Work and Study Visas

Skilled Worker Visa
The Skilled Worker route allows individuals with a job offer from a Home Office–licensed sponsor to work in the UK long-term. Applicants must meet strict requirements including minimum salary, appropriate skill level, and English proficiency. This route leads to settlement after five years.

Global Talent Visa
This visa is designed to attract recognised global leaders or emerging talents in academia, research, digital technology, and arts and culture. Applicants must be endorsed by an approved UK endorsing body or qualify via a prestigious award route. The Global Talent visa offers flexible conditions—no job offer is needed—and leads to indefinite leave to remain after 3 or 5 years depending on the applicant’s achievements. It is ideal for high-achieving individuals who want to work, change employers freely, and settle in the UK.

High Potential Individual (HPI) Visa
Introduced in May 2022, the HPI visa targets global graduates from top 50-ranked non-UK universities. Applicants can stay for up to two years, or three years if they hold a PhD, with no job offer required. They must meet English and maintenance requirements and cannot extend within the scheme, but can switch to other visas leading to settlement.

UK Ancestry Visa
This visa allows Commonwealth citizens with a grandparent born in the UK to live and work there for up to five years. It leads to indefinite leave to remain if eligibility criteria such as work and residence are upheld.

Study Visas
Study visas allow international students to pursue full-time academic and professional education in the UK. The most common routes include:

Student Visa: For individuals aged 16 or over who have been offered a place on a course by a licensed student sponsor. Applicants must meet financial, academic, and English language requirements. This visa allows work for limited hours during term-time and full-time during holidays. Some post-study options, such as the Graduate Route, are available for eligible students wishing to remain in the UK to work.
Short-Term Study Visa: Enables applicants to attend English language courses or other short programmes (6–11 months depending on course type). This visa doesn’t permit work or extensions.

Study routes often serve as stepping stones to future employment and long-term residency via switching to routes like Skilled Worker or Innovator Founder, depending on the applicant’s circumstances.