GOV.UK says you must give six things when you apply for a Skilled Worker visa: your certificate of sponsorship reference number, proof of English, a valid passport or other identity document, your job title and salary, your job’s occupation code, and your employer’s name and sponsor licence number. You may need other documents too.
What documents must I give?
When you apply, you need to give:
- your certificate of sponsorship reference number, which your employer gives you
- proof of your knowledge of English
- a valid passport or other document that shows your identity and nationality
- your job title and yearly salary
- your job’s occupation code
- the name of your employer and their sponsor licence number, which is on your certificate of sponsorship
GOV.UK says to ask your employer for a copy if you do not have your certificate of sponsorship. For the English evidence, see Skilled Worker visa English language requirement. For the occupation code, see how to find your SOC code.
Might I need other documents?
Depending on your situation, you might be asked for these:
| Document | When you need it (GOV.UK) |
|---|---|
| Proof of personal savings, for example bank statements | To show you can support yourself in the UK, unless your certificate of sponsorship shows your employer can support you |
| Proof of your relationship with your partner or children | If they are applying with you |
| Tuberculosis test results | If you are from a listed country |
| Criminal record certificate | If you work in certain jobs |
| A valid ATAS certificate | If your employer tells you that you need one because your job involves researching a sensitive subject at PhD level or higher |
| Your UK PhD certificate, or your unique Ecctis reference number if your qualification is from outside the UK | GOV.UK gives no condition. For a qualification from outside the UK, it says you apply through Ecctis |
| A certified translation | If your documents are not in English or Welsh |
The tuberculosis rule is in SW 3.2. You need a valid medical certificate if Appendix Tuberculosis applies. The ATAS rule is in SW 6.3A.
How much money must I have?
The money rule is in SW 15.1 to SW 15.3.
| Your situation | Rule | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| You apply to stay in the UK, and on the day you apply you have been in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer | SW 15.1 | You meet the rule. You do not need to show funds |
| You apply for entry clearance, or you have been in the UK for less than 12 months | SW 15.2(a) | Funds of at least £1,270 |
| The same situation, with an A-rated sponsor who certifies maintenance | SW 15.2(b) | The sponsor certifies that it will, if necessary, maintain and accommodate you up to the end of your first month of employment, to an amount of at least £1,270 |
If SW 15.2(a) applies, you must show you have held the money for a 28-day period, as set out in Appendix Finance (SW 15.3). See Skilled Worker visa fees for the cost side.
Who needs a criminal record certificate?
GOV.UK says you need a criminal record certificate if you apply from outside the UK and you work in:
- education, for example teachers, education advisers and school inspectors, childminders, teaching assistants
- healthcare, for example nurses, doctors, paramedics, managers, pharmacists, dentists and dental nurses, ophthalmic opticians
- therapy, for example psychologists, speech and language therapists, counsellors
- social services, for example social workers, managers, probation officers, welfare and housing officers
If you have lived in more than one country, you might need a certificate from each country. It depends on your age and how long you stayed there:
- If you are under 28, you need a certificate from any country you have stayed in for a total of 12 months or more since you turned 18.
- If you are 28 or over, you need a certificate from any country you have stayed in over the last 10 years.
The rules say the same thing in more detail (SW 16.1). If you apply for entry clearance and are sponsored for a job in one of the SOC 2020 codes below, you must give a criminal record certificate. It must come from the relevant authority in any country where you have been for 12 months or more, continuously or in total. This covers the 10 years before you apply, and the time when you were aged 18 or over.
You do not need the certificate if you give a satisfactory explanation of why it is not reasonably practicable to get a certificate from any or all of the relevant authorities (SW 16.2).
| SOC 2020 code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 1171 | Health services and public health managers and directors |
| 1172 | Social services managers and directors |
| 1231 | Health care practice managers |
| 1232 | Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors |
| 1233 | Early education and childcare services proprietors |
| 2211 | Generalist medical practitioners |
| 2212 | Specialist medical practitioners |
| 2221 | Physiotherapists |
| 2222 | Occupational therapists |
| 2223 | Speech and language therapists |
| 2224 | Psychotherapists and cognitive behaviour therapists |
| 2225 | Clinical psychologists |
| 2226 | Other psychologists |
| 2229 | Therapy professionals not elsewhere classified |
| 2231 | Midwifery nurses |
| 2232 | Community nurses |
| 2233 | Specialist nurses |
| 2234 | Nurse practitioners |
| 2235 | Mental health nurses |
| 2236 | Children’s nurses |
| 2237 | Other nursing professionals |
| 2251 | Pharmacists |
| 2252 | Optometrists |
| 2253 | Dental practitioners |
| 2254 | Medical radiographers |
| 2255 | Paramedics |
| 2256 | Podiatrists |
| 2259 | Other health professionals not elsewhere classified |
| 2312 | Further education teaching professionals |
| 2313 | Secondary education teaching professionals |
| 2314 | Primary education teaching professionals |
| 2315 | Nursery education teaching professionals |
| 2316 | Special and additional needs education teaching professionals |
| 2317 | Teachers of English as a foreign language |
| 2319 | Teaching professionals not elsewhere classified |
| 2321 | Head teachers and principals |
| 2322 | Education managers |
| 2323 | Education advisers and school inspectors |
| 2324 | Early education and childcare services managers |
| 2329 | Other educational professionals not elsewhere classified |
| 2461 | Social workers |
| 2462 | Probation officers |
| 2464 | Youth work professionals |
| 2469 | Welfare professionals not elsewhere classified |
| 3211 | Dispensing opticians |
| 3212 | Pharmaceutical technicians |
| 3213 | Medical and dental technicians |
| 3214 | Complementary health associate professionals |
| 3219 | Health associate professionals not elsewhere classified |
| 3221 | Youth and community workers |
| 3222 | Child and early years officers |
| 3223 | Housing officers |
| 3224 | Counsellors |
| 3229 | Welfare and housing associate professionals not elsewhere classified |
| 3231 | Higher level teaching assistants |
| 3232 | Early education and childcare practitioners |
| 3433 | Fitness and wellbeing instructors |
| 3571 | Human resources and industrial relations officers |
| 6111 | Early education and childcare assistants |
| 6112 | Teaching assistants |
| 6113 | Educational support assistants |
| 6114 | Childminders |
| 6117 | Playworkers |
| 6131 | Nursing auxiliaries and assistants |
| 6132 | Ambulance staff (excluding paramedics) |
| 6133 | Dental nurses |
| 6134 | Houseparents and residential wardens |
| 6135 | Care workers and home carers |
| 6136 | Senior care workers |
If you work in healthcare, you might be able to apply for the Health and Care Worker visa instead.
Questions
What documents do I need for a Skilled Worker visa?
GOV.UK says you must give your certificate of sponsorship reference number, proof of English, a valid passport or other identity document, your job title and yearly salary, your job's occupation code, and your employer's name and sponsor licence number.
Do I need a criminal record certificate for a Skilled Worker visa?
GOV.UK says you need one if you apply from outside the UK and work in education, healthcare, therapy or social services. SW 16.1 lists the SOC 2020 codes that need one.
How much money must I show for a Skilled Worker visa?
At least £1,270, held for 28 days (SW 15.2 and SW 15.3). The other way to meet this rule is if your A-rated sponsor certifies that it will maintain and accommodate you up to the end of your first month of employment, to an amount of at least £1,270.
What if my documents are not in English?
GOV.UK says that if your documents are not in English or Welsh, you must also give a certified translation.
Sources
- Skilled Worker visa: documents you must provide (GOV.UK)
- Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Worker (GOV.UK)
Compiled by SWC Editorial Team from the sources above. An information summary, not immigration advice.