UK Skilled Worker Visa

The Skilled Worker visa UK is a type of UK Work visa designed to allow foreign nationals who are professionals in their field of work to enter the UK and work for their employers. Turkish citizens applying for the Skilled Worker visa must be skilled at undergraduate level or above in an eligible occupation.

This Skilled Worker visa is a long-term visa which typically allows its holder to enter the UK and work for a licensed employer for up to 5 years. However, the duration of the work you will do for your employer is largely determined by what is stated on your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).

Before you apply for a UK Skilled Worker visa, you must first obtain a job offer from your sponsoring employer and also meet the eligibility criteria to work for the employer in the UK. Your family members (dependents) can join you on this visa, provided they meet the requirements.

After working for your employer for 5 years, you may qualify to obtain ILR status in the UK. It will take you a further 12-month stay in the UK to apply for British citizenship after obtaining the ILR status.

July Changes to Skilled Worker Visa

On 22 July, a number of changes were made to the Skilled Worker visa as part of the new Immigration White Paper plans for the UK. These include the following:

• Raising the minimum skill level from RQF level 3 (equivalent to A-levels) to RQF level 6 (graduate level)
• Raising the minimum salary thresholds:
  • Standard Skilled Worker visa: from £38,700 to £41,700
  • If you have a PhD relevant to the job: from £34,830 to £37,500
  • PhD STEM / Immigration Salary List or New Entrant route: from £30,960 to £33,400
  • Transitional arrangements for those granted on the route prior to 4 April 2024 – minimum general threshold for those extending or making change of employment applications increasing from £29,000 to £31,300
• A new Temporary Shortage List will be introduced with around 60 critical roles set at RQF level 3-5. Candidates on this route will not be able to bring dependents with them or benefit from visa fee discounts
  • Additionally, these roles will be time-limited until the end of 2026 and will only remain if the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) give their recommendation to do so
  • The Immigration Salary List will still remain in place but be phased out by December 2026

More changes are expected to come throughout the year, so keep checking back with Total Law to stay informed of latest developments.

Page Contents

• What Is a Skilled Worker Visa in the UK?
• Eligibility Requirements for Skilled Worker Visa UK
• Required Documents
• Your Job Requirements
• Minimum Salary Requirements
• Knowledge of English Requirements
• How Long You Can Stay in the UK on a Skilled Worker Visa
• How to Apply for a Skilled Worker Visa
• How Long It Takes to Get a Skilled Worker Visa
• How Much Skilled Worker Visa Costs
• What You Can and Cannot Do
• How Can Total Law Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

Turkish citizens applying for a Skilled Worker visa UK must submit several documents to support their application and meet other eligibility requirements to obtain the visa. The eligibility criteria include that:

• You must be skilled in your job role which is equivalent to an undergraduate degree (RQF Level 6)
• You must fulfil the English language requirements
• The job role you are being employed for must be included in the list of eligible occupations
• You should receive a job offer from a UK employer
• You must have received a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from your employer
• You should have at least £1,270 in your bank account to prove you can meet your financial needs while in the UK
• Your UK employer must be approved by the Home Office and included in the list of licensed employers
• You should meet the minimum salary.

As a Turkish citizen, your UK employer must be licensed and has to issue you a valid job offer before you can obtain a Skilled Worker visa. Furthermore, this job offer needs to come from an A-rated company included in the list of Home Office-approved employers licensed to sponsor foreign nationals to work in the UK in positions that fall under the list of eligible jobs.

You must also receive the minimum salary for the work you do from your employer. The amount of money you are paid depends on the kind of work you do.

You cannot apply to a Turkish citizen unless your UK employer issues you a valid Certificate of Sponsorship.

Turkish citizens must meet the salary requirement before they can obtain a UK Skilled Worker visa. You must be paid a minimum salary of £41,700 but this does not include social and healthcare visa routes. However, you may even qualify for a UK Work visa on a lower salary.

You may be paid by your employer if:

• Your position is listed as a shortage occupation
• You have a PhD degree in a field that is directly related to your work such as Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM)
• You are a recent graduate, under 26 years old, or in professional training

You must be proficient in the English language by speaking, reading, writing and understanding it. To prove this, Turkish citizens must have at least level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.

Therefore, you need to do the following to prove you’re proficient in the English language. Prove it by:

• Possessing a degree or other academic qualifications taught in English
• Passing an English language test
• Passing a Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) English test from an authorised test centre. Have a minimum of B1 in writing, reading, speaking, and understanding the English language
• Having academic qualifications

The only group of people exempt from meeting the UK English test requirement include:

• People from English-speaking countries
• Individuals who have passed English language assessment approved by a relevant authority in their field of work

The UK Skilled Worker visa typically lasts for 5 years. You may apply to extend this visa when it’s about to expire or get a new one if you want to switch jobs or employers.

If You Want to Stay Longer in the UK

Provided you still meet the eligibility criteria of your UK Skilled Worker visa, you are free to apply for as many visa extensions as you would like. Also to stay longer in the UK, you may apply for ILR or settlement, after residing in the country for 5 years.

Before you apply online for your Skilled Worker visa, you must have received a valid job offer and Certificate of Sponsorship from your UK employer. Apply by:

• Checking if you are qualified for the visa
• Getting a job offer from an employer who is approved by the UKVI
• Getting a Certificate of Sponsorship from your UK employer
• Proving your eligibility for the Skilled Worker visa by gathering all the required documents
• Applying for a UK Skilled Worker visa online from Turkey after filling out the application form
• Scanning your document of identification with the UK Immigration: ID Check” app to show your identity or submit your fingerprints and photographs (biometric information)
• Uploading all required documents for your application
• Paying all needed fees, such as application fees, biometric fees, and health surcharge fees.

If you are applying to obtain a UK Skilled Worker visa from Turkey, you should await a decision on your application within 3 weeks. Note that in some cases there could be a delay in the processing time where:

• An applicant may have previously violated the UK immigration law
• An applicant is asked to submit more supporting documents
• Applications submitted at the application centre are too many, etc.

In light of these reasons for possible delays in your Skilled Worker visa application, it’s best to apply about 3 months before your expected date of entering the UK to start work.

Turkish citizens applying for a Skilled Worker visa must make some financial commitment to obtain the visa. The application fees are as follows:

• £819 for each applicant for a 3-year stay or less
• £1,618 for each applicant for more than a 3-year stay

For an extension of a visa, updating, or switching it, Turkish citizens need to pay:

• £943 for each applicant for a 3-year stay or less
• £1,865 for each applicant for more than a 3-year stay

If the job you are applying to do in the UK is on the immigration salary list, you and your dependents will pay lower fees:

• £1,235 for a stay period that exceeds 3 years
• £628 for a stay period which is up to 3 years

Turkish citizens holding a UK Skilled Worker visa are allowed to engage in some activities. They include:

• Study
• Engage in voluntary work
• Work on an eligible job
• Leave the UK and re-enter
• Apply for ILR after completing further qualifying requirements and spending a maximum of 5 years in the UK
• Get a second job (this depends on your situation)
• Get your family members (children and partner/spouse) to join you in the UK

You are not allowed to:

• Apply for the United Kingdom public funds
• Change jobs or employers unless you have requested to update your Skilled Worker visa