Skilled Worker Visa

The Skilled Worker visa is the main employer-sponsored work route, and the slug covers two distinct national systems - the United Kingdom (the lead) and Germany.

In the UK, the Skilled Worker visa is the centrepiece of the points-based system. Applicants must score 70 points: mandatory points come from a job offer with a licensed sponsor, a role at the required skill level, and English language ability; tradeable points cover salary. The general salary threshold rose sharply to £41,700, with lower thresholds for new entrants, certain health and education roles, and occupations on the Immigration Salary List. The visa counts towards settlement, and the 2026 Immigration White Paper proposed extending the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain from five to ten years for most applicants.

In Germany, the Skilled Worker visa (under the Skilled Immigration Act) lets qualified professionals with a recognised degree or vocational qualification take a job matching their skills. Germany pairs it with the Opportunity Card, a points-based job-seeker route. Germany's system has no equivalent sponsor-licence regime and generally offers a faster path to permanent residence - often within around three years.

For the UK route you need a job offer from a Home Office-licensed sponsor, a role at RQF skill level 3 or above on the eligible occupation list, English at CEFR level B1, and a Certificate of Sponsorship. Salary must usually meet £41,700 or the going rate, whichever is higher, though new entrants, shortage roles and Immigration Salary List occupations attract lower thresholds. You also need £1,270 in savings unless your sponsor certifies maintenance.

For the German route you need a recognised university degree or vocational qualification, a concrete job offer matching your qualification, and - for regulated professions - formal recognition of your credentials. German language ability is often expected but not always mandatory. Both systems require valid passports and standard suitability checks.

Step 1: Secure a qualifying job offer. In the UK this must be from a licensed sponsor who assigns you a Certificate of Sponsorship; in Germany it is a contract matching your qualification.

Step 2: For the UK, confirm your role's occupation code, skill level and going rate, and that salary meets the threshold. For Germany, obtain credential recognition where the profession is regulated.

Step 3: Prepare evidence - English or German language proof, qualifications, savings, and a tuberculosis certificate where required.

Step 4: Apply online. UK applicants use GOV.UK and enter the CoS reference within three months of assignment; Germany applicants book an appointment at the relevant embassy or consulate.

Step 5: Pay the fees - UK applicants pay the visa fee and Immigration Health Surcharge; German applicants pay the national visa fee.

Step 6: Provide biometrics - via the UK ID Check app or a visa centre for the UK, or in person for Germany.

Step 7: Await the decision, then access your eVisa (UK) or collect your visa and register locally (Germany) on arrival.

For the UK, the visa fee ranges from roughly £827 to £1,636 depending on length and whether you apply from inside or outside the country, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge at £1,035 per year. Employers also pay the Immigration Skills Charge of up to £1,000 per sponsored year. A typical three-year UK application can exceed £5,000 in Home Office charges. Germany is markedly cheaper: the national visa fee is around €75, with modest costs for credential recognition and document translation. Germany has no health surcharge equivalent, as you join statutory or private health insurance after arrival.

UK Skilled Worker decisions usually take about three weeks for applications from outside the UK and up to eight weeks for in-country applications, with priority and super-priority services available for faster turnaround. German Skilled Worker visa appointments and processing vary by consulate but commonly take several weeks to a few months; the accelerated skilled worker procedure, initiated by the German employer, can speed things up. In both systems, incomplete qualification or sponsorship evidence is the main source of delay.

In the UK you may work for your sponsor in your sponsored role, take limited supplementary work, and bring dependants who can work and study. The visa counts towards Indefinite Leave to Remain - currently after five years, though the 2026 White Paper proposed extending this to ten years for most applicants, with possible faster routes for higher contributors. After ILR, citizenship usually follows 12 months later.

In Germany, you can work in the job your visa was granted for and change employers more freely over time. Germany's settlement pathway is comparatively quick: skilled workers can often obtain a permanent settlement permit within around three years, or sooner with strong German language skills. Both countries allow family reunification.