Tier 2 - General Work Visa - UK

Tier 2 (General) Visa Eligibility

To be eligible to apply to come to the United Kingdom under the Tier 2 - Skilled Worker visa, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:

1. Job offer - offered a skilled job in the UK.

2. Non-EEA Citizen - you are from outside the EEA and Switzerland.

3. Salary - prove that you are being paid a suitable salary. Usually you will need to be paid at least £30,000 per year or the ‘appropriate rate’ for the job you’re offered - whichever is higher.

4. Certificate of sponsorship - you have a valid certificate of sponsorship for your employment, from an authorized licensed sponsor

5. English Ability - To meet the English requirement, you must pass an approved English language test with at least CEFR level B1 in reading, writing, speaking and listening or having an academic qualification that was taught in English and is recognised by UK NARIC as being equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or PhD. Exceptions to the English language requirement apply if you are a national of a list of English-speaking countries, such as Australia or USA.

6. Personal Savings - you have personal savings (£945 in your bank account) so you can support yourself when you arrive in the UK.

7. Criminal Record certificate - provide police certificate from any country you have lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years.

What does a Licensed Sponsor do?

1. Your sponsor checks that you can do the job they’re hiring you for and if it qualifies you for a visa.

2. They will assign you a certificate of sponsorship to prove you can undertake the job.

3. Your Sponsor is also responsible for giving you your salary information, when you make your application.

What is a Certificate of Sponsorship?

A certificate of sponsorship is a register of your personal details and information about the job you have been offered. The Certificate is an electronic record, not a paper document. Your sponsor will give you a certificate of sponsorship reference number to add to your application.

You can only use your certificate of sponsorship reference number once. You must use it 3 months after it has been issued.

What can a Tier 2 - Work Visa applicant do in the UK?

• Work for their sponsor in the job described in their certificate of sponsorship
• They can do a second job in certain circumstances
• Do Voluntary work
• Study provided it does not interfere with the job you are sponsored for
• Travel overseas and return to the UK
• Include Family members in your visa application

How long can you stay in the UK, on a Tier 2 Work Visa?

• You can go to the UK with a Tier 2 (General) visa for a maximum of 5 years and 14 days, or the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 1 month, whichever is shorter
• You can start your stay up to 14 days before the start date on your certificate of sponsorship
• You can apply to extend the Work visa for up to another 5 years, as long as your total stay is not more than 6 years

What are the restrictions of the Tier 2 - General Work Visa?

1. You cannot own more than 10% of your sponsor’s shares (unless you earn more than £159,600 a year).

2. You cannot apply for a second job until you’ve started working for your sponsor.

3. You cannot get public funds.