Tier 2 Visa UK – A Comprehensive Overview

The Tier 2 visa allows foreign nationals to work in a skilled role to become a licensed employer in the UK. This visa is usually valid for 3 years or 5 years. Individuals are entitled to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after 5 years. To get the Tier 2 Visa UK, the individuals must obtain a minimum score of 70 points for factors such as qualifications, sponsorship, prospective earnings, English language, and available maintenance funds. You must read the below article to know what is Tier 2 visa, the application process, requirements, processing time, validity, etc.

Also Read: A Comprehensive Guide – UK Visas and Immigration Process

What is Tier 2 Visa UK?

What is a Tier 2 visa in the UK? The Tier 2 visa is for individuals who are skilled/unskilled labourers and are seeking to fill a position in the UK that cannot be filled by any other UK or EEA national. Local companies can meet the existing labour shortages with the help of Tier 2 Visa for UK. Applicants who are allowed to stay in the UK temporarily for a maximum of three years or the period which is stated in their certificate of sponsorship whichever duration is shorter.

What is the Tier 2 Jobs Meaning?

Tier 2 Jobs means the Tier 2 (General) visa. The visa is granted to people who have secured a job letter in the UK. Moreover, these individuals must be visiting the country to fill in the gap in the labour force that cannot be filled by a UK citizen. However, the Tier 2 General visa is no longer applicable. The visa has been replaced by another visa also known as a Skilled Worker visa.

Certificate of Sponsorship for Tier 2 Visa UK

In a Tier 2 visa application, you require an electronic record known as a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), which holds your personal and job information. A CoS is a digital certificate reference number. The employer will provide the individual with a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) number that is required to make a valid Tier 2 Visa application. The Certificate of Sponsorship reference number is valid for three months starting from the date of the issue and its reference number can only be used for only one application.

Also Read: Is it Easy to Get a PR in UK?

Application Process & Documents Required

The applicant is required to submit an online application within three months of being assigned their CoS. The candidates are also required to attend an appointment at the visa application centre to enrol on their biometric information and to submit the required documents. Check below the required documents:

• A valid passport or a travel document
• Expired passports or travel documents to show their travel history (if any)
• Proof of knowledge of the English language, wherever applicable
• Proof of funds, to support themselves, where applicable
• Results of tuberculosis test if the individuals are from a listed country
• Certificate of criminal record (if any)

Tier 2 Visa UK Point Attributes

The candidates are required to score a minimum of 70 points in total as per the following attributes for their application.

Criteria	Points	Details
Valid Certificate of Sponsorship	30	Employer with Tier 2 Sponsorship Licence and a valid Certificate of Sponsorship
Appropriate salary	20	Proper salary as per the job role
English Language	10	English language requirement at least CEFR level B1
Maintenance Funds	10	Proof of funds of £945 for the last 3 Months unless exempted

Requirements for Tier 2 Visa UK

There are several requirements that the candidate should keep in mind while making the application. To make the application, you generally need to fulfil the following requirements.:

• Candidates should have an offer for a skilled job in the UK
• The job offer should be from a UK employer who is holding a valid Tier 2 Sponsor Licence from UKVI
• The employer should assign the candidate a valid certificate of sponsorship (CoS) number 
• An appropriate salary for the job should be paid to the individual, exceeding the minimum salary of £20,000.
• The candidates are required to satisfy the English language requirements i.e. at least CEFR level B1 in writing, reading, speaking, and listening.
• Candidates should be able to show proof of funds of £945 to support themselves.

Also Read: UK Tier 4 Visa: Meaning, Checklist

How to get an Extended Tier 2 Visa UK?

The candidates can apply to extend their Tier 2 Visa to the UK to remain in the country for a longer period. For this, they will have to apply for an extension before their current leave expires. In addition to the current permission to stay based on the visa, they will need to fulfil the following criteria for the extension.

• The person must work at the same job for which they obtained their leave to remain or enter the UK.
• The same employer with a valid Tier 2 Sponsorship Licence who sponsored their application requires them to be working.

Processing Time and Fees for Tier 2 Visa UK Application

The application fees depend on the type of application, the duration, and the category of the job. Check below the fees and processing time listed below:

Tier 2 Visa UK	Outside UK	Inside UK
Government Main Application Fee	£610	£704
Government Partner Application Fee	£610	£704
Government Child Application Fee	£610	£704
Processing Time	1-12 weeks	4-16 weeks

How to Apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after 5 years?

To apply for indefinite leave to remain the applicant must be eligible for the same. The IRL can be applied by a person after the completion of 5 years in the UK. During this time the applicant must be living in the UK with a valid visa. Some of the visas applicable for the IRL are the skilled Worker visa, the Turkish Worker visa, and the Tier 2 Minister of Religion visa. The application for the IRL can be made by visiting the official website of the UK government. The IRL will give indefinite leave to enter the UK.

FAQs

We hope you now understand what is Tier 2 Visa UK, its requirements, the application process, etc. Want to apply for a Visa for your study abroad journey? Drop us a comment in the section below, or you can connect with a visa expert at Leverage Edu, and we will guide you on your dream journey!

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