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Private Medical Visa

You can apply for a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK in an eligible job with an employer licenced as a sponsor by the UK government.

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Can I apply for the UK Skilled Worker visa?

We can help you. It’s what we do.

Overview

You can apply for a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK in an eligible job with an employer licenced as a sponsor by the UK government. This UK work visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa. This category is for all foreign nationals who have been offered a skilled job to fill a gap in the workforce which cannot be filled by an already settled worker in the UK. There are a number of complex scenarios which should be discussed and explored in detail before you can apply.

You can apply for a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK in an eligible job with an employer licenced as a sponsor by the UK government. This UK work visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa. This category is for all foreign nationals who have been offered a skilled job to fill a gap in the workforce which cannot be filled by an already settled worker in the UK. There are a number of complex scenarios which should be discussed and explored in detail before you can apply.

International Sportspersons visa

This category is for highly skilled sportspersons who must be recognised by a governing body as an elite sports person or a sports coach. The applicant must demonstrate that their employment in the UK will encourage the sport to become more elite and prominent in the UK.

To apply for ILR you must have spent continuous period of 5 years in the UK and must have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months. You must also meet the English language requirement, pass the Life in the UK test and meet the salary threshold requirement of at least £35,800.

Indefinite leave to remain

The skilled worker visa lasts for up to five years. If you want to stay longer, you can apply to extend your, as long as you still meet the eligibility requirements. After five years, you may also be entitled to apply for indefinite leave to remain, which gives you the right to live, work and study in the UK for as long as you like. You must apply to extend or update your skilled work visa UK if you change jobs or employer.

To apply for ILR you must have spent continuous period of five years in the UK and must have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months. You must also meet the English language requirement, pass the Life in the UK test and meet the salary threshold requirement of at least £25,600 per year.

What is the Private Medical Visa?

The Private Medical Visa option is a sub-category under the UK Visitor Visa route, which allows visa nationals to enter the UK, typically for a period of 11 months, for medical reasons. This could vary from, coming to the UK to receive private medical treatment at a hospital or other medical facility, to receiving NHS treatment, provided that the care is being funded by your own government under a reciprocal healthcare agreement.  

Who can apply for the Private Medical Visa?

Under the Private Medical Visa, applicants who wish to apply may do so if they are receiving medical treatment in the UK. This can vary depending on the circumstance – whether you are looking to receive private medical treatment or to donate an organ – you will be required to provide a visa in advance of your travel plans.  

On the other hand, there are nationals from various countries internationally that will not usually require a visa to visit the UK for medical reasons – they are referred to as non-visa nationals. To see if this applies to you or not, we recommend checking the list of nationalities here, which outlines which nationalities do require entry clearance from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) prior to travelling as a visitor to the UK.  

What are the requirements?

To be eligible under this route, applicants will need to ensure that they satisfy the following criteria so that they can prove to UKVI that they are a ‘genuine visitor’. This means proving the following: 

  • You will be leaving the UK at the end of your stay. 
  • You do not plan to be living in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits. 
  • You do not intend to make the UK your main home. 
  • You are genuinely seeking entry for medical reasons. 
  • You will not be undertaking any prohibited activities during your visit to the UK. 
  • Evidence that you will be self-sufficient during your visit and won’t need to rely on public funding for the cost of your inward or return journey. 
  • If the cost of travel, maintenance and accommodation in the UK is to be covered by a third party, UKVI must be satisfied that a genuine personal or professional relationship exists between you and the person.  

Furthermore, for visitors coming to the UK to receive private medical treatment, they must be able to prove that they: 

  • Have a medical condition that requires private consultation or treatment in the UK. 
  • Have made the necessary arrangements for their consultations or treatment. 
  • Can prove that they have adequate money or funding in place to pay for the treatment. 
  • Intend to leave the UK once your treatment is completed, or when your visa expires.  
  • Are not a threat to public health if they have an infectious disease – for example, leprosy.  

What is the Private Medical Visa processing time?

Once you have successfully applied online, proved your identity, and provided the necessary documents, you’ll typically receive a decision on your visa within 3 weeks. Please note that depending on your country of residence, there may be options available to you in which you can get your visa decision faster – this is a process that we can advise you on.  

How long does a Private Medical Visa last?

Under the Private Medical Visa route, the applicant may remain in the UK for the duration of 6 months. However, if your visit for a medical treatment lasts longer than 6 months, then you may require a Standard Visitor visa regardless of your nationality.  

What are the fees for a Sponsor Licence?

As part of the sponsor licence application process, the employer will be required to complete the sponsor licence form – the fee for this will depend on the size of the organisation. Please see further for details. 

Generally, for a small business the sponsor licence fee will be £536. To meet this criteria, a company will typically meet two of the following in its financial year: 

  • A turnover of no more than £10.2 million. 
  • A balance sheet total of not more than £5.1 million. 
  • It employs no more than 50 employees. 

Whereas, for larger businesses the sponsor licence fees can be £1,476. This will be applicable to any other organisation that does not meet the criteria for, or is exempt from, the small company regime. 

How long is a Sponsor Licence valid for?

A sponsor licence is valid for a period of 4 years once they are issued to the business, at which point employers are required to apply for a renewal. This is the responsibility of the business to ensure that this is done, to ensure that they are meeting the compliance requirements of managing a sponsor licence.  

How long does it take to apply for a Sponsor Licence?

It’s important to note from the outset, that there are multiple stages to a sponsorship licence process and therefore, timing is crucial in ensuring you progress through the application effectively. For instance, if you are applying for your first licence, you will be required to allow for up to 8 weeks for the application, before it’s processed.  Typically, the licence application decisions will generally take about 4-6 weeks. 

Moreover, other factors such as opting for a priority application service would make it quicker to receive a decision on the application, typically within ten working days – this would require you to pay an additional £500. 

Furthermore, there may be additional factors that could also affect the processing time of your application, which include: 

  • Pre-licence compliance visit – this is more common for smaller employers and those organisations that the Home Office may deem to be ‘high risk’. By the time the inspection report is written, and the application is progressed, it can take a further 6-8 weeks. 

 

  • Supporting documents – as mentioned previously, due to the strict nature of the sponsor licence, the supporting documents must be certified and accurate when submitted. More importantly, they should be sent to the Home Office within 5 working days of the online form being submitted, otherwise there is a high chance that the application will be rejected. 

 

  • Availability of key personnel – the appointed authorising officer must be available to sign the submission sheet that will accompany the supporting documentation, that will be sent to the Home Office. Again, it is expected to be done within 5 working days of the online submission form.  

 

  • Processing of sponsored worker’s application – once the licence has been granted and the CoS has been assigned, the sponsored worker has 3 months to submit their visa application to the Home Office. Please note, that overseas applications can take up to 3 weeks after the visa interview, or up to 5 working days using the priority service. On the other hand, visa applications that are made in-country from within the UK, can take up to 8 weeks after the BRP appointment.  

How can Bridge Partners Immigration help?

The sponsor licence application process is a mandatory, yet crucial step for you as an employer to successfully obtain a sponsor licence and allow you to sponsor skilled overseas workers. As such, the team at Bridge Partners Immigration have extensive experience in dealing with sponsor licence applications and advising clients on the different stages of the process – from the preparation of the sponsor licence application form to determining whether any areas of your application need strengthening.  

Our immigration specialists are equipped with both the knowledge and patience to help guide you throughout the process of obtaining your sponsor licence. We understand and value how complex this can be, especially under such a pressurised time frame, but we are confident that we can assist you with this application. Please do not hesitate to contact us today to find out more. 

Frequently Asked Skilled Worker visa​ Application Questions

Someone can be eligible for a Skilled Worker visa if they have a job offer from a sponsoring company in the UK for a job that is on the list of skilled worker occupations. In addition, the skilled worker must have the required skills and experience to undergo the role in the company and have the required level of English language ability.   

The minimum salary for the Skilled Worker visa is either £25,600 per year, £10.10 per hour or the “going rate” for the particular occupation code, whichever is highest. For each job on the Home Office occupation list, there is a “going rate” which details the recommended annual and hourly salary that an individual must earn for the role. The rates are based on a 39-hour week of work. Those applying for the Skilled Worker visa need 50 points to do so. These are gained from sponsorship, skill level and English language requirements. However, 20 further tradable points can be given to those that meet the minimum salary requirement. 

You cannot move to the UK without a job offer from a company that has a UK sponsor licence, unless you apply for the Global Talent visa where this is not a requirement. When you are applying for a Skilled Worker visa you must provide a certificate of sponsorship reference number which proves that you have a job offer and therefore permission to work in the UK with a registered sponsor.  

The general Skilled Worker visa requirements are that you must have a job offer from a company that is a UK-registered sponsor and have a certificate of sponsorship that confirms that you have permission to work in the UK within a specific job role. You must be paid the required minimum salary for the occupation, have the required skill level and English language ability to do the job and have enough funds to support yourself in the UK.   

Once all the correct documentation has been submitted, it takes around 3 weeks for an application for a Skilled Worker visa to be processed by the Home Office when applying outside of the UK. For applications within the UK, the standard processing time is 8 weeks, although this can take around 9 weeks on average.  

For the Skilled Worker visa, you will need to provide a valid passport and proof that you have a job in the UK with details about your job role, salary, and employer information. You will also need the reference number for your certificate of sponsorship which proves that you have an approved job offer with a registered UK sponsor. In addition, you will need to provide bank statements that show you are able to support yourself in the UK and proof of the required qualifications needed for the role such as an English language test and degree certificate.

Yes, you can study whilst on a Skilled Worker visa. There is no restriction on the number of hours you can study as long as it does not interfere with your work. Another requirement is that workers who study must first get an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate for their studies and present it to the education provider.  

Skilled Workers are not allowed to run their own businesses.