Getting a Work Visa in the UK
Pursuing your career overseas can be an incredible opportunity that most people wouldn’t want to turn down. Being one of the most well-known immigration destinations, the UK undoubtedly remains a target location for people who wish to work and live in a new country. This is largely accounted for by how numerous companies provide different sponsorships for work permits, making it a viable place for people to study and further their job experiences.
Despite this, the immigration system of the UK can get quite restrictive since it measures applicants according to certain criteria that help assess their eligibility for a work visa in the country.
Securing a Work Permit
First things first, before working in the UK, you have to apply for a work permit. That being said, applying for a work permit directly by yourself isn’t feasible; your UK employer will have to do that for you instead. The length of your work permit will also depend on the kind of work you’re doing, as well as the type of permit granted to you. In the instance that you’ve already landed work in the UK and have been accepted, or if you possess a visa, but it is restricting you from working, then a work permit may be necessary.
Work permits are usually for the quality and highly skilled foreign workers who can contribute to the country’s productivity and growth. This includes investors, entrepreneurs, and plenty of other exceptional professions like engineers, doctors, scientists, innovators, and more.
Types of Work visas
Before getting a work visa in the UK, you first have to know various types of work visas suitable for long and short-term stays. The one that will be granted to you will depend on:
- Qualifications and Skills
- Pending job offer or sponsorship
- Kind of work
- Whether or not you’ll bring your family to the UK with you
That said, here are some of the main kinds of work visas that will help you understand which ones might fit your situation best.
Intra-company
These are visas most applicable if you’re a transferee since it allows you the option of staying or living in the UK and then also pursuing work at your employer’s branch in the UK. There’s also a visa designed for graduate trainees transferred as part of a program for specialist or managerial roles.
Health and Care Worker
This is a long-term visa particularly suited for medical professionals who seek to pursue an eligible job with the NHS in the UK. While it’s cheaper and doesn’t require any healthcare surcharge, it’s still worth checking if you pass all the eligibility criteria upon applying.
Skilled Worker
Skilled Worker visa holders can either stay or live in the UK alongside a qualifying role with an approved employer. It should be in an eligible occupation, where you’ll be paid a minimum salary specific to your line of work.
Why get a working visa?
The ultimate reason why a working visa is essential is that it is a mandatory requirement. You can’t work in the UK without a working visa. If you try working without the necessary requirements, you might be tagged as an illegal worker. So, a working visa is important if you are planning to work in the country.
There are situations where those who temporarily stay in the UK get a job that lasts longer than their temporary visa. If this is the case, you need to get a working visa or seek the help of an immigration lawyer so that you will know what to do.
Planning to get a working visa is just the first step in changing your life, including your family. If you have a working visa you can use to get a decent job, it’s possible for you to end up living in the UK, which is a very good thing given its economy. Just hire legal solution lawyers if you think you need help with your work and everything that comes with it.
Seeking the help of professionals
Despite all of this, traversing the UK’s complex immigration systems can get confusing. For this, you may want to consult immigration lawyers to ensure that you perfectly understand the rules and so that they can help walk you through different documents or other concerns that are otherwise difficult to do alone.
An immigration lawyer can help you with the documents you need in order to proceed with the application of a working visa. Although you can seek the help of your local government, it’s still best to have someone by your side to tell you the things to prepare and what to expect, especially if you are looking forward to staying in the UK for the long haul. Aside from your work visa, an immigration lawyer can also help you process the immigration application for your family in the future.
