Skilled Worker Visa UK
A Skilled Worker Visa permits individuals to work with a registered employer in the UK. Knowing the criteria for this visa type and its application procedures is necessary if you are an employer looking to recruit workers from Australia.
Our Total Law lawyers can help prospective employees apply for a Skilled Worker Visa. Call +44 (0)333 305 9375 or message us online to find out more.
What Is The UK Skilled Worker Visa?
The Skilled Worker Visa, which replaced the Tier 2 Visa, allows Australian nationals who meet the requirements to work in the UK for authorised UK employers.
A Skilled Worker Visa can be issued for up to 5 years, depending on how long your employee’s Certificate of Sponsorship lasts. If the worker wishes to change jobs or employers, they must reapply for a Skilled Worker Visa.
There are many benefits to recruiting workers from overseas as a UK business, as it allows companies to fill skill gaps and access international talent via the Skilled Worker Visa UK list.
With the Skilled Worker Visa route, your employee can apply for British citizenship one year after meeting the five-year indefinite leave to remain (ILR) requirements.
Page Contents
- What Is The UK Skilled Worker Visa?
- Skilled Worker Visa UK Eligibility For Employers
- The Immigration Salary List
- Skilled Worker Visa Application Process
- UK Skilled Worker Visa Application Fees
- Extending UK Skilled Worker Visa
- Switching From Another UK Visa To Skilled Worker Visa
- UK Skilled Worker Visa Application Is Refused: Your Options
- How Can Total Law Help?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Skilled Worker Visa UK Eligibility For Employers
As an employer, you must meet the following eligibility criteria for a UK Skilled Worker Visa when hiring an employee from Australia:
- Hold a valid Sponsor Licence that has not been downgraded or revoked in the past 12 months
- Demonstrate the role you are offering is a genuine job that UK-settled workers can not fill and is a role that qualifies under the Skilled Worker Visa category
- Ensure the job role meets the minimum salary threshold of £41,700 unless exempt from this requirement
- Comply with UK immigration and employment law and not be subject to charges or restrictions
- Willing to pay the Immigration Skills Charge and Certificate of Sponsorship issuing costs
Applying for a UK Skilled Worker for an employee from Australia can be challenging, especially when complying with the documentation requirements. Schedule an appointment with Total Law at +44 (0)333 305 9375 to discuss your company’s Skilled Worker Visa requirements and how we can help make the process easier.
The Immigration Salary List
The immigration salary list outlines the employment roles that can not easily be filled by UK-settled workers.
Roles on the list and suitable for a Skilled Worker Visa can include:
- Health services and public health managers and directors
- Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors
- Senior care workers
- Chemical scientists in the nuclear industry
- Biological scientists and biochemists
- Physical scientists in the construction-related ground engineering industry, are restricted to engineering geologists, hydrogeologists or geophysicists
- Physical scientists in the oil and gas industry, restricted to geophysicists, geoscientists, geologists, geochemists, technical services managers in the decommissioning and waste areas of the nuclear industry, senior resource geologists and staff geologists in the mining sector
- Social and humanities scientists, limited to archaeologists
- Civil engineers
- Mechanical engineers
- Electrical engineers
- Electronics engineers
- Design and development engineers
- Production and process engineers
- Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified
- Quality control and planning engineers
- Veterinarians
- Bricklayers and masons
- Fishing and other elementary agriculture occupations
- Care workers and home carers
Skilled Worker Visa Application Process
To begin the Skilled Worker Visa application, your sponsored worker must have an employment offer, Certificate of Sponsorship from your company, and a range of other paperwork to demonstrate their eligibility.
As their sponsoring employer, you will need to provide a range of supporting documents to show they qualify for the Skilled Worker Visa.
The worker from Australia must pay the application fee, biometric fee, and healthcare when submitting their completed application online.
UK Skilled Worker Visa Application Fees
The application fee for a Skilled Worker Visa applicant from outside the UK is £769 for up to 3 years and £1,519 for over three years. Applicants must also have at least £1,270 in their account to show they can support themselves once in the UK.
The cost to apply for a visa extension is £885 per person for stays up to three years and £1,751 per person for over three years.
The application cost for employees and their families may be reduced if their employment is on the immigration salary list. Each applicant must pay £590 for up to three years or £1,160 for longer than three years. The same charge applies whether it is applied from within or outside of the UK.
Employers must also pay fees when looking to sponsor an employee: the initial Sponsor Licence fee, which costs £574 for small businesses and £1,579 for large organisations, and the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) fee, which costs £1,000 annually for sponsors with medium or large businesses and £364 for small businesses. In addition, there is a cost for each Certificate of Sponsorship issued.
Extending UK Skilled Worker Visa
Employees wanting to extend their Skilled Worker Visa can apply online and will need a new Certificate of Sponsorship showing their extended employment terms.
Employees must also compile the supporting documentation for the application that UKVI might ask for.
The required extension cost and the online immigration healthcare fee must be paid, and employees must visit a UKVCAS to update their biometrics. Verifying identity using a UK Visas and Immigration profile suffices if a valid Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) is available.
Switching From Another UK Visa To Skilled Worker Visa
Some UK Visa holders can apply for a Skilled Worker Visa from within the UK even if they hold another visa type if they meet the requirements and have a sponsoring employer.
However, from within the UK, anyone holding certain types of visas—such as visitor visas, short-term student visas, or seasonal worker visas—cannot change to a Skilled Worker Visa.
The only alternative in such circumstances is to return to Australia and apply from outside the UK.
UK Skilled Worker Visa Application Is Refused: Your Options
Your employee’s application for a Skilled Work Visa may be refused for several reasons, such as:
- Incomplete UK Skilled Worker Visa application form
- Failure to provide the correct evidence
- Not including an accurate certificate of sponsorship reference number or job code
- Not having a clean immigration and criminal history
If your prospective worker’s Skilled Worker Visa application is refused, we recommend speaking to an experienced immigration lawyer as soon as possible to explore the next steps.
How Can Total Law Help?
Total Law is an expert in immigration services and can provide professional advice on all aspects of the Skilled Worker Visa, including the UK Skilled Worker Visa documents needed, how to apply for a Sponsor Licence and the current UK Skilled Worker Visa processing time.
Let our team support you in employing overseas workers to fill your vacant employment opportunities and ensure you benefit from the global labour market.
Learn more about our services to UK employers, including Sponsor Licence audit checks on +44 (0)333 305 9375 or use our online chat.
Advice Package
Comprehensive immigration advice tailored to your circumstances and goals.
Application Package
Designed to make your visa application as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Fast Track Package
Premium application service that ensures your visa application is submitted to meet your deadline.
Appeal Package
Ensure you have the greatest chance of a successful appeal. We will represent you in any case.
The Advice Package
During this untimed Advice Session with our professional immigration lawyers in London, you will receive our comprehensive advice, completely tailored to your needs and your situation.
The Application Package
With our Application Package, your dedicated immigration lawyer will advise you on your application process and eligibility. Your caseworker will then complete and submit your forms to the Home Office on your behalf.
The Fast Track Package
Our Fast-Track Application Package is a premium service for those who need to submit their application in time with their deadlines. Your case will become a top priority for our lawyers and you will benefit from our highest-quality services.
The Appeal Package
By choosing our Appeal Package, you can rely on our lawyers’ legal knowledge and experience to ensure you have the highest chance of a successful appeal. We will also fully represent you in any hearings/tribunals.
Related pages for your continued reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can either explore the possibility of switching to a different visa category while remaining in the UK or, if eligible, apply for a new Skilled Worker Visa If you are employed under a UK Skilled Worker Visa and lose your job.
As long as your studies do not interfere with the work you are being sponsored to do, you are free to pursue your education without any time restrictions as a Skilled Worker Visa holder.
