The United Kingdom has a reputation as a nation at the forefront of many industries, but due to a variety of factors, it has developed an increasing skills gap across multiple sectors. Although governments have implemented new training programmes such as the revamped apprenticeship service to tackle the issue, training young people takes time, which is a disadvantage to organisations in sectors like bio-engineering or information technology.
As a means of providing additional help to those sectors as well as others such as the hospitality or education industries the U.K. government included employees in many sectors within the scope of the Skilled Worker Visa which allows U.K. organisations to recruit employees from other countries to live and work in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Application Process of Sponsor Licence
You can submit an online application for a licence by utilising the Sponsor Management System (SMS), which may be found on the website of the Home Office.
You will be provided with a user ID and a password, both of which are required to access the system. When you are first issued your ID, you should be sure to save a duplicate of it since you will not be able to get it again. Once you have signed into the account, you can begin your application.
After you have completed the form and paid the associated fee, you have five business days to send any supporting documentation to the Home Office through regular mail.
Skilled Worker Visa Application Process for Employees
The applicant will be required to submit an application online together with all necessary supporting papers, and pay the applicable fee in order to be considered for a Skilled Worker visa. In addition, the applicant will need to meet certain requirements.
After the candidate has been given their Certificate of Sponsorship, they have three months to submit an application for sponsorship using an online system. They will need a reference number that is on each certificate in order to apply for it.
Additionally, they will need to attend a visit at a visa application facility in order to register their biometric information and submit a variety of supporting papers in order to get a visa.
If they are requesting authorization to work as a skilled worker in the UK from inside the country, you may either request an extension or request a change to your status.
Documents Needed
These are the documents needed to apply for a Skilled Worker Visa:
- The Certificate of Sponsorship reference number, which has been given by the sponsoring entity.
- The name of the sponsor and their sponsorship licence number that you can find on your sponsorship certificate.
- Verification of work position
- Request for verification of the yearly remuneration for the position.
- Evidence of English language competence.
- Having an English-taught degree from an accredited university.
- A passport that is still valid or another proof proving your nationality and identity.
- The name code for your line of work.
The worker’s UK sponsor must first provide a legitimate Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) before they can submit your application for a visa. This document proves that the applicant meets the requirements for sponsorship eligibility in both the individual and the job.
The skilled worker visa applicant must submit the Certificate of Sponsorship, or CoS, along with their application to the Home Office. Only authorised sponsors are permitted to provide Certificates of Sponsorship.
If certain requirements are satisfied, it is sometimes feasible to apply from inside the UK and “switch into” the skilled worker route. The criteria will be mostly based on the kind of visa the applicant is attempting to replace.
For instance, individuals on student visas must typically finish their coursework before switching to a skilled worker visa, except their employment begins after the course has been finished or they have been enrolled in a PhD programme for at least 24 months.
Switchers must still satisfy all standards for skilled worker eligibility. A valid employment offer and a current certificate of sponsorship are important to keep in mind, but they do not guarantee the successful issue of a skilled worker visa. The prospective employee must still satisfy all other relevant standards. The Home Office will also take into consideration any general grounds for refusal, such as any relevant criminal history or past immigration offences.
Associated Fees
The cost of the application to become a sponsor are £536 for a small company or nonprofit organisation and £1,476 for a medium-sized or big corporation.
The visa application fee must be paid by the applicant; the amount due is determined by a number of variables, including whether the job is on a shortage occupation list. The same fees apply to any dependents who apply with the primary visa applicant. Workers must show they have the money to satisfy the following conditions when requesting a visa for skilled workers. You must pay the application fee, which may cost between £625 and £1,423 overall, depending on your unique situation.
The healthcare costs, which are normally estimated to cost £624 annually, must be paid. You’ll usually need to have at least £1,270 available to support yourself after you’ve relocated to the UK (unless you’re exempt from this need). You will have to pay less for your application if your job is on the shortage occupation list. The amount of the needed payment will be sent to you after your application is submitted.
While is possible for both an employer and the prospective employee to complete their application independently, the process can be complex for all parties. As such, it is often worth contacting the services of a legal practitioner with experience in the field of immigration law. This will help to ensure that both the employer and employee avoid any unforeseen issues with their application, meaning they are able to focus on the recruitment and onboarding process instead.
