How to Get a UK Sponsorship Visa (Tier 2)
Skilled Worker Visa
The UK Tier 2 Skilled Worker Visa (formerly Tier 2 – General visa) is for workers who have been offered a job in the UK and have an employer willing to sponsor their visa application. Getting sponsorship in the UK is through a job offer for a position categorised as a ‘shortage occupation’ and the employer must complete the ‘resident labour market test’ to prove that a resident worker can’t fill the role.
The Tier 2 visa has four sub-categories:
- General — for those filling a gap in the workforce
- Minister of Religion — for those to be employed in a faith community
- Sportsperson — for those employed at a high level in sports
- Intra-Company Transfer — for those being transferred overseas by their current employer
While you are in the UK on a Tier 2 visa, you are only permitted to work for the employer who sponsored your visa application. If you leave the job for which you were sponsored, then you have to find another employer to sponsor you or leave the UK.
Is the Tier 2 sponsorship visa the right one for me?
Finding a sponsor for the Skilled Worker Visa (Tier 2) visa from outside the UK can be difficult unless you’re offered a job in a shortage occupation. If you are not in a shortage occupation and wish to apply for a visa from outside the UK, Tier 5 (Youth Mobility) could be a better option for you. In certain industries, a recruitment agency may be able to help you find a sponsor.
A UK visa through sponsorship is also a common route for working holidaymakers who wish to continue working for their current UK employer when their Tier 5 working holiday visa expires. Gaining sponsorship is generally easier when you’re already in the UK, as employers can meet you in person.
How Do I qualify for the Skilled Worker visa?
Skilled Worker Visa is points-based. You must score 70 points to qualify for UK sponsorship, including:
40 points for the job offered by an approved sponsor and the job is listed under shortage occupation
10 - 20 points for appropriate salary related to the profession
10 points for English language skills
10-20 points for a PhD education qualification / STEM subject relevant to the job
You must also be over 18 years old.
What is sponsorship certificate?
The sponsorship certificate is the responsibility of your sponsoring employer in the UK. It isn’t actually a paper certificate, but a digital certificate from which your employer will provide you with a reference number and other information such as the agreed-upon wage.
Your sponsor will need to be registered as a licensed sponsor with the UK Visas and Immigration and apply for a certificate of sponsorship for you. The certificate will act as an assurance that you intend to undertake a particular job.
Make sure you have made a final decision on intending to work for a potential employer before giving your personal information to them. Only one sponsor can assign a certificate to you, and once a sponsorship certificate is arranged you cannot be sponsored by any other employer for the period noted on the certificate.
If you get a sponsorship certificate, it does not guarantee that you will secure the Skilled Worker (Tier 2) visa. You must meet all the other requirements for this visa.
What are Shortage occupations?
If you are qualified for an occupation that is listed on the Skills Shortage List you will automatically receive 20 points for the Attributes section of the Skilled Worker visa application. You will still need a sponsorship certificate that shows you will be paid the appropriate wage. The Skills Shortage List includes specific job titles and currently includes certain engineering positions, medical practitioner positions, teaching positions, social worker positions and chef positions. You can view the current list on the official UK government website.
English language skills and maintenance funds
As with other UK visas, when you apply you will have to prove your English language skills and show that you have enough money to support yourself when you arrive. To score points for English, you have to pass the English language test (SELT) with an approved provider within 2 years before your visa application date.
If you come from a majority English-speaking country such as Australia you will automatically get the points.
When you apply for a Skilled Worker visa, you will also have to show that you have £800 at least £1,270 in personal savings (called ‘maintenance funds’) and that you have held these funds for a period of three months. The evidence you provide (such as original personal bank statements) must be dated no earlier than one month before the date of your application.
What happens if my sponsorship certificate becomes invalid?
Your sponsor is obligated to tell UK immigration if they no longer employ you or if there is a significant change in your job or salary. These circumstances may mean that your sponsored visa is not valid and you will no longer have permission to work in the UK.
If you have been approved for a Skilled Worker visa, you can apply to change employment, either within the same organisation or with a new organisation. The application will be treated as a new application and a new sponsorship certificate will be required from another licensed sponsor. However, having been sponsored already will give you and your new employer confidence that approval is very likely.
Table of Contents
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