About United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is an island country located on the Northwestern coast of Europe. Its capital is London, which is one of the leading financial, commercial, and cultural hubs in the world. There are approximately 831,000 work opportunities available in the UK, with an average annual salary starting from 35,000 Euros.

International professionals can work in the UK by having a UK work visa. Eligible professionals can avail of the Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK.

Some interesting features about the UK- the country:

• The UK, in fact, is a collection of four countries, namely England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

• England is the largest country in the UK.

• London’s Heathrow is the biggest airport on the European continent.

• London, which is the capital of the UK, is its biggest city.

• The world’s largest inhabited castle is the Windsor Castle which is in the UK.

• Stonehenge, one of the oldest monuments on Planet Earth, is located in the UK.

• The UK has a cosmopolitan culture with a diverse population of people from all over the world congregating.

• The UK houses over 130 universities, with Cambridge and Oxford being the most prestigious ones.

• The currency of the UK, the Pound Sterling, is one of the strongest currencies in the world.

• After Germany and France, the United Kingdom is Europe’s third-largest economy.

• The biggest companies in the UK are AstraZeneca, British Petroleum, HSBC, and Unilever.

What is a UK Work Permit?

The UK work Permit is a pathway that attracts skilled workers globally, considering the UK is one of the most robust economies even after it exited from the EU and withstood the COVID-19 pandemic.

Know the features, processes, and methods relevant to work in the UK. Understand what it takes to secure a work visa and what possibilities exist for you to gain permanent residency in the UK. Here, we will explore more about the UK work visa and the pathways that allow you to get the opportunity to work in the UK.
 

Benefits of Working in the UK

It is a major decision to live in the UK and relocate to it. Before you apply for a work visa in the UK, know the reasons why a UK work visa is valuable.

• Access to NHS (National Health Scheme) - The UK’s high-standard healthcare system provides you with free or highly subsidized medication.

• Free education in schools - All legal residents in the UK can send their children to a public school which offers free education.

• Diversity in The UK – The UK has a multicultural society comprising of immigrants from various ethnicities, countries, faith, and languages. International professionals coming to welcome here find warmth and familiarity.

• Annual Leave - All UK full-time workers are eligible for an annual leave of 28 days per year. The country makes sure that all employees’ interests are protected.

• Easy access - It’s convenient to travel to the rest of Europe from the UK, particularly with budget airlines to take you around.

​
 

What Are the Different Types of Work Visas Available in the UK?

The UK offers several long-term visas and short-term visas for eligible international professionals. 

 

Long-Term UK Work Visas

Skilled Worker Visa

A Skilled Worker visa is for people intending to move to the UK and working in a job considered eligible by an approved employer there. This visa is a substitute for the earlier Tier 2 (General) Work Visa.

To Gain Eligibility for this Work Visa, you are required to:

• Work for a UK-based employer who receives approval from the UK Home Office.

• Get from your UK employer a sponsorship certificate with details about the job role that you have been offered

• Be working in a job that’s on the eligible occupations list

• Be earning a minimum salary appropriate to the type of work you are performing

• Be able to speak, read, write, and understand English on the CEFR scale at a B1 level

The visa is valid for 5 years, after which it can be extended. You can even apply to settle permanently in the UK.
 

Health and Care Worker Visa

With this visa, medical professionals can enter and stay in the UK and work in occupations deemed eligible by the NHS or by being a supplier for it, or in adult social care.

To Gain Eligibility for this Work Visa, you need to:

• Be a trained nurse, health professional, adult social care professional, or doctor

• Work for a UK-based employer that has got approval from the Home Office

• Work in a health or a social care job is counted by the UK government as eligible

• Have a certificate of sponsorship from your UK employer with the job profile you have in the UK

• Be paid a minimum salary appropriate to the kind of work you are doing

You need to get a valid job offer before you apply for the visa. The visa is valid for 5 years, after which you can extend it. You may even apply to settle permanently in the UK.
 

Intra-Company Visas

This work visa is convenient if you are planning to stay in the UK and are employed in a job your employer deems eligible. This visa could be either of the two given below:

• Intra-company Transfer visa –It is for those individuals who arrive in the UK after being transferred to a role by their employers.

• Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa –It’s for those who enter the UK intending to take part in a graduate training program for a role as a specialist or manager.

To Gain Eligibility for this visa category, you have to:

• Be a company’s existing employee that’s got approval as a sponsor from the Home Office

• Have from your employer a sponsorship certificate with the job profile offered to you in the UK

• Be working in a job that is on the eligible occupations list

• Get a minimum salary of £41,500 for an Intra-company Transfer visa or a minimum of £23,000 if it is an Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa

The Shortest Duration of the Intra-Company Transfer Visa is as Follows:

• Five years

• 14 days more than the time specified on your sponsorship certificate

• the period of time that allows you the maximum total stay

The Shortest Duration of an Intra-Company Graduate Trainee Visa is as Follows:

• 12 months

• 14 days more than the time specified on your sponsorship certificate

• the time you are allowed the maximum total stay

• Short-Term UK Work Visas
   

Short Term UK Work Visas

Temporary Work – Charity Worker Visa

You are eligible for this visa if you intend to do unpaid work of a voluntary nature for a charitable trust in the UK.
 

Temporary Work – Creative Worker Visa

This visa is given to you if you have a job offer as a creative worker in the UK.
 

Temporary Work – Government Authorized Exchange Visa

The eligibility requirements of a Temporary Work – Government Authorized Exchange Visa are:

• You have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship

• The role you are planning to undertake meets the requirements of an approved Government Authorized Exchange scheme;

• The role does not fill a vacancy in the UK workforce;

• The role appears in Table 1 or Table 2 of Appendix Skilled Occupations

• You have adequate funds to support yourself in the UK;

• Duly filled application form

• You have provided a valid TB certificate

Temporary Work – International Agreement Visa

You are qualified to apply for this work visa if you are available for a contract to work in a job-protected by international law/accord while staying in the UK. For example:  

• Employed in a diplomatic household as a private servant

• Employed for an overseas government

• Performing a service in a contract as an independent professional or a service supplier

Youth Mobility Scheme Visa

The eligibility requirements for Youth Mobility Scheme Visa are:

• Aged in the range of 18 to 30

• Intending to stay and work in the UK for up to two years

• A native of specific countries, including Australia, or have a specific type of British nationality fulfill other criteria

This visa allows you to stay and work in the UK for a period not exceeding 24 months.
 

Graduate Visa

This visa allows you to stay and work in the UK for a minimum of two years after successfully concluding a course in the country. The eligibility requirements for the Graduate visa are:

You need to be in the UK to apply for this work visa. Apart from that, it would help if you met the following conditions:

• You are the current holder of a student visa or a Tier 4 (General) student visa

• you have obtained a bachelor’s/master’s/other qualified degrees from the UK for a time equivalent to your student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa

• The provider of your education (university/college) has confirmed that you have successfully completed your course of study

The visa is eligible for two years. It will be valid for three years if you have a Ph.D. or any other doctoral qualifications. These visas are not extensible. To increase your stay, you need to switch to another visa type.