UK Work Visa 2026: Routes, Requirements, Fees and Timeline

By the SettleBuddy editorial teamUpdated 13 October 202611 min read

There is no single "UK work visa". There are more than twenty routes, and the right one depends on whether you have a job offer, what the job pays and what you studied. This guide compares the main routes side by side and then walks through the Skilled Worker visa, the one most people use, with every figure taken from GOV.UK on 13 October 2026.

Quick answer

Most people who move to the UK for a job use the Skilled Worker visa. You need a job offer from a Home Office-approved employer, a certificate of sponsorship, an eligible occupation and a salary of at least £41,700 a year or the going rate for the job, whichever is higher. New applicants must prove English at level B2. From outside the UK the application fee is £819 for a stay of up to 3 years or £1,618 for longer, plus the healthcare surcharge of £1,035 a year and £1,270 in savings unless your employer covers it. A decision usually takes 3 weeks from outside the UK. No job offer? The Graduate, High Potential Individual, Youth Mobility Scheme and Global Talent visas do not require one.

The Blue Bridge in St James's Park, London, with government buildings behind — St James's Park, London. Photo: Domob / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).

UK work visa routes compared

The table lists the routes most people choose between. Fees are per person and exclude the healthcare surcharge.

Visa	Job offer needed?	Key requirement	Application fee	How long it lasts
Skilled Worker	Yes, from an approved sponsor	£41,700 a year or the going rate, whichever is higher; English at B2	£819 (up to 3 years) or £1,618 (more than 3 years) from outside the UK	Up to 5 years, renewable
Health and Care Worker	Yes, NHS, an NHS supplier or adult social care	Eligible health or care job; salary from £25,000 depending on the role	£324 (up to 3 years) or £628 (more than 3 years)	Up to 5 years, renewable
Scale-up Worker	Yes, from an approved scale-up business, for at least 6 months	£39,100 a year or the going rate, whichever is higher	£937	2 years, then 3-year extensions
Senior or Specialist Worker	You must already work for the employer overseas	£52,500 a year or the going rate, whichever is higher	£819 or £1,618 from outside the UK	Up to 5 years in any 6-year period, or 9 years in any 10 if you are paid £73,900 or more
Global Talent	No	An endorsement or an eligible prize in academia or research, arts and culture, or digital technology	£766	Up to 5 years at a time
High Potential Individual	No	A degree from an eligible non-UK university awarded in the last 5 years	£880, plus £252 for the Ecctis check	2 years (3 with a PhD), not renewable
Graduate	No	You are in the UK on a Student visa and have completed an eligible course	£937	2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026; 18 months from 1 January 2027; 3 years with a PhD
Youth Mobility Scheme	No	Aged 18 to 30 or 18 to 35 depending on nationality, with £2,530 in savings	£340	Up to 2 years
Seasonal Worker	Yes, through a sponsor	Horticulture or poultry work	£340	Up to 6 months for horticulture
Innovator Founder	No, you start a business	A new, innovative business idea endorsed by an approved body	£1,357 from outside the UK	3 years, renewable

Source: the GOV.UK guide for each visa, checked on 13 October 2026. GOV.UK lists further routes for creative, religious, charity and sports work and for staff sent to the UK by an overseas employer.

Which route fits your situation

You have a job offer from a UK employer. Skilled Worker, or Health and Care Worker if you are a doctor, nurse or health or adult social care professional. The Health and Care Worker visa is cheaper and you do not pay the healthcare surcharge.
Your current employer is sending you to its UK branch. Senior or Specialist Worker. If you earn less than £73,900 a year you must have worked for the employer outside the UK for at least 12 months.
You have just finished a degree in the UK. Graduate visa. You must apply from inside the UK before your Student visa expires.
You graduated from a top-ranked university outside the UK. High Potential Individual visa. You can only hold it once, and time on it does not count towards settlement.
You are under 30, or under 35 from some countries. Youth Mobility Scheme, if your nationality is on the eligibility list.
You are a recognised leader, or a potential one, in research, the arts or digital technology. Global Talent. It has no English language requirement and no minimum salary.

Skilled Worker visa requirements in 2026

To qualify for a Skilled Worker visa you must meet all of the following, according to GOV.UK:

An approved employer. The employer must hold a sponsor licence from the Home Office. An employer without one can apply; the licence fee is £611 for small businesses and charities or £1,682 for medium and large organisations, and an application usually takes around 8 weeks.
A certificate of sponsorship. This is an electronic record with a reference number, not a paper document. You must apply for the visa within 3 months of getting it.
An eligible job. Every job has a 4-digit occupation code. Jobs listed as "higher skilled" qualify. Jobs listed as "medium skilled" qualify only if they are on the immigration salary list or the temporary shortage list.
The minimum salary. The higher of £41,700 a year and the going rate for your occupation code.
English at level B2. You must be able to read, write, speak and understand English to level B2 on the CEFR scale.

When the salary can be lower than £41,700

GOV.UK lists five situations in which a Skilled Worker salary can be below the standard rate. In each case the job must still be eligible.

Situation	Minimum salary
The job is on the immigration salary list	At least £33,400 a year and at least the standard going rate
You are under 26, a student or recent graduate, or in professional training	70% of the going rate, and at least £33,400 a year
You hold a relevant STEM PhD	80% of the going rate, and at least £33,400 a year
You hold a relevant PhD in another subject	90% of the going rate, and at least £37,500 a year
You work in an eligible healthcare or education job	The national pay scale rate, and at least £25,000 a year

If you apply as someone under 26, a student, a recent graduate or a professional trainee, your total stay in the UK cannot be more than 4 years, and that includes time already spent on a Graduate visa. Our Skilled Worker salary threshold guide covers the going rates in more detail.

Proving your English

You can prove your English with a UK school qualification such as a GCSE or A level, a degree taught in English, or a Secure English Language Test from an approved provider. A degree from outside the UK needs an assessment from Ecctis. If you held a Skilled Worker visa before 8 January 2026 and are extending it, the level is B1 and you do not need to prove it again.

Nationals of some countries and territories, including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand and the USA, do not need to prove their English at all; GOV.UK publishes the full list. Doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives and vets who have passed an English assessment accepted by their professional regulator are also exempt.

How much a UK work visa costs

A Skilled Worker application has three costs, and each family member applying with you pays the first two as well.

Cost	Amount
Application fee, applying from outside the UK	£819 for up to 3 years; £1,618 for more than 3 years
Application fee, applying from inside the UK	£943 for up to 3 years; £1,865 for more than 3 years
Application fee if the job is on the immigration salary list	£628 for up to 3 years; £1,235 for more than 3 years
Healthcare surcharge	£1,035 a year; £776 a year for applicants under 18
Savings to support yourself	£1,270, held for at least 28 days in a row

A worked example from GOV.UK: a 2-year Skilled Worker visa applied for from outside the UK costs £819 plus £1,035 for each year of the healthcare surcharge, a total of £2,889. For a 3-year visa the surcharge alone is £3,105.

You do not need to show the £1,270 if you have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months, or if your employer confirms on the certificate of sponsorship that it will cover your costs for the first month. Day 28 of the savings period must fall within 31 days of the date you apply.

How to apply, step by step

Get a job offer from an approved sponsor. Check the employer on the GOV.UK register of licensed sponsors.
Ask for your occupation code and confirm the salary. Compare the offer with £41,700 and with the going rate for that code.
Receive your certificate of sponsorship. Your employer assigns it and sends you the reference number.
Prepare your documents. Passport, proof of English, job title, salary, occupation code, and the employer's name and sponsor licence number.
Apply online. You can apply up to 3 months before the start date on your certificate of sponsorship.
Prove your identity. Either scan your document with the UK Immigration: ID Check app or give fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre.
Wait for the decision. Usually 3 weeks from outside the UK or 8 weeks from inside. Do not book travel until you have it.

Depending on your situation you may also be asked for bank statements, tuberculosis test results if you are from a listed country, and a criminal record certificate if you will work in education, healthcare, therapy or social services. Documents that are not in English or Welsh need a certified translation.

How long a UK work visa takes

GOV.UK gives the same standard times for most work routes: a decision within 3 weeks if you apply from outside the UK and within 8 weeks if you apply from inside. The clock starts when you have applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents. You may be able to pay for a faster decision; you are told whether that is available when you apply. A Graduate visa decision usually takes 8 weeks, because you always apply from inside the UK.

What you get: the eVisa

The UK no longer issues physical residence cards for new visas. If your application succeeds you get an eVisa, a digital record of your identity, immigration status and conditions such as your right to work. You view it through a UK Visas and Immigration account, which is free to set up, and you generate a share code when an employer or landlord needs to check your status.

Bringing your partner and children

On a Skilled Worker visa your partner and children may be able to apply as your dependants. Each pays the application fee for the same length of visa as you, plus the healthcare surcharge. Tighter rules apply if you are a care worker, a senior care worker or in a job listed as medium skilled. Dependants also need their own savings: on routes such as Scale-up and High Potential Individual, GOV.UK sets these at £285 for a partner, £315 for one child and £200 for each additional child.

Staying longer and settling

A Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa can be extended as many times as you like while you still meet the requirements. After 5 years you may be able to apply to settle permanently, which is called indefinite leave to remain. Scale-up Worker also leads to settlement after 5 years, and Global Talent after 3 or 5 years depending on your field and how you applied. The Graduate and High Potential Individual visas cannot be extended; you would switch to another route such as Skilled Worker. See our guide to indefinite leave to remain.

Mistakes that get applications refused or delayed

Comparing the offer only with £41,700. If the going rate for your occupation code is higher, the going rate is the threshold. GOV.UK's own example: a £42,000 salary fails when the going rate is £45,000.
Letting the certificate of sponsorship lapse. You have 3 months from the date it is assigned.
Moving money too late. The £1,270 must sit in your account for 28 days in a row before you apply.
Changing job or employer without telling the Home Office. On a Skilled Worker visa you must apply to update your visa first.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a UK work visa without a job offer?

Yes, on some routes. The Graduate visa, the High Potential Individual visa, the Youth Mobility Scheme visa and the Global Talent visa do not require a job offer. Each has its own condition instead: a completed UK degree, a recent degree from an eligible non-UK university, an eligible nationality and age, or an endorsement in your field.

How much does a UK work visa cost in 2026?

A Skilled Worker visa applied for from outside the UK costs £819 for up to 3 years or £1,618 for more than 3 years, plus the healthcare surcharge of £1,035 a year. A 2-year visa therefore costs £2,889 in total. You also need £1,270 in savings unless your employer covers your first month.

What salary do I need for a UK Skilled Worker visa?

The higher of £41,700 a year and the going rate for your occupation code. Some applicants can be paid less, down to £33,400 a year, for example if the job is on the immigration salary list, or if they are under 26 or hold a relevant STEM PhD. Eligible healthcare and education jobs follow national pay scales, with a floor of £25,000.

How long does a UK work visa take to process?

Usually 3 weeks if you apply from outside the UK and 8 weeks if you apply from inside, counted from the point you have applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents. You can apply up to 3 months before your job start date.

What level of English do I need?

New Skilled Worker applicants need level B2 on the CEFR scale in reading, writing, speaking and understanding. People who held the visa before 8 January 2026 and are extending it need B1. Nationals of some English-speaking countries, including the USA, Canada and Australia, are exempt.

Does a UK work visa lead to permanent residence?

The Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker and Scale-up Worker visas can lead to indefinite leave to remain after 5 years if you meet the other requirements. Global Talent can lead to it after 3 or 5 years. Time on a High Potential Individual visa does not count towards settlement.

Is the Health and Care Worker visa cheaper than the Skilled Worker visa?

Yes. The Health and Care Worker application fee is £324 for up to 3 years or £628 for more than 3 years, compared with £819 or £1,618 for a Skilled Worker visa from outside the UK, and you do not pay the annual healthcare surcharge.

Sources (official only)

All figures verified against the GOV.UK pages above on 13 October 2026. Fees and thresholds change, so check the official page before you apply. Information, not legal advice.