This is a UK Skilled Worker guide, not a generic “work visa anywhere” article. You need a licensed UK sponsor, a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (COS), a job at the right skill and salary level, English, tuberculosis screening if you apply from India, and enough money for the Home Office fee plus the Immigration Health Surcharge.
Fee numbers live on the sister page: UK Skilled Worker visa cost 2026. Figures below match the 8 April 2026 Home Office table.
Who this visa is for
- You have a definite job offer from a UK employer on the register of licensed sponsors.
- The role is skilled (normally RQF 6 / graduate level unless it is on an eligible list).
- Pay meets the going rate for that occupation code and the general salary threshold.
- You will work in the UK for that sponsor (remote-from-India roles usually do not qualify).
Health and Care Worker is a cheaper sister route (lower application fee, no IHS). If your COS is coded as Health and Care, use that fee row instead.
Step-by-step (from India)
- Employer assigns a COS in the sponsor system. You cannot start the visa without the COS reference.
- Check the occupation code and salary on the COS against GOV.UK going rates. If the salary is short, the visa fails even if the job is real.
- English: CEFR B1 SELT from an approved provider, or an accepted degree taught in English. Nationals of majority-English countries are exempt — India is not.
- TB test: from a UK-approved clinic in India before you apply.
- Bank funds: usually £1,270 held for 28 days, unless you have been in the UK 12 months or your sponsor certifies maintenance on the COS.
- Apply on GOV.UK, pay the application fee and IHS, then book biometrics (VAC / UKVCAS).
- Decision: standard overseas processing is often about 3 weeks; priority is extra if offered.
- Travel only after you have the visa in the app / vignette. Start work only after you have entered on this visa.
Documents Indians should scan once and reuse
- Passport, old passports, and a digital photo.
- COS reference and a PDF of the job offer / contract.
- Degree certificates and, if needed, official translations.
- English test result or exemption evidence.
- TB certificate.
- 28-day bank statements if you must prove £1,270.
- TB and police certificates only where the form asks — do not invent extras.
You do not write a “cover letter to the Home Office” as a standard document. That advice belongs to other countries’ visas.
Switching or extending inside the UK
In-country Skilled Worker fees are higher (£943 up to 3 years, £1,865 over 3 years from 8 April 2026). You must apply before your current leave expires. Do not leave the UK while a switch is pending unless you understand the withdrawal risk.
After you land
- Your visa is tied to that sponsor and occupation. Changing employer needs a new COS and usually a new application.
- Keep payslips. They become your ILR evidence in five years (sometimes three).
- Read UK ILR / PR cost 2026 so the five-year bill is not a surprise.
ગુજરાતી: યુકે સ્કિલ્ડ વર્કર વિઝા કેવી રીતે મેળવવો.
FAQ: Skilled Worker visa from India
Can I apply without a job offer?
No. Skilled Worker is sponsor-led. Without a licensed employer and COS, there is no application.
Is IELTS always required?
You need approved English evidence at B1 unless exempt. IELTS for UKVI is one option; other SELTs are listed on GOV.UK.
How long until ILR?
Usually five years of continuous Skilled Worker time. Some COS / salary combinations qualify for a three-year route — check the COS and current rules, not a blog memory.
General information only, not immigration advice. Confirm every rule and fee on GOV.UK. Last aligned with the 8 April 2026 fee table.
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