Skilled Worker Visa for US citizens

There are similarities between the eligibility criteria for the old Tier 2 (General) Visa and the new Skilled Worker Visa, but there are a few important changes which you ought to be aware of.

Main eligibility criteria for the UK Skilled Worker Visa route for Americans:

• Must score at least 70 points on the points-based system
• Must have been offered a position in a UK company which holds a sponsorship licence
• Must have a unique Certificate of Sponsorship number, which should be given by your prospective employer
• Must meet a certain minimum salary threshold in line with the job role. (The absolute minimum salary threshold is £20,480
• The job offer needs to be a ‘genuine vacancy’
• The job needs to be at an appropriate skill level
• Must have enough money to financially support yourself (and any dependents)
• You must fulfil the specific genuineness requirement, therefore you must show you will only undertake your proposed role and will not engage in any additional employment while in the UK.

The job must be skilled to at least RQF level 3. This level refers to educational background and vocational work. You do not need to necessarily have a minimum educational qualification if you want to apply for the Skilled Worker Visa – the skill level is determined by the job itself.

You will need to provide the occupation code for your job in your application. Your employer in the UK must provide you with this number.

You will need to satisfy the UK Home Office that your job is a ‘genuine vacancy’. This means that the job requires the person to perform specific duties and responsibilities relating to the role and that the job meets the requirements of the job category.

The UK’s immigration system went through one of its biggest shake ups in decades in 2020. One of the main changes was the implementation of a point-based system. To be eligible for the Skilled Worker Visa, you must score at least 70 points on the system.

There are both mandatory points and tradeable points. You can accrue points through different measures such as your level of education, salary and through a shortage occupation job offer.

The mandatory points are as follows:

• 20 points: offer of a job from a UK company with a sponsorship licence
• 20 points: Job at the appropriate skill level
• 10 points: English-language ability at the level of B1

The most common way of meeting the 70-point threshold is through your salary. If your salary will be at least £25,600, you will accrue another 20 points to meet the 70-point threshold.

However, this is not the only way to reach the 70 points. The tradeable points are as follows:

• 0 points: A salary of at least £20,480 to £23,039 or at least 80% of the going rate for the profession (whichever is highest)
• 10 points: A salary of at least £23,040 to £25,599 or at least 90% of the going rate for the profession (whichever is highest)
• 20 points: A salary of £25,600 or above or at least the going rate for the profession (whichever is highest)
• 10 points: Job in a shortage occupation
• 10 points: PhD in a subject relevant to the job
• 20 points: PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job role

You will need to submit a portfolio of evidence to the UK Home Office to prove your eligibility for the Skilled Worker Visa.

The specific documents and information which you need to include will depend somewhat on your job role and your own unique circumstances.

Still, all applicants will need to provide the following information:

• Valid passport or other identity document
• Information about your job, including your job title, occupation code and the salary you will be earning
• Your unique certificate of sponsorship number
• Name of your UK employer and their sponsorship number
• Bank statements or other approved information which demonstrate you can financially support yourself in the UK
• Proof of the relationship between you and your family members/dependents if they will be joining you in the UK

What Do I Need to Know About the Financial Requirements?

You need to be able to prove that you can financially support yourself during your first month of residency in the UK and will not become a financial burden on the UK.

You must have at least £1,270 available to you and you must have held that money for at least 28 consecutive days, ending no later than 31 days before your application date.

It is possible for your employer (sponsor) in the UK to meet the maintenance cost. The employer must confirm in on your certificate of sponsorship that they will financially support you in these circumstances.

You must apply for the Skilled Worker Visa online and applications can be made from the United States, or inside the UK if you want to switch from an eligible visa.

You can apply for the visa up to three months before the date you are due to start your job in the UK. If you apply from America, you can expect to receive a decision within 3 weeks. However, if you are applying from inside the UK it can take up to eight weeks for your application to be processed.

The processing of your application could be delayed if the UK Home Office has any concerns with your application. For instance, you may be asked to verify certain documents or attend an immigration interview. This is why it is vitally important to ensure that your portfolio of evidence contains all relevant information and adheres to all necessary administrative standards.

The IAS can help you through the entire application process with our application package. With this service, one of our UK immigration lawyers will help you to formulate your application to the very highest standard.

We will pair you with an immigration lawyer who is experienced in UK immigration law. They will take the time to understand your own unique circumstances and will advise you on the information and documents which you will need to include in your application, and will help you to source the information too.

Once your portfolio of evidence has been prepared, they will complete your application form and submit your full application to the Home Office, accompanied by a letter of representation highlighting the merits of your case.

They will liaise with the UK authorities throughout the processing stage and will keep you informed on your application’s progress.

To find out more about how we can help you to secure your Skilled Worker Visa and enjoy a new life in the UK, please call us now on +1 844 290 6312.

The fees for this visa vary depending on the length of your contract, the job role and whether you are applying for the visa inside the UK or from America.

In addition to the standard application fee, you will also need to pay the annual immigration health surcharge. In most cases, you will need to pay £624 annually.

Yes, immediate family members and dependents will be able to join you in the UK on the basis of their relationship to you. Eligible family members include:

• Your spouse/civil partner or unmarried partner
• Your child who is under 18-years-old (including children who were born during your UK residency)
• Your child who is over 18-years old if they are currently in the UK as your dependent

Each family member will need to submit a separate application, pay the full application fee and go through the whole application process. They will need to provide evidence which proves their relationship to the Skilled Worker Visa applicant.

Also, either the family member or the Skilled Worker Visa applicant will need to be able to show that they can financially support themselves in the UK during the first month of residency:

• £285 for partner
• £315 for one child
• £200 for every other child

Yes, you can apply for an extension to your Skilled Worker Visa route if:

• You have the same job as when you applied for the original visa
• Your job is in the same occupation code
• You are working for the same employer who originally assigned your current certificate of sponsorship

You will need to provide the Home Office with certain information when you apply for the Skilled Worker Visa. It usually takes around eight weeks for an extension application to be processed.

The cost for an extension is as follows:

• £704 per person for an extension of up to three years
• £1,408 per person for an extension of more than three years