The change in skilled worker route visa has been a welcome one. It’s a blessing in disguise for the tier 2 Intra- Company Transfer visa immigrants as earlier if they had to switch from tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer to Tier 2 general they couldn’t do it from within the country. They had to wait another 12 months. This also made it impossible for them to settle in the UK or get Indefinite Leave to remain.
The sponsor licence with Intra-Company Transfers allowed the Human resource departments of an international corporation to shuffle employees within different branches located in different countries across the globe. This tier 2 licence is different from a tier 2 licence for a general visa for immigrants. They have different criteria and benefits as well.
The new points-based system came to effect on 1st January 2021. Under this new system, all people other than UK citizens are now equal. One thing that everyone was worried about was that the change in the RQF job level may have posed an issue but now the people already on this level can easily switch as the RQF level has been set at 3. People or migrants who have already been working on a tier 2 ICT visa can easily switch to a skilled worker route if they can find a sponsor and the minimum required salary.
Now let’s discuss what you need to have to be eligible for a skilled worker route:
- Be paid a minimum salary according to the one stipulated in the SOC code skill list
- You need to have a sponsor that has been approved by the Home Office that is which has been given a sponsor licence
- You will need to have a certificate of sponsorship from your employer before you can make this application
- You also need to provide all the details about the position you will be working in
- You also should have knowledge of English. You should know how to read, write and speak in the English language. You might have to give a test to prove your knowledge of English.
If your skilled worker route visa is approved then you can stay in the UK for about 5 years. The best part about this visa is that you can extend it as many times as you require. However, you need to re-apply if you change your job as that means a change in the sponsor but you can do that from within the UK. You can also apply for permanent settlement after 5 years.
Once you make the application it can take up to 3 to 8 weeks for you to get a reply. Generally, if you apply from within the country then it takes 7-8 weeks and if you apply from outside then it takes 3 weeks.
Now, you must be wondering what else can you do in the UK if you are given the skilled worker visa. You can, of course, work a job which is in the SOC list, you can also do voluntary work, you can study, you can also apply for permanent settlement in the UK once you have lived there for 5 years. This visa can also be extended.
However, living int he UK does not make you a UK citizen and hence you cannot make a claim for state pensions or any kind of public funds. Also, you cannot change your jobs or employer. You will have to re-apply for a visa with a new certificate of sponsorship if you want to change your job.
Hope this article helps you understand the skilled worker route a little better. For more information visit gov.uk.
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