UK work visa from Jamaica: requirements, cost and how to apply

Do you need a TB test?

Not because you live in Jamaica. Jamaica is not on the GOV.UK list of countries where you need a TB test.

You still need a test if you’ve lived in a listed country (for example India, Pakistan or Nigeria) for 6 months or more and were living there within the last 6 months. Check the full list.

Do you need to prove your English?

No, if you’re one of the Jamaican citizens. Jamaica is on the GOV.UK list of countries whose citizens do not need to prove their English for a Skilled Worker visa. This depends on your nationality, not where you live.

Do you need a police certificate?

Only for some jobs. You need a criminal record certificate if you’re applying from outside the UK for one of 69 jobs in health, education or social care. You need one from each country where you’ve lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years, since you turned 18.

In Jamaica it’s called a Police Record Certificate. What GOV.UK says about getting one in Jamaica:

• Residents, non-residents, citizens and non-citizens can apply. Third party applicants are not welcomed.
• Local applicants send their documents to the specified address. Overseas applicants attend the Jamaican High Commission in person, then send the documents by recorded mail.
• You need two recent passport-sized photographs, a passport copy notarised at the High Commission for £20.00, and authenticated fingerprints from Scotland Yard or your regional police authority.
• You also need a covering letter with your full name, birth details, the date you left Jamaica, your last address there, the purpose, and where to send it.
• The charge is £38, paid by British postal order. Inside Jamaica it takes 2 weeks. For people living outside Jamaica it takes 6 to 8 weeks.

Check the details with the issuing office before you apply. Read the full GOV.UK section.

Where do you prove your identity?

After you apply online, you prove your identity. Depending on your passport, you either scan it with the UK Immigration: ID Check app or give your fingerprints and photo at a visa application centre. Jamaica has UK visa application centres. Book or find a centre in Jamaica.

How much does it cost?

The fees are the same wherever you apply from, and they are set in pounds.

For example, a 3-year visa costs £819 plus £3,105 for the healthcare surcharge: £3,924. Your partner and children pay too if they come with you. The fee is lower (£628) if your job is on the Immigration Salary List. All the fees.

How long does it take?

You’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks after you’ve applied online and proved your identity. Your visa can last up to 5 years, and you can extend it.

How to apply from Jamaica

1. Find a job with a UK employer on the licensed sponsor list. Check the job’s SOC code is eligible.
2. Get your certificate of sponsorship reference number from your employer.
3. If your job needs one, get a police certificate from each country you’ve lived in.
4. Apply online on GOV.UK: apply from outside the UK. Pay the fee and the healthcare surcharge.
5. Prove your identity with the ID Check app or at a visa application centre in Jamaica.

Not sure the Skilled Worker visa is right for you? Compare all UK work visas.