Skilled Worker visa
This procedure is for individuals who have a job offer for an eligible skilled role from a UK employer approved by the Home Office. You must meet specific requirements regarding salary, skills, and English language proficiency.
Specification reviewed on
Required documents
The list below is exhaustive. Each document is described as it must be submitted, including the most common errors that lead to rejection.
Identity
Passport or other identity document
You must provide a valid passport or another official document proving your identity and nationality. This document will be used to verify your identity during the application process.
Common errors
- The passport is expired or is not valid for the duration of the intended stay. The document provided does not prove both identity and nationality.
Proof of relationship (for partners and children)
For a partner, you must provide a marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate, or evidence of living together as a couple for at least two years. For a child, you must prove that they live with you (unless they are studying away from home) with documents such as bank statements or a letter from their school. For a child born in the United Kingdom, a full birth certificate is required.
Common errors
- The evidence of cohabitation for unmarried partners is deemed insufficient. For children, the documents do not prove the shared residential address.
Resources
Proof of financial resources
You must prove that you have at least £1,270 to support yourself. These funds must have been in your bank account for at least 28 consecutive days, and the statement must be dated no more than 31 days before the date of the application. You are exempt if your employer certifies your financial support on the Certificate of Sponsorship or if you have been legally residing in the UK for at least 12 months.
Common errors
- The account balance is below the required amount. The funds have not been held in the account for the 28 days preceding the application. The bank statement is too old.
Education
ATAS certificate (Academic Technology Approval Scheme)
This certificate is required if your employer informs you that your position involves research at PhD level or higher in a sensitive field. The certificate must be valid at the time of application.
Common errors
- Failure to provide this certificate when the nature of the research position requires it.
Doctorate degree (PhD) or Ecctis reference
This document is required if you are applying for a salary reduction based on a doctorate degree. You must provide either your UK PhD certificate or the unique reference number from Ecctis confirming the equivalency of your foreign degree.
Common errors
- Attempting to benefit from the salary reduction with a foreign degree without having obtained the equivalency assessment from Ecctis.
Other documents
Certificate of Sponsorship reference number
This is a reference number provided by your employer. The certificate is an electronic record, not a physical document. You must submit your visa application within 3 months of receiving this number. It contains essential information such as your job title, salary, occupation code, and your employer's name and licence number.
Common errors
- Submitting the application more than 3 months after the certificate's date of issue. The information contained in the certificate does not match the other documents in the application.
Proof of knowledge of the English language
You must demonstrate a command of English at B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). This can be proven by a UK degree, a university degree taught in English (with an equivalence assessment by Ecctis if obtained outside the UK), or by passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider. Certain nationalities and medical professions are exempt.
Common errors
- The language test provided is not a Home Office approved SELT. The level obtained is below the required B2 level. The foreign degree has not been validated by Ecctis.
Tuberculosis test results
This document is required if you are applying from a country on a specific list from the UK government. You must provide a certificate from a clinic approved by the Home Office, certifying that you are free from tuberculosis.
Common errors
- The test was carried out in a non-approved clinic. The certificate is expired at the time of application.
Criminal record certificate
Required if you are applying from outside the United Kingdom for a job in the education, health or social care sectors. If you are 28 or over, you must provide a certificate from each country where you have lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years. If you are under 28, the same rule applies for the period since you turned 18.
Common errors
- Forgetting to provide a certificate for one of the countries where you have resided. The document is not translated or does not come from the competent authority.
Certified translation
If one of your documents is not in either English or Welsh, it must be accompanied by a certified translation. The translation must be attached to the original document.
Common errors
- Providing a simple, non-certified translation. Failing to have a document translated that is not in English or Welsh.
Have your situation reviewed
Having the list does not indicate whether your situation will lead to a successful outcome. The questionnaire takes a few minutes and an adviser will send you a written opinion within one working day, whether your application is admissible or not.