Job opportunities and career prospects attract people from all over the globe to the UK, including applicants from China.
The UK has several different work visa categories, each with its own specific requirements. To obtain a work visa, individuals must pass a comprehensive assessment. Many work visa categories have minimum thresholds that have to be meet, such as the skill level of the job, salary, and ability to speak English.
The most common work visa applied for from overseas is the so-called Skilled Worker visa. The applicant will have to secure a position in the UK with an employer who has a sponsorship licence issued by the UK authorities. If the position meets all relevant eligibility requirements, the employer will issue a Certificate of Sponsorship, which will then allow the prospective worker to apply for a Skilled Worker visa.
The visa can be issued for up to 5 years and could lead to settlement if the employee lives in the UK continuously in that time period. It is important to note that the Skilled Worker visa is tied to the sponsoring employer, so if the worker wants to change jobs, they would need to find an employer who also has a sponsorship licence and can sponsor their new Skilled Worker visa.
There are a number of other work visas, such as the Global Business Mobility visas or the Temporary Work visas, most of which are also tied to a specific sponsor.
Prospective employee can apply for a UK visa up to 3 months prior to starting work. Applications are submitted online, and applicants will then need to attend an appointment at a visa application centre to submit their biometric data. Processing times under normal circumstances are 3 weeks, but can take significantly longer, and therefore, it is recommended to apply in good time. It may be possible to purchase the priority visa service, which will reduce your application processing time. However, this is not available in all countries.
The applicant will be issued with a vignette sticker in their passport and must then collect their Biometric Residence Permit once they have travelled to the UK.
How Gherson can assist
Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in advising on UK visa matters. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.
The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.
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