The United Kingdom is one of the top destinations for skilled IT professionals. Each year, the country invites promising individuals from around the world and allows them to contribute their cutting-edge expertise, creativity, and innovation in order to keep the digital economy at a high level. If you are an IT professional, you can undoubtedly take advantage of great job opportunities, low unemployment rate, international work experience, and British culture in the UK.
However, there are several procedures that one must undertake to be able to work in the UK. Getting the right visa is one of the main components of being able to work in the UK. The following are the three best UK visa options for skilled IT professionals to immigrate to the UK.
Tier 2 general visa
The Tier 2 general visa is the best visa option for skilled migrants like IT professionals who are looking to work in the UK. This immigration route supports achieving the relevant immigration status given the global nature of competition for skilled IT professionals. The current Tier 2 is the main UK visa route for skilled workers outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland to come to the UK to work for a Home Office approved sponsor. They are coming to fill a gap in the labour force that could not be filled by qualified or skilled settled workers already in the UK.
Shortly, Brexit is coming into force from 1 January 2021 with the imminent transition from the freedom of movement to the points-based system. The new points-based system will apply to both EEA and non-EEA nationals. From 1 January 2021, applicants can qualify for Tier 2 (General) Visa if he or she demonstrates
- The confirmed offer of employment from a licensed UK employer.
- The job offer at the required skill level of RQF 3 or above
- The English Language Requirement.
Meeting these mandatory criteria will award the skilled migrant 50 points and in addition, they must obtain a further 20 “tradable” points. These tradable points will be assessed through the combination of salary, a job in a shortage occupation (designated by the Migration Advisory Committee), or having an educational qualification (Ph.D. in a subject relevant to the job or Ph.D. in a STEM subject relevant to the job).
Global Talent Visa
The UK government launched the Global Talent Visa on 20 February 2020, with the vision of attracting the brightest talent from around the world. Under the current system, the Global Talent visa is aimed at attracting promising individuals from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland who work in a qualifying field and wish to work/run a business in the field of expertise in the UK. The applicants must be endorsed as a recognised leader (exceptional talent), as an emerging leader (exceptional promise), and under the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) endorsed funder option. The applications will be reviewed by an organisation relevant to the qualifying field called an “endorsing body.”
Tech Nation is the designated endorsing body authorised to assess endorsement applications for applicants with expertise in digital technology. The organisation accepts applications from applicants with technical and business skills in the digital technology sector. Hence, this immigration route is the best option for those skilled individuals who are internationally recognized at the highest level and as leaders in the qualifying field.
However, from 1 January 2021, this route will be open to both EU and non-EU citizens.
Start-up and Innovator
“Innovation is seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.” The Start-up and Innovator routes are the initiatives by the UK government to maintain the position of the UK as a top destination for innovation and entrepreneurs.
Launched in March 2019, the Start-up and Innovator routes are two immigration routes for non-EU citizens, which are primarily designed to attract distinguished entrepreneurial talent and innovative business ideas to the UK. Start-up is for those individuals who are setting up an innovative business for the first time, however, the innovator is for individuals with considerable industry experience and at least £50,000 funding. These individuals require support from an Endorsing Body in order to assess if the business idea is innovative, viable, and scalable. According to the proposed Points-Based System, these routes would be open to both EU and non-EU citizens from 1 January 2021.
Do you have a way to calculate the Skilled Worker Visa UK cost?
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The Verdict
For skilled workers like IT professionals, with so much at stake, it is important to seek legal advice to understand the best immigration option available. So, are you one of the IT professionals who are planning to move to the UK in the future? Look no further than A Y & J Solicitors that is a multi-award winning, 10+ years of experience, recommended by Legal 500, a boutique immigration Law firm based in Central London. Our qualified immigration solicitors are specialists in UK employment & immigration law. Get in touch with one of the qualified lawyers to begin preparation well-in-advance. For further information about our immigration service, please email us at contact@ayjsolicitors.com or Whatsapp us on +44 7448 5656 70.
