UK Skilled Work Visa Now Requires Higher Salary, Works on Points-Based System: See Details Here

New Delhi: Skilled worker visa applications for the UK have become more stringent as of April 11, 2024. The visa applications will operate on a points-based system, which requires a salary of at least GBP 38, 700. This is almost 50% more than the previous requirement of at least GBP 26,200. The increase is part of the UK’s efforts to decrease the number of migrants to the UK.

The income cap will not apply to workers applying to the UK for occupations like healthcare, graphic design, teaching, construction, or social care work, as those sectors require staff or may yield lower salaries than the required amount. Rishi Sunak, the British Prime Minister, said that the minimum amount may rise to as much as GBP 38,700 by 2025.

Why are the Changes Being Implemented for Work Visas in the UK?

As many as 7,45,000 migrants entered the UK in 2022 and skilled workers visas also saw an increase of 63% within a year. According to Sunak, that amount is “far too high". Indians, Nigerians, and Chinese immigrants top the list of Skilled workers. Similarly, a large number of Indian students (41% of the total) choose to extend their graduate route visas.

Not only is this a large number of people to take on for work, housing, and academics; but the number of dependents that may emigrate to the UK alongside the workers or students also puts a strain on the overloaded British system.

The requirement for family visas has also changed to reflect the new system. Originally, the UK government had raised the minimum wage amount for a family visa from GBP 18, 600 to GBP 38,700. This amount has been brought down to GBP 29,000 so the government can avoid “separating families".

What are the New Requirements for a Skilled Worker Visa to the UK?

Some of the major changes for the UK’s Skilled Worker Visa are as follows:

The roles for the skilled worker will be according to the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) of 2020 instead of the 2010 SOC, which means that occupation codes may change.
The salaries will be set according to the 50th percentile of the 2023 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) data as opposed to the 25th percentile of the 2021 ASHE data. This means that the minimum salary cap may go beyond GBP 38,700 for certain occupations. For example, senior officials and chief executives may have a minimum cap of as much as GBP 84,000, and the minimum salary cap for directors in GBP 70, 000.
The ‘new entrant’ salary discount is still applicable for certain professions under the ‘Shortage Occupation’ List for workers in healthcare, teaching, social work, etc. A discount of 70% of the current salary rate is applicable under the ‘new entrant’ discount.

How Does the Points-Based System Work?

You need a total of 70 points to get a Skilled Worker Visa.
Out of those 70 points, 50 points depend on your job offer, English proficiency, and skill level.
The other 20 points depend on getting a higher salary or applying for a PhD or for a job in the ‘Shortage Occupation’ List.

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