Is It Legal To Get A Job In The UK Using A Tourist Visa?

The UK is a land of rich history and architectural beauty. People from round the globe visit this great nation every year as a tourist to witness the aurora of this country. To visit the UK, you need a tourist visa. Without this visa, you will not be allowed to enter the country.

What is a tourist visa?

If you are visiting the UK for touring purposes, you need a tourist visa to enter the country. The tourist visa is a temporary visa which allows you to reside in the country for a limited timeframe. Once this time/date expires, you need to leave the country. Hence, with a tourist visa you can only visit the country, but you will not be able to enjoy the benefits of a UK work visa holder or a permanent resident visa holder.

Can you work in the UK on a tourist visa?

But if you are wondering if it is possible to work in the UK while you are on a tourist visa the answer is NO!

In a nutshell, one of the things you cannot do on a standard visitor visa is to engage in any paid or unpaid work with UK companies during your stay. It is prohibited by the law.

However, you can get a work permit to work legally in the UK. This work visa is called a Skilled Worker Visa. It has replaced the UK tier 2 visa.

What is a UK work visa?

With a UK tier 2 visa, you can come or stay in the UK to work in a qualified job provided to you by an approved employer.

Following is everything you need to know about the Skilled Worker Visa.

Eligibility Requirements

To apply yourself for a UK skilled worker visa, you need to pass the eligibility criteria. They are:

You must only work for a UK employer that has been permitted by the Home Office.
Your job must be on the list of all the eligible professions.
You must get a minimum salary depending on your working field.
You must possess a certificate of sponsorship provided by your employer with information about your job role.
You must be able to speak, write and understand English [you may be asked to prove your English knowledge skills]

These are the general eligibility criteria. You have to pass through more such regarding the specific field of your job.

Aside from these, there are several other requirements. They are:

You must score a minimum of 70 points in the immigration point system
You need to have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent
You must have at least 2 years of experience in the list of eligible occupations
Your salary should meet the minimum requirement of 25,600 pounds
Your job must be at the skill level of RQF 3 or over.

What can you do on a skilled worker visa

There are some leverages you get as a skilled worker in the UK. Following are the things you can do while on a skilled worker visa the UK:

Work in the job you are assigned
Study based on your interests
Bring your partner and/or children as your dependents in the UK if they pass the eligibility criteria
Voluntary work
Take a second job under special conditions
Apply for permanent residency if you have lived in the UK for at least 5 years
Travel out of the country and return back

What you cannot do on a skilled worker visa

On this visa, your actions are restricted as well. There are certain things you can not do on a work visa. They are:

Change jobs or employer [you will have to apply to update your visa in this condition]
Apply for the majority of the benefits available to the UK public
Apply for state pension

How long can you stay?

A UK work visa does not allow you to stay for an indefinite period. This visa is active for up to 5 years. You will need to extend or update it under two conditions:

If it has expired [meaning you have spent 5 years in the UK]
If you decide to change jobs or employer

However, if you are eligible, you can apply to settle in the UK permanently after 5 years. This permanent residency gives you the right to stay, work and study here for as long as you want.

The New Immigration Point System

The immigration point system was changed, and the new one has been in action since January 2021. This is a point-based eligibility criterion where applicants have to gain a minimum number of points to get a UK visa.

To qualify for the skilled worker visa, you need to gain at least 70 points. In this scheme of things, if you have a qualified job from an approved employer, you have already earned 50 points.

There are several ways to gain the last 20 points. They are:

Having a relevant PhD wins you 10 points
PhD in STEM [science, technology, engineering, math] awards you 20 points
Some jobs, for example, jobs in health and education, earn you 20 points
If your job falls under the shortage occupation, you get 20 points.

Application Fees

Application fees for people living outside the UK are as follows:

625 pounds per person for up to 3 years
1235 pounds per person for more than 3 years

Application fees for people living in the UK desiring to update, switch or extend their visa will be:

719 pounds per person for up to 3 years
1423 pounds per person for over 3 years

If your job falls under the category of shortage occupation list, the application fees would be as follows [for people both outside and inside the UK]:

479 pounds per person for up to 3 years
943 pounds per person for over 3 years

Documents required

To apply for the skilled worker visa, you will need the following documents:

The reference number of your certificate of sponsorship
A valid passport with a blank page for this visa
Your job label and salary package
Job occupation code
The license number of your sponsor and their name
Proof of your knowledge of English
Proof of your ability to financially support yourself and your dependents unless your employer takes this responsibility
Proof of your relationship with your dependents
Your criminal record
Your tuberculosis test results
Translation of all the documents to English

How long does it take?

After you have completed your application along with submitting all the documents, you will hear back within 3 weeks. If you want the results faster, you can pay for that to happen.

You can even cancel your application. If it has not started processing, you will get a fee refund.

Contact Professional today!

That was everything you needed to know about skilled worker visas in the UK. We discussed the requirements, dos and don’ts, immigration point system, documents, application fees, duration of the stay and how long the UK visa process takes.If you still unsure about anything, contact UK visa consultants to help you out.