UK Work Visa . The UK is a very popular destination for people wanting to live and work in a new country. However, the UK’s immigration system is complex. Since 2008, most work-related visa applications, as well as many study visa applications, have been made through a five tier, points-based system which measures applicants against various criteria designed to assess their eligibility for a UK work or study visa.
Since 2010, the UK government has made it harder for workers from outside the European Economic Area to work in the UK. The main work visas currently open to new applicants are
Tier 1; High value migrants
- Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) For people with at least £50,000 to invest in the UK by taking over or setting up a UK business
- Tier 1 (Investor) For people who want to invest in the UK and have at least £1m to invest in a UK investment opportunity
- Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) For graduates of UK universities who are endorsed by their university. Limited to 2,000 a year.
- Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Only open to truly exceptional people working in the arts and sciences. Limited to 1,000 a year
Tier 2 Skilled workers
- Tier 2 (General) For workers who have an offer of skilled work and a certificate of sponsorship from a UK employer with a valid Tier 2 sponsorship licence. The job on offer must be one that cannot be filled by a worker already resident in the UK. Since 2011, there has been a cap of 20,700 visas that can be issue in this category every year
- Tier 2 (Intra company transfer) For employees of multinationals who are being transferred to the UK branch, Applicants must have a valid certificate of sponsorship from their employer. There are four sub-categories
- Long-term staff
- Short-term staff
- Graduate trainee
- Skills transfer
- Tier 2 (sportsman) For sportspeople of international calibre intending to stay in the UK for a lengthy period
- Tier 2 (minister of religion) For missionaries, monks, ministers of religion and the like
Tier 5 Temporary workers,
- Youth mobility scheme. If you are from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Monaco or Taiwan, you can come to the UK on a ‘working holiday’ visa and experience life in the UK while working to pay your way.
- Creative and sporting. Artists, performers and sportspeople of international calibre can come to work in the UK
- Charity and religious workers. For missionaries and unpaid charity workers
- Government authorised exchange. For people coming under government-approved schemes aimed at the sharing of knowledge, experience and best practice.
- International agreement. For people coming to the UK under contract to do work covered by international agreements, employments of international governments and private servants in diplomatic households
The UK immigration system is subject to frequent changes which makes navigating it a difficult and time-consuming process. You may have to wait months for your UK visa application to be processed by the UK Border Agency, or spend the whole day at a UK Border Agency office only to find that you do not have all the relevant documentation. We work with OISC registered advisers who can submit your UK visa application to the Home Office to be dealt with on the same day.
UK Study visa
Short-term study visa
The UK is a world leader in many areas of education including engineering, science, art and design, business and management, law and finance. The UK’s reputation and legacy as a world centre for scientific research makes it a magnet for some of the very best thinkers in the world.
UK Tier 4 (Child) student visa
You can apply for the UK Tier 4 (Child) student visa if you’re aged between 4 and 17 and you want to study in the UK.
UK Tier 4 (GE) student visa
You can apply for a Tier 4 (General) student visa to study in the UK if you’re 16 or over and you:
have been offered a place on a course
can speak, read, write and understand English
UK Work visa Tier 1 (Enterpreneur) Visa
You can apply for a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa if:
- you want to set up or run a business in the UK
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
- you meet the other eligibility requirements
UK Work visa Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Visa
You can apply for a Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa if you’ve been endorsed in your field in science, humanities, engineering, medicine, digital technology or the arts as:
a recognised leader (exceptional talent)
an emerging leader (exceptional promise)
You must also be from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.
UK Work visa Tier 1 (general) Visa
You can apply for a Tier 1 (Investor) visa if:
- you want to invest £2,000,000 or more in the UK
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
- you meet the other eligibility requirements
UK Work visa Tier 1 (Graduate Enterpreneur) Visa
You can apply for a Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa if you:
- are a graduate who has been officially endorsed as having a genuine and credible business idea
- are from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
- meet the other eligibility criteria
UK Work visa Tier 1 (Investor) Visa
You can apply for a Tier 1 (Investor) visa if:
- you want to invest £2,000,000 (Rs.19,77,29,784.85) or more in the UK
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
- you meet the other eligibility requirements
UK Work visa Tier 2 (general) Visa
You can apply for a Tier 2 (General) visa if:
- you’ve been offered a skilled job in the UK
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
UK Work visa Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) visa
You can apply for a Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) visa if:
- your overseas employer has offered you a role in a UK branch of the organisation
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
UK Work visa Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa
You can apply for a Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa if:
you’ve been offered a job within a faith community (eg as a minister of religion, missionary, or member of a religious order) in the UK
you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
UK Work visa Tier 2 (Sportsperson) visa
You can apply for a Tier 2 (Sportsperson) visa if all of the following apply:
- you’re an elite sportsperson or qualified coach recognised by your sport’s governing body as internationally established at the highest level
- your sport’s governing body is endorsing your application
- your employment will develop your sport in the UK at the highest level
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
UK Work visa Tier 2 Priority Service
You can get a decision on your visa within 10 working days if you apply to extend or switch to a tier 2 visa using the Tier 2 Priority Service.
You can only use this service if you’re in the UK.
You can use the service for the following visas:
- Tier 2 (General)
- Tier 2 (Minister of religion)
- Tier 2 (Sportsperson)
- Tier 2 (Intra company transfer)
UK Work visa Tier 5 (Temporary Worker – Charity Worker) visa
You can apply for a Tier 5 (Temporary Worker – Charity Worker) visa if:
- you want to do unpaid voluntary work for a charity
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
UK Work visa Tier 5 (Temporary Worker – Creative and sporting) visa
You can apply for a Tier 5 (Temporary Worker – Creative and sporting) visa if:
- you’ve been offered work as a sports person or creative worker
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
A creative worker is someone who works in the creative industry, eg an actor, dancer, musician or film crew member.
UK Work visa Tier 5 (Temporary Worker – Government Authorised Exchange) visa
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UK Work visa Tier 5 (Temporary Worker – International Agreement) visa
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UK Work visa Tier 5 (Temporary Worker – Religious Worker) visa
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UK Work visa Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) visa
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