UK Work Permit Visa - Requirements, Fees, Eligibility, Document Requirements
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UK Work Visa for Indians: Getting a work permit in the UK for Indians is a dream for many; however, realising this dream comes with many challenges. To get a work visa in the UK, one has to arrange for a sponsorship, meet the requirements, look for a potential employer who would help you to get a work visa in the UK and arrange the required amount of money required to prove that you will be available to survive in the UK for the next year.
A UK work visa allows you to go into the country and work with due permission. However “How to get a UK work visa for Indians” is the latest query on the internet today, owing to the benefits of working in the UK, more and more people are applying for a UK work permit. Although, there are a few things that you must note before starting to apply for a UK work visa.
In this article, we will solve all your queries about how to get a work visa in the UK for Indians, the requirements for getting a UK work visa, the application process and fees around the UK work visa for Indians and explore a few sponsoring options for your UK work visa.
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Who Needs a UK Work Visa?
You may be allowed to live and work in the UK even without having a visa if:
- You are a British citizen holding a British passport, or
- You are an eligible Commonwealth citizen, there are two clauses to it:
- You have the right of abode in the UK if your parents or spouse have the right to abode (right to live and work without needing a visa or going through immigration restrictions) in the UK.
- You belong to the Windrush Generation which enlists people who arrived in the UK before 1989, or people (and their children) who arrived in the UK before 1973 from a Commonwealth country.
If none of the above cases stand true to you then, you will be required to apply for a work visa to work and live in the UK. However, if you feel that you have the right of abode then, you must apply for a Certificate of Entitlement in the UK.
Choosing the Right UK Work Visa for You
Before beginning to find out how you must proceed to apply for a work visa in the UK, you must definitely be well-versed with the different types of work visas that you can avail of in the UK and what they cover.
Below we have briefly described all the work visas available in the UK and what they cover, do check out which visa will suit you the best according to your current situation and then you may proceed to apply for one.
There are two popular work visas in the UK, i.e. Health and Care Worker Visa and a Skilled Worker Visa. However, there are other categories of UK work visas too that may be awarded to you even if you do not have work experience, we will discuss each one by one below.
1. Health and Care Worker Visa in the UK
The Health and Care Worker Visa in the UK allows healthcare professionals to come to live and work with the NHS, NHS supplier or in adult social care. With this visa, you can live and work in the UK for a period of 5 years, however, this tenure can be extended on subsequent request. You will be required to apply for an extension or update your visa before its expiration date or if you change your job/employer in the UK.
The preliminary requirements of this visa are:
- You must be either a qualified doctor, nurse, other healthcare professional or an adult social care professional.
- You must work with a UK employer, approved by the UK Home Office.
- You must possess a “certificate of sponsorship” from your UK employer with a minimum required salary offered (minimum salary range differs according to your field and other parameters).
2. Skilled Worker Visa
A Skilled Worker Visa in the UK is a kind of work visa in the UK that allows you to live and work in the UK under an approved employer for a period of up to 5 years until extended or renewed.
It is to be noted here that the Skilled Worker Visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) Visa in the UK. This visa also allows you to work in the UK waters.
The following requirements must be met if you want before applying for a Skilled Worker Visa:
- To be employed with the UK Home Office-approved employer.
- The job you are going to work on must be listed on the list of eligible occupations in the UK.
- Your UK employer must provide you with a “Certificate of Sponsorship (COS)” containing the details of your employment.
- You must be getting paid the minimum required salary depending on your job.
3. Graduate Visa
A graduate visa in the UK allows you to stay and work for up to 2 years after the completion of your higher studies at one of the universities in the UK. The duration of this visa may last for 3 years if the applicant has completed their PhD or other doctoral education in the UK. While on this visa, the applicants can look for jobs, work on certain jobs, be self-employed, do voluntary work, live with their family (spouse and children) and even travel abroad and return. So, this means that a Graduate Visa allows you to live and work in the UK without having a job offer.
To be able to apply for the Graduate Visa, one must be present in the UK. You can apply for this visa only if you:
- Are in the UK
- Currently have a UK student visa or a Tier 4 (General) student visa and completed a UG, PG or other higher education in a university in the UK.
- Are given a “passed” status by your institution at the UK Home Office.
4. India Young Professionals Scheme Visa
Selected young Indian professionals aged between 18 to 30 years can apply for an India Young Professionals Scheme Visa if they are selected in the India Young Professionals Scheme Ballot. One must initiate their application process only if they get selected in the India Young Professionals Scheme Ballot.
This kind of UK work visa allows skilled Indian youth to live and work in the UK for a period of up to 2 years. The recipient can keep travelling to and from the UK during the time when their Youth Professionals Scheme Visa is still active and valid. The India Young Professionals Scheme Visa allows you to work in the UK even without having a job offer.
To be eligible to apply for this visa, one must:
- Be an Indian citizen aged 18 to 30 years old (at the time of application).
- Possess eligible qualifications.
- Have savings of £2,530.
5. Global Talent Visa
If you are aged 18 years or more and already a leader or a potential leader in fields of academia and research, arts and culture or digital technology then, you can apply for a Global Talent Visa to work in the UK.
You have to apply for an endorsement to prove that you are in a leadership position or a potential leader. Or, if you have won an eligible award, you can apply for the Global Talent Visa to work in the UK even without having an endorsement.
This UK work visa allows you to live and work in the UK for a period of 5 years.
6. High Potential Individual (HPI) Visa
This kind of UK work visa allows you to live and work in the UK for a period of 2 years given that you have been awarded a qualification in the last 5 years by an eligible institution. The tenure of this UK work visa may extend for up to 3 years if you possess a PhD or other doctoral degree.
While on an HPI Work Visa, one can look for jobs, work on certain jobs, be self-employed, do voluntary work, live in the UK with spouse and children, and travel to and from the UK.
However, this type of UK work visa doesn’t allow you to:
- Apply for permanent residence in the UK,
- Extend the visa duration
- Avail of public funds and/or State Pension
UK Work Visa Requirements
One must successfully fulfil all the requirements of their chosen UK work visa before applying and paying the fees for one! The necessary requirements for different UK work visas for Indian citizens have been mentioned in their designated sections above. However, one rather discussed requirement for getting a UK work visa is proficiency in the English language.
Since English is the major official language in the UK, the first and foremost requirement for all work visas in the UK is your ability to read, write, speak and comprehend the English language. For this reason, you will be required to present a minimum required score in any of the accepted standard tests of English language, IELTS or TOEFL.
How to Get a UK Work Visa for Indians?
Now UK work visa aspirants have great news as most of the UK work visas for Indians can be applied to by filling out an online form. To get a UK Work Visa application form online, one must visit the official link of their desired UK work visa for Indian citizens to live and work in the UK. some of these UK work visas can be availed even without having a sponsorship or job offers.
The UK work visa application process is simple and easy and varies based on the fact whether you are applying for a work visa from within the UK or outside the UK. Check out the simple steps on how to get a UK work visa from India below.
- Choose the most suitable UK work visa for yourself.
- Go through the eligibility requirements, if they match then visit the official link.
- Check the document requirement of your chosen UK work visa and then gather these documents within the stipulated timeframe of application, as signified by the UK government visas and immigration official website.
- Apply by filling out an online application, uploading the required documents and paying the application and other associated fees.
- Wait for the approval of your UK work visa application.
UK Work Visa Processing Time
The processing times of different UK work visas are given below.
| UK Work Visa Processing Time |
|
|---|---|
| Type of UK Work Visa |
Processing Period |
| Healthcare Worker Visa |
3 Weeks |
| Skilled Worker Visa |
|
| Graduate Visa |
8 Weeks |
| India Young Professionals Scheme Visa |
3 Weeks |
| Global Talent Visa |
|
| High Potential Individual (HPI) Visa |
|
UK Work Visa Fees and Financial Requirements
Each visa application in the UK comes with mandatory fees. However, applicants are also required to show proof of funds - enough to support their stay in the UK. Each work visa has a designated amount of funds that each applicant must possess, without which their application for a working visa in the UK may get rejected.
These minimum funds required under each type of UK work visa are given under the “Minimum Funds Require” column in the table below. The application fees for different work visas in the UK for Indians are given below.
| UK Work Visas Fees |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of UK Work Visa |
Fees |
Minimum Funds Required (unless exempted) |
| Healthcare Worker Visa |
Note:- The fees remain the same whether you apply from within or outside the UK. |
£1,270 |
| Skilled Worker Visa |
£719 to £1,639 - standard cost, varies based on your situation, job and employer + healthcare surcharge of £1,035 per year |
£1,270 |
| Graduate Visa |
£822 + healthcare surcharge of £1,035 for each year one is in the UK |
- |
| India Young Professionals Scheme Visa |
£298 + a health surcharge of £1,552 |
£2,530 in personal savings |
| Global Talent Visa |
£716 + health surcharge of £1,035 per year (both these amounts will be paid for each head separately if you are taking your family along with you) |
- |
| High Potential Individual (HPI) Visa |
£822 (application fee) + £210 for Ecctis for the verification of your qualifications (£252 - if you are applying for verification while staying within the UK) + health surcharge of £1,035 for each year you are in the UK |
£1,270 |
Income Tax in the UK
If you are living in the UK then, you will be required to pay a tax on your income. The “income” includes - pension, savings interest, wages and benefits. The tax is applied to your income provided above your personal allowance.
However, one is not supposed to pay UK income tax for short business trips or meetings in the UK.
Usually, the UK income tax is deducted from your taxable salary by your employer. But in case you have some other income source in the UK or are self-employed (or you work for yourself) then, you can apply for a Self-assessment Tax Return.
UK Work Visa for Indians FAQs
Q. Can I work in the UK with a visitor visa?
A. Yes, starting from 31 January 2024, people visiting the UK on a tourist visa will be able to engage in work-related activities such as meeting with probable clients or undertaking any remote work opportunity in the UK.
Q. What does a Tier 2 visa in the UK mean?
A. The main route for immigration of skilled workers in the UK, Tier-2 Visa (General) allows recipients to live and work in the UK given that they have been employed by a UKVI-approved employer in the UK.
The Tier 2 (General) UK work visa has now been replaced by the Skilled Worker visa and the visa allows its recipients to live and work in the UK for a period of 5 years.
Q. Is there any free UK work visa?
A. Yes, the British National (Overseas) Visa or the BNO work visa in the UK can be availed of for free and allows British Nationals (Overseas) to live and work in the UK with options to settle permanently at a later stage.
Q. Can I get a UK work visa from India?
A. Yes, there are several UK work visas for Indians that can be applied for from within India. However, the processing time and the visa application fee may vary when you are applying for a UK work visa from India. Several such UK work visas are the UK Health and Care Worker Visa, the Skilled Worker Visa and the India Young Professionals Scheme Visa.
Q. What is a British National (Overseas) Visa and what does it cover?
A. Someone who has been a British overseas territory’s citizen by connection with Hong Kong can be entitled as the British National (overseas), (BNO). A British National (Overseas) Visa allows BNOs and applicants from Hong Kong to come to live and work in the UK even without having a job offer.
This visa also opens ways to permanent residence after a period of years in the UK and the recipients also become eligible for benefits like certain public funds to support their living in the UK.
Q: How can I get admission in the University of Manchester?
The application process at the University of Manchester may vary depending on the course and level of study. However, here is the application process for UG and PG courses:
The Undergraduate Application Process:
Step 1: You can apply through the UCAS common application portal.
Step 2: Go to the website and select the course you are interested in.
Step 3: Ensure you meet the Entry requirements (Academic qualifications, English proficiency, etc.
Step 4: Once you decide on the course, submit documents such as SOP, Transcripts and personal statements.
Check out: tips to improve your SOP.
Step 5: You can track the application's progress through your given credentials by UCAS.
Step 6: Once the applicant submits the application to UCAS, it forwards to the University, and the admission teams carefully analyse the application document.
Step 7: The university will send you an offer letter once selected. Hence keep checking your UCAS portal for your application status.
The Postgraduate application process:
Step 1: Select the postgraduate course you are interested in from the University of Manchester.\
Step 2: Ensure you meet the entry requirements for the chosen program, as they vary depending on the course.
Step 3: Complete the online application by providing your personal information.
Step 4: Upload the required documents, such as Academic transcripts and proof of English language proficiency ( TOEFL/ IELTS). experience in your fields and references (depending on the course). You also may require Two LORs depending on the course.
To make your admission better, check out the following: How Admission Officers Evaluate your application.
Step 5: If your application is successful, you will receive an offer from the University of Manchester.
Q: Does the University of Essex require IELTS?
International students whose native language is not English must meet the University of Essex English language requirements to get admission. The university accepts IELTS scores as proof of English language proficiency. Mentioned below are the IELTS scores required for UG and PG admission at the university:
English Language Test | Score |
|---|---|
IELTS | Overall score of 5.5 to 8.0 with minimum of 5.5 to 7.5 in each section |
The university also accepts the score of other English language tests such as TOEFL and PTE for admission to undergraduate and graduate programs:
English Language Test | Score |
TOEFL iBT | Overall score of 72 to 114 |
PTE | Overall score of 59 to 84 with minimum of 59 to 80 in each section |
Also read: Required IELTS Score for UK Universities
Q: Is university of West of Scotland good for international students?
The University of the West of Scotland has five modern and diverse campuses in United Kingdom. The University has welcomed more than 3,000 international students which are representing 1/3 of the globe. They also have 130 European partners who are actively in global study and exchange options through the Commonwealth universities programmes. The University also offers study abroad opportunities for UWS who are eligible for the same and also have more than 20 transnational education partners worldwide which helps them deliver UWS Bachelors and Masters Degrees around the world.
Q: What rank is Wolverhampton University in UK?
The University of Wolverhampton is one of the best universities in the United Kingdom. The university is consistently ranked among the best universities nationally and globally. For nearly 200 years, the University of Wolverhampton has been consistently providing a quality of education to students and producing highly skilled graduates. The national rankings of the University of Wolverhampton are given below:
| Ranking Body | Ranking |
|---|---|
| The Guardian University Guide 2024 | #101 |
| The Complete University Guide 2024 | #117 |
Q: How good is the University of Chester (UK)?
University of Chester is surely a good option for international students mainly beacuse of a diverse range of excellent academic programs.Below are some reasons why University of Chester is good:
Academics: The University of Chester offers over 200 undergraduate, postgraduate, and research degree programs to international students. The University of Chester University offers undergraduate major and minor courses. Students can also pursue master’s or doctoral programs at the University of Chester University.
Location of the university - The University of is in a location where arts & culture, technology industry and entertainment industry providing endless internship. International Students have access to beaches, outdoor activities, live music/performances and attractions which makes their make campus life more enjoyable. The location gives University of Chester students an additional mark to study at University of Chester.
Ranking: Many global ranking sources like THE (Times Higher Education), etc., have ranked University of Chester among the top universities in the world since 2021. These bodies consistently rank it among the top universities in UK.
Fees: : The cost of attending University of Chester for Indian students can vary depending on several factors. Tuition fees for international students at University of Chester are typically higher than for Uk citizens. However, it is important that the tuition fee can change over time, and it is recommended to visit the official website to recheck the fees and accommodation. Indian students should also consider other costs such as housing, health insurance, meals and transportation attending University of Chester.
Q: Is IELTS requirement for Bedfordshire University?
International students whose first language is not English must meet the English language requirements. Students can submit their IELTS/TOEFL/PTE test score to meet the English language proficiency. Bedfordshire accepts overall IELTS score of 6.0 with minimum 5.5 in each element.
Q: How to prepare for UK 10th board exam 2025?
Those who are preparing for the UK Class 10 exam 2025 are recommended to follow the tips below.
- Know the exam pattern
- Make a proper time table as per the syllabus
- Solve previous year question papers
- Make short notes of important formulas and theorems
- Revise regularly
- Figure out weaker areas and learn them well
With proper planning and hard work, students can easily clear the UK 10th board exam.
Q: What are the English language requirements of Essex University?
Applicants whose native language is not English must meet the English language requirements of Essex University. The university accepts the test score of IELTS/TOEFL/PTE for admission to undergraduate and graduate programs. Mentioned below are the English language tests and their score for UG and PG admission:
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