Sponsored Skilled Worker – Tier 2 General

In this category, you need a job offer from an employer who is licensed as a tier 2 employer, with Home Office. Employers can recruit from outside the EU if the role to be filled is on the shortage occupational list or at a graduate level job where the employer has not been able to fill the role with a settled skilled worker. So this category is aimed at filling in a gap of skilled staff that has arisen in the work place. The employer must be registered with Home Office as a Tier 2 Sponsor.

A skilled worker needs 70 points to apply in this category and will be assessed for the following;

30 points = Assigned a certificate of sponsorship, because:

• the job has an annual salary of £150,000 or more;
• the job is on the shortage occupation list;
• your sponsor has completed a resident labour market test;
• you are switching from a post-study category; or
• you want to extend your stay and continue working in the same job for the same employer

20 points = Appropriate salary and allowances

10 points = English language skills

10 points = Available maintenance (funds)

Additional requirement for students

You may need to meet an additional requirement if you are in the UK as a Tier 4 student, or in one of the student categories under the Immigration Rules that were in place before March 2009.