Employment, Business and Investment

Skilled worker visa

A skilled worker visa allows you to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job with an approved employer.

You must be able to speak, read, write and understand English.  You’ll usually need to prove your knowledge of English when you apply.

Your visa can last for up to 5 years before you need to extend it.  You’ll need to apply to extend or update your visa when it expires or if you change jobs or employer.

After 5 years, you may be able to apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’).  This gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you’re eligible.

With a skilled worker visa you can:-

• work in an eligible job
• study
• bring your partner and children with you as your ‘dependants’, if they’re eligible
• take on additional work in certain circumstances
• do voluntary work
• travel abroad and return to the UK
• apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’) if you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years and meet the other eligibility requirements

You cannot:-

• apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension
• change jobs or employer unless you apply to update your visa

Other long-term work visas include:-

• Health and Care Worker visa
• Intra-company visas
• Minister of Religion visa
• International Sportsperson visa

Short-term work visas include:-

• Temporary Work – Charity Worker visa
• Temporary Work – Creative Worker visa
• Temporary Work – Government Authorised Exchange visa
• Temporary Work – International Agreement visa
• Temporary Work – Religious Worker visa
• Temporary Work – Seasonal Worker visa
• Youth Mobility Scheme visa
• Graduate visa

Representative of an overseas business visa

You can apply as a representative of an overseas business if you’re either:-

• the sole representative of an overseas business planning to set up either a UK branch or wholly owned subsidiary
• an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation posted on a long-term assignment to the UK

The visa lets you stay in the UK for an initial period of 3 years.

You may be able to extend your visa for another 2 years.

After you’ve been in the UK for 5 years, you can apply for permission to settle permanently in the UK.

You can:-

• work for your employer, full time
• bring your family (‘dependants’) with you to the UK
• apply to extend your visa
• apply to settle in the UK after you’ve been here for 5 years

You cannot:-

• work for yourself or any other business
• stay in the UK if the sole representative arrangement is ended by your employer
• switch to this visa from any other visa category
• get public funds

Other work visas include:-

• UK Ancestry visa
• British National (Overseas) visa
• Overseas Domestic Worker visa
• Turkish Businessperson visa
• Turkish Worker visa

Investor visa

You can apply for a Tier 1 (Investor) visa if:-

• you want to invest £2,000,000 or more in the UK
• you meet the other eligibility requirements

You can come to the UK with a Tier 1 (Investor) visa for a maximum of 3 years and 4 months.

You can apply to extend this visa for another 2 years.

You can:-

• work or study
• apply to settle after 2 years if you invest £10 million
• apply to settle after 3 years if you invest £5 million
• apply to settle after 5 years if you invest £2 million

You cannot:-

• work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach
• get public funds

Other investor, business development and talent visas include:-

• Innovator visa
• Start-up visa
• Global Talent visa
• Entrepreneur visa