There is no single “UK work visa”. The Home Office runs at least four sponsored work routes in parallel, each with its own eligibility rules, salary floor, fee structure and settlement prospect. The route on the Certificate of Sponsorship dictates all of those, so picking the right one matters before the application is made.
Skilled Worker
The default route for skilled professional roles. Requires a licensed sponsor, a Certificate of Sponsorship, a salary at or above the relevant threshold, and B1 English. Grants are issued for up to five years per application, can be renewed indefinitely, and lead to settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) after five years of qualifying residence.
Most professional, technical and skilled-trade applicants are funnelled here. If the role’s SOC 2020 code appears on the Skilled Worker eligible-occupations list and the offered salary meets the going rate, the Skilled Worker route is normally the right fit.
Health and Care Worker
A discounted variant of the Skilled Worker route for regulated medical professionals and adult social-care workers. The headline differences:
- Lower application fees than the standard Skilled Worker route.
- Exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge — worth more than £5,000 over five years for an adult applicant.
- A reduced salary floor for many qualifying roles.
Eligibility is restricted to regulated healthcare professionals, NHS-commissioned roles, and adult social-care positions at CQC-registered (or equivalent) providers. The route still leads to settlement after five years. The adult social care segment has seen heavy enforcement activity since 2024 — see our Health and Care Worker guide for verification steps.
Global Business Mobility — Senior or Specialist Worker
Used by multinationals to move existing employees into a UK branch of the same corporate group. Requires twelve months’ prior service with the overseas employer (waived for high earners) and a UK sponsor that is part of the same group.
The route does not lead directly to settlement and total stay is capped at five years (nine for high earners). It is often used as a stepping-stone before switching to the Skilled Worker route, which does lead to settlement.
Scale-up
For workers joining a UK business that has demonstrated rapid recent growth. The sponsor’s involvement is lighter-touch than for the Skilled Worker route, and the worker is only tied to the sponsor for the first six months of the two-year initial grant. After that point the worker can change employer freely.
Other routes worth knowing about
- Minister of Religion and International Sportsperson — specialist sponsored routes with their own eligibility criteria.
- Graduate Route — unsponsored, available to people who have just completed a UK degree. Two years’ work without an employer sponsor; three for PhD graduates. Often used as a stepping stone before a later Skilled Worker switch.
- High Potential Individual — unsponsored, available to recent graduates of a small list of elite global universities.
Side-by-side at a glance
| Route | Sponsor required | Leads to settlement | Notable 2026 figure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | Yes | Yes (5 yrs) | General threshold around £41,700 |
| Health & Care Worker | Yes | Yes (5 yrs) | IHS exempt |
| Global Mobility — Senior/Specialist | Yes | No (cap 5–9 yrs) | Higher salary floor |
| Scale-up | Yes (initially) | Yes (5 yrs) | Sponsor tie lifts after 6 months |
| Graduate Route | No | No (must switch) | 2 yrs (3 for PhD) |
Figures are indicative — confirm the current values against the Immigration Rules on GOV.UK before relying on them.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the main UK work visa route?
- For most skilled professionals it is the Skilled Worker visa. It requires a sponsored job offer from a licensed UK employer, salary at or above the relevant threshold, and B1 English.
- Which route is cheaper — Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker?
- The Health and Care Worker visa is materially cheaper. Application fees are lower, the Immigration Health Surcharge is waived for the applicant and dependants, and many qualifying roles have a reduced salary floor.
- Does the Global Business Mobility route lead to settlement?
- No. Time on the Senior or Specialist Worker route does not count toward Indefinite Leave to Remain. The route is capped at five years (nine for high earners). Many holders later switch to the Skilled Worker route to build settlement time.
- Can I switch routes once I am in the UK?
- Most sponsored routes can be switched between in-country, subject to eligibility for the new route. Visitor and Short-term Study routes cannot be switched. Time on a previous route does not always count toward the new route's settlement clock — see the Switching routes guide for the detail.
Information on this page is for general guidance only and is not legal or immigration advice. Always cross-check against GOV.UK before acting on it. See our Terms of Service.