UK Skilled Worker Visa

Who can apply

The visa is for people who have a firm job offer from a UK employer approved by the Home Office. The employer issues a certificate of sponsorship with details of the role, the job must appear on the list of eligible occupations, and the pay must meet a minimum salary that depends on the type of work and the date of the certificate. The offer must be in place before the application is made.

The Autumn Budget 2026 announced that from spring 2027 occupation-specific salary thresholds will be based on the 25th percentile of earnings instead of the median, while the general threshold is expected to rise in line with 2026 wage data. Applicants must be able to speak, read, write and understand English and will usually need to prove it. Income from savings, investments or clients outside the UK does not qualify anyone on its own, because the route depends on the sponsored job.

Costs and money you need

The standard application fee depends on where you apply and how long you will stay. From outside the UK it is £819 for up to 3 years and £1,618 for longer. From inside the UK it is £943 for up to 3 years and £1,865 for longer. Jobs on the immigration salary list carry lower fees of £628 and £1,235, whether you apply from inside or outside the UK. A partner or child pays the fee for the same length of time as the main applicant, even if they apply after the visa is granted.

The healthcare surcharge is usually £1,035 for each year of stay. You also need at least £1,270 in your bank account to support yourself on arrival. The money must have been available for 28 days in a row, and day 28 must fall within 31 days of the application date. You do not need to show it if you have held a valid UK visa for at least 12 months, or if your employer covers your costs for the first month in the UK, up to £1,270.

How to apply and how long it takes

Applications are made online, up to 3 months before the start date on the certificate of sponsorship. Applicants prove their identity either with the UKVI identity app or by giving fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre, and the application shows which applies. Some applicants have to travel to reach a centre, which may be in another country.

Once the application, identity proof and documents are in, a decision usually arrives within 3 weeks from outside the UK and within 8 weeks from inside the UK. A faster decision can be bought in some cases, and the application shows whether it is offered.

Length of stay and extensions

The visa can last up to 5 years before it must be extended. It can be extended as many times as the eligibility requirements are still met. Holders can work in the eligible job, study, travel abroad and return to the UK, and do unpaid voluntary work.

Family

Spouses, civil partners and partners in a relationship like a marriage of at least 2 years can apply as dependants, as can children under 18 and children over 18 who last held permission as a dependant child. Each person applies separately.

Dependants of workers in medium skilled jobs below RQF level 6 cannot apply unless the main applicant held Skilled Worker permission in a medium skilled role before 22 July 2025. A child born in the UK can still apply. Dependants applying from abroad must show funds of £285 for a partner, £315 for the first child and £200 for each further child, held for 28 days, unless they have lived in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer. Dependants from a listed country also need a tuberculosis test certificate.

Settlement

Under the rules on the official visa pages, a holder who has lived in the UK for 5 years may apply for indefinite leave to remain, which gives the right to live, work and study in the UK for as long as wanted and to apply for benefits where eligible. In November 2026 the government confirmed an earned settlement system that raises the standard qualifying period to 10 years. Five years stays available to applicants earning at least £50,271 in three of the preceding five years, and 3 years to those earning at least £125,141 in three of the preceding four. The announcement sets policy rather than the detailed rules, and implementation was expected to begin in December 2026 with rollout through 2027. There is no blanket exemption for workers already in the UK.