UK Work Visa for Turkish Citizens

The UK has different types of work visas for long-term and temporary work purposes.

The UK long-term work visas are typically valid from 2 to 5 years and are renewable. Also, your time spent on these visas will count towards indefinite leave to remain (ILR). Some of the common long-term work visas include the following:

• Skilled Worker Visa
• Health and Care Work Visa
• Scale-Up Visa
• Global Business Mobility visas
• High Potential Individual Visa
• International Sportsperson visas
• Minister of Religion Visa
• Innovative Founder Visa
• Global Talent Visa

The UK temporary work visas allow you to live and work in the UK for a limited period, up to 24 months. There are six temporary work visas in the UK, and they include:

• Creative Worker Visa
• Charity Worker Visa
• Religious Worker visa
• Seasonal Worker Visa
• International Agreement Visa
• Government Authority Exchange visa.

There are other types of work visas in the UK, including Offshore Worker Visa, Overseas Domestic Worker Visa, UK Ancestry Visa, and Representative of an Overseas Business Visa.

The Skilled Worker Visa is one of the most common UK work visas. It allows you to take up certain skilled jobs approved by the UK government and listed in the UK’s list of eligible occupations.

To be eligible for a Skilled Worker visa, you must:

• Take a job that is eligible.
• Work for a UK-based employer that the Home Office has approved.
• Have a certificate of sponsorship from your employer with details of the job offer.
• Be paid at least the minimum salary for the type of work you’ll be doing.

The minimum salary for the type of work you’ll be doing should be at least £38,700 per year or the ‘going rate’ for your job, whichever is higher. Your application will be refused if your annual income is less than the going rate.

However, if you work in healthcare or education or your job is in a shortage occupation, you can be paid less than the going rate as long as your income is not less than £30,960 per year.

The Skilled Worker visa will allow you to live and work in the UK for 5 years. You can extend your visa as often as you like, provided you still meet the eligibility requirements. You might also be eligible to apply for ILR after 5 years on the visa.

The Health and Care Worker Visa is a subcategory of the Skilled Worker Visa, designed for medical professionals who intend to take up an eligible job with the NHS, an NHS supplier, or in adult social care.

To qualify for the Health and Care Worker Visa, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional, or adult social care professional
• Work in a health or social care job eligible for the visa.
• Work for a UK health and care sector employer approved by the Home Office.
• Have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your employer with information about the role you’ve been offered in the UK
• Be paid the minimum salary or the going rate for the work you’ll be doing.

Generally, the minimum salary requirements for the Health and Care Worker Visa are the same as those for the Skilled Worker Visa. However, some health and care jobs have different financial requirements.

Unlike the Skilled Worker Visa, you will not be required to pay for an immigration health surcharge as a health and care worker.

Furthermore, you can live and work in the UK for 5 years and apply for permanent settlement afterwards on the Health and Care Worker Visa.

The Scale-up Worker Visa allows foreign nationals to take up an eligible job for a fast-growing or scale-up UK business approved by the Home Office.

If you’re a skilled worker, you can work for a fast-growing organisation that needs highly skilled workers from foreign countries to meet their needs.

To qualify for this visa, you must:

• Have a job offer on the list of approved occupations
• Intend to work for your employer for at least 6 months.
• Earn a minimum wage of £34,600 per year or the ‘going rate’ for the type of work you’ll do, whichever is higher.

The Scale-up Worker Visa allows you to change jobs (as long as you have worked for at least 6 months in the job on your certificate of sponsorship) without notifying the Home Office. However, your new job must meet other visa requirements.

You can stay in the UK for an initial 2 years with a Scale-up Worker Visa. Afterwards, you can extend your visa for an additional 3 years, as often as you want.

The Global Business Mobility visa is a category of visas that allows overseas business to expand their presence in the UK. With these visas, foreign organisations can carry out a contract, transfer staff, and set up a branch of their business in the UK.

There are five visas under the Global Business Mobility route, each with specific immigration purposes. They include:

1. Senior or Specialist Worker Visa: If you are a senior manager or specialist employee, this visa will allow you to work for your employer in your organisation’s UK branch.
2. Graduate Trainee Visa: If you are on a graduate training program for a managerial or specialist role, you can take up a work placement in your UK branch with this visa.
3. Secondment Worker Visa: This visa allows you to carry out a high-value contract with a UK-based organisation on behalf of your overseas employer.
4. Service Supplier Visa: If you have a contract to provide services for a UK company as an employee for an overseas company or a self-employed professional based overseas, you should apply for the Service Supplier Visa.
5. UK Expansion Worker Visa: This visa allows you to come to the UK to set up a new branch of your overseas business.

You can apply for the High Potential Individual (HPI) Visa if you have been awarded a qualification from an eligible foreign institution within the last 5 years.

This visa is designed to attract individuals with exceptional talents and skills who can contribute significantly to the UK economy.

To be eligible for the visa, you must meet the following requirements:

• Your qualification must be at a bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD level in the UK.
• The academic institution that awarded the degree must be on the list of eligible institutions.
• Prove your knowledge of English.
• Have sufficient funds to support yourself.

The HPI Visa is valid for 2 years, but if you have a PhD or other doctoral qualification, it will last for 3 years.

If you are an internationally established, elite sportsperson or qualified coach, and you get a job in your field in the UK, you can apply for an International Sportsperson Visa. However, you must prove that your employment will develop your sport at the highest level in the UK.

For your visa to be approved, your sport’s governing body must endorse your application, and your employer must issue you a certificate of sponsorship.

The International SPortsperson Visa is valid for 3 years, and you can extend it as long as you are eligible.

The Minister of Religion Visa applies to you if you’ve been offered a job within a faith-based community in the UK. Your job could be as a missionary, a minister, or a member of a religious body.

To be eligible for this visa, you must be at least 18 years old and show that you have travelled outside your home country within the last five years. Your job must pay the minimum wage, and you must have sufficient funds to support yourself throughout your stay in the UK.

If you’re a Turkish national studying in the UK, you can take up a job after your study program ends and stay for 2 years in the country with the Graduate Work Visa.

You must apply for the visa before your current Student Visa expires. Be aware that the Graduate Visa is not eligible for an extension. When your visa expires, you must switch to another work visa as long as you’re eligible or return to your home country.

The temporary work visas will allow you to work in the UK for a specified period. Each visa under the temporary work visa has its requirements.

The Seasonal Worker Visa will allow you to work:

• As a horticulturist for up to 6 months at any time in the year.
• In poultry from 2 October to 31 December within any year

Unlike other temporary work visas, you cannot bring your dependents to the UK or take a second job with a Seasonal Worker Visa.

If you have a Creative Worker Visa, you can work as an actor, dancer, musician, film crew member, or take up any creative role for up to 12 months.

The Charity Worker Visa is valid for up to 12 months and will allow you to take up unpaid voluntary work, while the Religious Worker Visa allows you to participate in religious work in a non-pastoral role or religious order and is valid for up to 24 months.

The Government Authorised Exchange Visa will allow you to stay in the UK for 12 or 24 months under a government-approved exchange program to do any of the following:

• Take a training
• Gain work experience
• Conduct research or participate in a fellowship program
• Take an overseas government language program.

With an International Agreement Visa, you can take up a contract covered by international law or treaty. Your job can include working as:

• A private servant in a diplomatic household for up to 2 years (you can extend your visa for 3 more years).
• An employee of an overseas government or an international organisation for up to 2 years.

The UK work visas have general eligibility requirements you must meet before submitting an application.  First, you must already have a job offer. Your employer must have a sponsor licence and issue you a certificate of sponsorship, which you will use in your application.

Other requirements include:

• Have a valid passport or travel document
• Meet the English language requirement
• Be qualified for the job you’re applying for
• Have a clean criminal record
• Prove that you can support yourself financially in the UK by having at least £1,270.
• Show proof of accommodation

Keep in mind that you must also satisfy the individual requirements for each visa work visa for your application to be approved.

Here are the visa application fees for the UK work visas

Besides the visa application fees, you may be required to pay an immigration health surcharge fee of £1035 per year, depending on your type of visa.

You may also pay fees for English proficiency tests, consular services, and legal services.

Your work visa application will typically take 3 weeks to process in Turkey. However, it may take longer due to factors such as the volume of applications at the VAC, the accuracy of your information, and your personal circumstances.

The long-term work visas and certain temporary work visas can be extended. If you are on a visa that permits an extension, you must apply for one before your current permission to stay expires.