UK work visa in 2026: how a foreigner can get one
The Skilled Worker visa and other routes: sponsors, the salary threshold, English at B2, fees, family and the road to indefinite leave to remain
| Key facts | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Main routes | Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, Senior or Specialist Worker, Global Talent |
| Who applies | a licensed sponsor issues a certificate of sponsorship, you apply for the visa |
| Salary | £41,700 a year (~$56,000) or the going rate for the job, whichever is higher; £33,400 (~$45,000) for new entrants and some listed jobs |
| English | level B2 since 8 January 2026 |
| Decision | about 3 weeks from outside the UK |
| Fees | visa from £819 (~$1,100) plus the £1,035 (~$1,400) healthcare surcharge a year |
| Settlement | indefinite leave to remain after 5 years, citizenship 12 months later |
Data checked: 15.10.2026
A UK work visa is tied to an employer with a sponsor licence. The employer issues an electronic certificate of sponsorship with the job and the salary, and you apply for the visa with it. The route is open to every nationality on the same terms: the salary threshold, English at B2 and the job level decide the outcome, not your passport.
We will work out online the investment or income your family needs and what the permit costs for each member.
UK work visas compared
| Visa | Who it is for | Main condition | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | graduate-level jobs | licensed sponsor, £41,700 or the going rate, English B2 | up to 5 years, renewable |
| Health and Care Worker | doctors, nurses and health professionals | an NHS or approved health employer, lower fee, no healthcare surcharge | up to 5 years |
| Senior or Specialist Worker | staff of an international group | transfer to the UK branch, salary from ~$70,000 | 5 years in any 6 |
| Global Talent | leaders and rising talent in science, digital technology and the arts | endorsement by a recognised body, no employer | up to 5 years |
| High Potential Individual | graduates of top-ranked universities from the last 5 years | a degree from a listed university, no job offer | 2 years, 3 for PhDs |
The Skilled Worker visa
The main route for professionals needs three things: an employer licensed by the Home Office, a job on the list of eligible occupations at graduate level, and a salary at the higher of £41,700 a year or the going rate for that occupation code. Jobs below graduate level qualify only when they appear on the immigration salary list or the temporary shortage list.
The lower threshold of £33,400 a year and 70% of the going rate applies to applicants under 26, recent UK graduates and people working towards a professional qualification, for up to 4 years in total. A relevant PhD lowers the going rate to 80% in science and technology jobs and 90% in others. The visa lasts up to 5 years and is renewable.
The Health and Care Worker visa
Doctors, nurses, paramedics and other professionals hired by the NHS, its suppliers or adult social care providers apply on this visa. The fee is lower than on the Skilled Worker visa, and neither the worker nor the family pays the healthcare surcharge. Overseas recruitment of care workers and senior care workers closed on 22 July 2025. Doctors and nurses register with the UK professional council before they start work.
Routes without a UK employer
The Global Talent visa suits recognised specialists in science, digital technology, arts and culture: a recognised body endorses you first, then you apply for up to 5 years and work for anyone. The High Potential Individual visa gives graduates of top-ranked universities 2 years, or 3 with a PhD, with no job offer. Both let you look for a job in the UK and switch to the Skilled Worker visa without leaving. Founders look at the Innovator Founder visa.
How to find a UK sponsor
Only a company with a sponsor licence can hire from abroad, and the Home Office publishes the register of licensed sponsors and updates it every day. Start there, with international companies and with sector job boards. A company without a licence applies first: the fee is £611 for small businesses and £1,682 for larger ones, and processing takes around 8 weeks.
Before you negotiate, check the occupation code and its going rate: an offer below it does not qualify, however strong the rest of the application. You use the certificate of sponsorship within 3 months, and apply no earlier than 3 months before the start date.
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Documents for a UK work visa
- a passport valid for the whole stay
- the certificate of sponsorship reference number
- an English test at B2 from an approved provider, or a degree taught in English and confirmed by the UK recognition service
- a bank statement showing £1,270 (about $1,700) held for 28 days in a row, unless the employer certifies maintenance for your first month
- a tuberculosis test certificate for citizens of listed countries, including India, Pakistan, Nigeria, China and Russia
- a criminal record certificate for jobs in health, education and social care
Documents not in English or Welsh go with a certified translation.
Step by step: from job offer to arrival
| Step | Timing |
|---|---|
| The employer gets a sponsor licence and assigns the certificate | days, or about 8 weeks without a licence |
| You take the English and tuberculosis tests | before you apply |
| Online application, visa fee and healthcare surcharge | within 3 months of the certificate |
| Biometrics or identity app, then the decision | about 3 weeks; priority service in 5 working days |
| Entry and your eVisa | no earlier than 3 months before the start date |
Status is digital: the eVisa sits in your UK Visas and Immigration account, and you share it with the employer and at the border. The healthcare surcharge is paid upfront for the whole visa.
Bringing your family
A spouse or partner and children under 18 join you at the start or later. Each pays the visa fee for the same length as you and the healthcare surcharge: £1,035 (about $1,400) a year for adults and £776 (about $1,050) for children. Your partner can work without restrictions. Family members also show savings unless the employer covers them.
Changing employer
The visa is tied to the employer and the job. A new employer assigns a new certificate, and you apply to update the visa before the new job starts. If your employer ends the job, the Home Office shortens the visa, often to 60 days, which is the window to find a new sponsor or switch visas.
Fees and timelines: what a UK work visa costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Skilled Worker visa up to 3 years, from outside the UK | £819 (~$1,100) |
| Skilled Worker visa over 3 years, from outside the UK | £1,618 (~$2,200) |
| Immigration salary list jobs | £628 up to 3 years, £1,235 over 3 years |
| Healthcare surcharge | £1,035 a year per adult, £776 per child |
| Savings | £1,270 for 28 days, unless the employer covers you |
| Certificate of sponsorship and Immigration Skills Charge | paid by the employer |
Applying from inside the UK costs more: £943 up to 3 years and £1,865 over 3 years. The healthcare surcharge is refunded if the visa is refused; the visa fee is not.
Support up to your UK work visa
UK applications turn on details: a salary below the going rate for the occupation code, a job at the wrong level, an English test from a provider that is not approved, savings held for less than 28 days. The visa fee is not refunded. We check the sponsor and its licence, match the occupation code and salary to the threshold, prepare the documents and plan the family's visas and the route to settlement.
Our consultant will quote the cost of support in the chat.
How to get your UK work visa approved the first time
- salary at or above both £41,700 and the going rate for your occupation code
- a graduate-level job, or a job on the immigration salary list
- a valid certificate from a licensed sponsor
- an English test from an approved provider at B2 or above
- savings held in full for 28 days in a row
- a tuberculosis certificate where your country is listed
- full disclosure of past refusals and immigration history
Administrative review corrects caseworker errors only and does not consider new documents, so we check the file before any fee is paid.
Path to settlement and citizenship
Indefinite leave to remain comes after 5 years on the Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa, with the Life in the UK test, English and no more than 180 days abroad in any 12 months. The government is preparing a reform that moves the standard qualifying period for most routes to 10 years, with reductions for high earners and other contributions. Citizenship follows 12 months after settlement, and the UK allows dual citizenship; details are on UK citizenship.
This topic in other countries
Work visas in other countries:
- US work visa in 2026
- Canada work visa in 2026
- Germany work visa
- Poland work visa in 2026
- China work visa in 2026
- Working holiday visas
More on this country:
- United Kingdom: all programmes and moving
- Taxes in the UK
- A second passport for UK citizens
- How to work abroad
FAQ
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