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Skilled Worker Visa / Health And Care Worker Visa / Qualified Teacher Route in the United Kingdom
1. For every information about the UK Skilled Worker visa -> https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa
Overview of Skilled Worker visa:
A Skilled Worker visa allows you to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job with an approved employer. This visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa.
Eligibility:
To qualify for a Skilled Worker visa, you must:
– work for a UK employer that’s been approved by the Home Office
– have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your employer with information about the role you’ve been offered in the UK
– do a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations
– be paid a minimum salary – how much depends on the type of work you do
*The specific eligibility depends on your job -> https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-eligible-occupations
*Check if your job is on the list of Shortage Occupations for non-healthcare and non-education ->
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-shortage-occupations/skilled-worker-visa-shortage-occupations
*You must have a confirmed job offer before you apply for your visa.*
Knowledge of English:
– You must be able to speak, read, write and understand English. You’ll usually need to prove your knowledge of English when you apply.
You can prove your knowledge of English by:
– passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider [NB: IELTS for UKVI, PTE for UKVI (Academic or General), not the regular IELTS or PTE, etc]
– having a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English, gained through study at a UK school that you began when you were under 18
– having a degree-level academic qualification that was taught in English – if you studied abroad, you’ll need to apply through Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC) for confirmation that your qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or PhD. [Ecctis link: https://www.ecctis.com/visasandnationality
How long you can stay:
– Your visa can last for up to 5 years before you need to extend it. You’ll need to apply to extend or update your visa when it expires or if you change jobs or employer.
If you want to stay longer in the UK:
– You can apply to extend your visa as many times as you like as long as you still meet the eligibility requirements.
*After 5 years, you may be able to apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’). This gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you’re eligible.
How to apply:
You must apply online.
How you apply depends on whether you’re:
– outside the UK and are coming to the UK
– inside the UK and extending your current visa
– inside the UK and switching from a different visa
*If you want to change your job or employer, you must apply to update your visa.
*You can include your partner and children in your application to stay in the UK if they are eligible.
How long it takes:
– You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK.
Getting a decision:
Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within:
– 3 weeks, if you’re outside the UK
– 8 weeks, if you’re inside the UK
*If you need to go to an appointment, you may be able to pay for a faster decision. How you do this depends on whether you’re outside the UK or inside the UK.
How much it costs:
You, your partner or children will each need to:
– pay the application fee (£625 for a standard 3-year visa, or £1,235 for a 5-year visa; but for shortage occupations – £479 for a 3-year visa, or £943 for a 5-year visa)
– pay the healthcare surcharge fee for each year of your stay (£624 per annum)
– prove you have enough personal savings (at least £1,270, unless you’re exempt)
What you can and cannot do
You can:
– work in an eligible job
– take on additional work in certain circumstances
– do voluntary work
– study
– bring your partner and children with you as your ‘dependants’, if they’re eligible
– travel abroad and return to the UK
– apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’) if you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years and meet the other eligibility requirements
You cannot:
– apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension
– change jobs or employer unless you update your visa.
2. For every information about the UK Health and Care Worker visa -> https://www.gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa
Overview of Health and Care Worker visa:
The Health and Care Worker visa was created, sequel to Brexit, to encourage healthcare professionals from around the world to come to the UK to do an eligible job with the NHS, an NHS supplier or in adult social care.
The visa opened to applications from 4 August 2020, and forms part of the UK’s new immigration system.
*For applicants, the benefits of the new Health and Care Worker visa include fast-tracked entry to the UK, together with reduced visa fees and exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). Processing duration is usually about 3 weeks.
Eligibility:
To qualify for a Health and Care Worker visa, you must:
– be a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional (e.g. dietitian, physiotherapist, dentist, etc) or adult social care professional
– work in an eligible health or social care job
– work for a UK employer that’s been approved by the Home Office
– have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your employer with information about the role you’ve been offered in the UK
– be paid a minimum salary – how much depends on the type of work you do
*Check if your job is eligible -> https://www.gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa/your-job
*Check if your job is on the list of Shortage Occupations for healthcare and education ->
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-shortage-occupations-for-health-and-education/skilled-worker-visa-shortage-occupations-for-healthcare-and-education
*You must have a confirmed job offer before you apply for your visa.
Knowledge of English (same as in Skilled Worker visa):
– You must be able to speak, read, write and understand English. You’ll usually need to prove your knowledge of English when you apply.
How long you can stay:
– Your visa can last for up to 5 years before you need to extend it. You’ll need to apply to extend or update your visa when it expires or if you change jobs or employer.
If you want to stay longer in the UK:
– You can apply to extend your visa as many times as you like as long as you still meet the eligibility requirements.
*After 5 years, you may be able to apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’). This gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you’re eligible.
How to apply:
You must apply online.
How you apply depends on whether you’re:
– outside the UK and are coming to the UK
– inside the UK and extending your current visa
– inside the UK and switching from a different visa.
*If you want to change your job or employer, you must apply to update your visa.
*You can include your partner and children in your application to stay in the UK if they are eligible.
How long it takes:
– You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK. This date is listed on your certificate of sponsorship.
Getting a decision:
– Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.
*If you need to go to an appointment, you may be able to pay for a faster decision. How you do this depends on whether you’re outside the UK or inside the UK.
How much it costs
You, your partner or children will each need to:
– pay the application fee (£247 for a 3-year visa, or £479 for a 5-year visa)
– prove you have enough personal savings (at least £1,270, unless you’re exempt)
Healthcare surcharge:
You – and your partner or children – will not have to pay the healthcare surcharge.
What you can and cannot do
You can:
– work in an eligible job
– take on additional work in certain circumstances
– do voluntary work
– study
– bring your partner and children with you as your ‘dependants’, if they’re eligible
– travel abroad and return to the UK
– apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’) if you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years and meet the other eligibility requirements
You cannot:
– apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension
– change jobs or employer unless you update your visa.
Look up Tier 2 licensed sponsors -> https://uktiersponsors.co.uk/
Apply for NHS UK Jobs -> https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/
Apply for NHS Scotland Jobs -> https://jobs.scot.nhs.uk/
Search for Tier 2 Care Assistant jobs -> https://uk.indeed.com/m/jobs?q=visa+sponsorship+care&limit=20&filter=0
For the HACW visa, if your profession is among those listed below, then you need to register with the UK Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) first in order to obtain a license to practise in the UK, before you can apply for a UK job offer.
https://www.hcpc-uk.org/registration/getting-on-the-register/international-applications/
PROFESSIONS REGULATED BY THE HCPC (Source – #HCPCRegistrationGuide):
1. ARTS THERAPIST
2. CHIROPODIST/PODIATRIST
3. CLINICAL SCIENTIST (MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGISTS & BIOCHEMISTS ARE WELCOME TO REGISTER AS CLINICAL SCIENTISTS ONLY IF THEY’VE HAD COPIOUS LABORATORY EXPERIENCE)
4. DIETICIAN
5. BIOMEDICAL SCIENTIST (ALSO KNOWN AS MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE)
6. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
7. ORTHOPTIST
8. PARAMEDIC
9. PHYSIOTHERAPIST
10. PROSTHETIST/ORTHOTIST
11. RADIOGRAPHER
12. SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPIST
13. OPERATING DEPARTMENT PRACTITIONER
14. PRACTIONER PSYCHOLOGIST
15. HEARING AND DISPENSER
*Regulatory bodies for other health professions*
There are a number of other regulatory organizations in the UK which regulate other health and care professions, you just have to dig up the internet (Google) to find out which one regulates yours.
*The following professions listed below are NOT regulated by the HCPC.
1. Nurses, midwives, public health or radiology nurses
2. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians
3. Medical Laboratory Technicians and Radiography Technicians
4. Doctors
5. Optometrists
6. Dentists, dental therapists, dental technicians and orthodontic therapists
7. Social workers
8. Anatomists
And so on….
GENERAL NOTICE:
Please there are differences between ECCTIS (formerly NARIC) and ENIC in purposes, requirements and prices.
ECCTIS (formerly NARIC)
You can use this service to prove your English language proficiency (instead of IELTS for UKVI), and also show that your Nigerian/non-UK bachelor’s, master’s or PhD degree is equivalent to that obtained in the UK. For this, you need to upload your final certificate, transcripts, and an official letter from your university which states that your course was taught in English language. The price for Ecctis service is £140 + VAT (excluding delivery cost).
On the Ecctis website: “The Visas and Nationality (English proficiency) services support you if you need to evidence the level of your degree and/or your English language proficiency for the UK Home Office.”
Link: https://www.ecctis.com/visasandnationality
ENIC
If you already have a proof of English language (eg. IELTS for UKVI, Ecctis, etc) but, perhaps you still need to ONLY show equivalence of your Nigerian/non-UK qualification (WASSCE/NECO/GCE and/or bachelor’s degree, etc) to that obtained in the UK, without English language proficiency, then what you should go for is ENIC Statement of Comparability. For this, you only need to upload your final certificates and transcripts, and the price is £49.50 + VAT (excluding delivery cost).
On the ENIC website: “Statement Of Comparability: A general purpose statement of qualification comparability. This service is for you if you need to evidence the level of your overseas qualification for employment, study, professional registration or another reason.”
Link: https://enic.org.uk/Qualifications/SOC/Default.aspx
https://www.nairaland.com/6748312/uk-skilled-worker-visa-health
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