job role within the health and care sector. The visa is a sub-category of the skilled worker visa. The only difference is that the cost of applying for this is lesser than that of the Skilled Workers Visa. This is to encourage foreign health professionals to migrate and work in the country. Applicants must be proficient in English and must have a Certificate of Sponsorship from a Home-office licensed and approved employer. The cost of applying for this visa is £232 or £484 with a reduction of £55 for European nationals. The variation in cost depends on how long the applicant wants to stay in the country.
UK High Potential Individual Visa
This type of visa aims to attract individuals who are experienced business owners or international graduates who have a high potential to create graduate recruitment jobs/ programs in the UK for non-UK graduates. The applicants must meet the eligibility requirement of obtaining their university degree within the last five years.
The HPI visa holders can stay in the country for 2 years. However, applicants who have an educational qualification that’s equivalent to a UK Ph.D. can stay for 3 years. The visa allows the applicants to switch to a longer-term visa during their stay, as long as they meet the requirements.
UK Global Talent Visa
The global talent visa is an unsponsored visa aimed at attracting intelligent leaders in specific fields, such as arts and culture, academics, research, digital technology, etc. The global talent visa allows only highly skilled applicants to migrate to the UK for 5 years. This is for them to be of benefit to the country (UK) by undertaking different activities without being restricted to any sponsor. The cost of applying for the UK Global Talent work visa is £608, plus the healthcare surcharge.
Start-Up and Innovator Visas
This type of Visa is ideal for individuals who want to set up their business in the UK. They however need to support themselves by working while taking care of their startup ideas. The visa is for migrants who are entrepreneurs that can dedicate their time to their business in its day-to-day involvement.
The innovator visa costs £1021 while the start-up visa costs £363. Applicants must meet financial and English language proficiency requirements. They must also be endorsed by an authorized body with a track record in the UK higher education provider or supporting UK-based entrepreneurs.
UK Temporary Work Visas
Temporary work visas are short-term visas for foreign nationals and there are six types:
- International Agreement worker visa
- Religious worker visa
- Creative worker visa
- Charity worker visa
- Government-authorized exchange worker visa
- Seasonal worker visa
Applicants for any of the six types of temporary visas must have a valid sponsorship certificate from a Home-office licensed sponsor. Part of their requirements is that they must also meet financial maintenance and other visa-specific requirements. The validity of the visas is between 6 months and 2 years.
Conclusion
The United Kingdom offers a variety of work visas to individuals seeking employment opportunities in the country. Each type of visa, however, has its own specific requirements that you must meet to get approval for your visa. It is important for individuals to research and understand the different types of work visas available. This is to determine which one best fits their needs and qualifications.