How Can I Get a Visa to Work in the UK?
Learning how you can acquire a visa to work within the UK can certainly be a lengthy process considering the level of research that goes into it. Thankfully, we’ve collected all the necessary information for our readers so, if you’re interested in getting a work visa for the UK, this page consists of absolutely every single bit of knowledge you’ll need to have in mind in order to go through with the entire process and eventually acquire your visa. 
It’s important to highlight before going into details that all citizens of EU/EFTA countries have the right to live and work in the UK without actually requiring a work visa. Non-EU/EFTA citizens, on the other hand, must have this visa if they wish to live and work in the UK.
There are also certain groups of people who are exempt from these UK work visa requirements and these include diplomats, overseas government ministers, members of overseas armed forces posted to the UK, and, finally, any officials who are working for the head of a state.
Eligibility for a UK Work Visa
To actually be eligible for a UK work visa, you’ll need to score points based on the UKs on system and it awards points based on the following criteria:
- Qualifications
- Sponsorship
- Language skills (English)
- Expected income
- Self-financing capability
Types of UK Work VISA
There are various different tiers of UK work visa that can be currently applied for such as:
Tier 1: Exceptional Talent
The tier 1 visa for exceptional talent applies to people renowned for their capabilities in fields such as science, engineering, medicine, technology, arts, and humanities. This visa lasts for up to five years with the option of extending it for another five years. This visa has to be endorsed by the UK Home Office and no more than a thousand of these are issued each year.
Tier 1: Entrepreneur
This visa is for ambitious individuals who’d like to set up and run their very own business in the UK. In order to be eligible for this visa, a person needs to have 50,000 pounds of investment funds at the very least and the visa itself lasts for a total of three years with a potential three-year extension afterwards.
Tier 1: Graduate Entrepreneur
This is yet another tier 1 visa for entrepreneurs but it applies to graduate individuals who’ve presented business ideas that have been endorsed by the UK Department of International Trade or a qualifying higher education institution within the UK. The length of this visa is a total of one year but it can be extended for another year.
Tier 1: Investor
This visa available for those who are willing to invest at least two million pounds within the UK. This visa is valid for a total of three years but can be extended for another two years afterwards.
Tier 2: General
The general tier 2 visa, as the name implies, applies for general personnel who’ve been offered a skill job with a salary that’s at least 25,000 pounds per year. Those applying for this visa need to be sponsored by a licensed organization that’s employing them and the visa lasts for up to six years.
Tier 2: Sportsperson
This particular tier 2 visa is for elite athletes or their renowned coaches who’ve been accredited, acknowledged, and endorsed by their nation’s national governing sports body. The validity of this visa is up to three years but there’s an option of extending it for another three years.
Tier 2: Intra-company Transfer
The Intra-company transfer tier 2 visa is a specific type of visa that can be offered by employers who have branches within the UK as well as outside of it. In order to be able to apply for this visa, the employer must provide the person with an offer to work in their UK branch and must sponsor their move and relocation. The length of this visa can be as little as six months or as long as nine years, varying based on how critical the offered position is.
Tier 2: Minister of Religion
The tier 2 visa for Minister of Religion applies to those people who’ve been offered a job and sponsor ship within the faith community. The length of this visa is up to a total of three years but there’s an option to extend it afterwards.
Tier 5: Temporary Worker
This tier 5 visa is for people who are coming to the UK for work on a temporary basis such as for sports, creative activities, religious endeavors, or perhaps as part of a government-authorized exchange. The length of this visa fluctuates between one to two years depending on the purpose.
Tier 5: Youth Mobility Scheme
The tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme visa is for individuals aged between 18 and 30 and are from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Hong Kong, South Korea, Monaco, or Taiwan and have 1,890 pounds available in savings. This visa can last for a total of two years.
For Students
Non-EU/EFTA students who are studying in the UK on a tier 4 student visa are permitted to work in the UK under this visa. This also applies to students who are under 18 who are allowed to work up to a total of 10 hours per week and are also able to take work placements.
How to Apply for a UK Work VISA
The process of actually applying for the visa itself for work in the UK is a relatively straightforward one. You can submit the application through any UK visa application center in your home country or you can also apply through the UK Office Visas and Immigration Service website.
There are various documents that you must submit based on the type of visa you’re applying for but the most essential documents that you must have on hand for the task are as follows:
- Valid passport / travel ID.
- English language capabilities certification.
- Proof of payment of healthcare surcharge.
- Proof of being able to support self financially.
The costs of applying for a UK work visa vary based on the type of visa itself and you can check the fees for your specific visa on the UK Visas and Immigration website.
Conclusion
Thankfully, the UK has an efficient, transparent immigration and visa process. From visa & immigration application to settling the logistics and many other tasks to help you get settled into your new destination – we cover it all! We are here to help anything you want to ease your relocation journey.
Moving to the UK soon? Find out more about life in the UK and what to expect in our UK country guide! Start your journey with Moovaz today!
