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United Kingdom · Skilled Worker visa

UK Skilled Worker Visa from Pakistan

The Skilled Worker visa lets you work in the UK for an employer the Home Office has approved as a sponsor. You need a confirmed job offer, a certificate of sponsorship for an eligible job at the required pay, and English at level B2. Applicants from Pakistan also need a TB test from a Home Office approved clinic.

Last reviewed 8 October 2026

At a glance

Job offer
Required, from a Home Office licensed sponsor
Key document
Certificate of sponsorship from your employer
Eligible jobs
Listed occupation codes; medium-skilled jobs only if on a shortage list
English
Level B2 on the CEFR scale, unless exempt
Length of stay
Up to five years before you need to extend
Family
Partner and children can usually apply as dependants

Who this is for

  • Graduates and experienced professionals with a job offer from a UK employer that holds a sponsor licence.
  • Engineers, IT specialists, accountants, teachers and other higher-skilled workers whose job is on the eligible occupations list.
  • Workers whose employer will pay at least the required salary for the occupation code.
  • People planning a longer career in the UK, since the visa can be extended and may lead to settlement.

When another route fits better

  • Doctors, nurses and other health or adult social care workers: check the Health and Care Worker visa, a separate route designed for those jobs.
  • Short business trips for meetings or conferences: the Standard Visitor visa is the right route.
  • Anyone without an offer from a licensed sponsor: the UK has no general job-seeker visa, so studying on a Student visa may be a more realistic route.

Documents to prepare

Everyone

  • Valid passport with a blank page
  • Certificate of sponsorship reference number from your employer
  • Job title, occupation code and annual salary, as shown on your certificate
  • Proof of English at B2, such as an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) or an Ecctis confirmation for a degree taught in English
  • TB test certificate from a Home Office approved clinic in Pakistan
  • Bank statements showing personal savings, unless your sponsor certifies maintenance on your certificate

Depending on your job or family

  • Criminal record (police character) certificate if you will work in education, healthcare, therapy or social services
  • ATAS certificate if your employer says your PhD-level research role needs one
  • Ecctis reference if you rely on a PhD from outside the UK
  • Marriage and birth certificates for a partner and children applying with you
  • Certified English translations of any document not in English or Welsh

Step by step

  1. 1

    Get a job offer from a licensed sponsor

    Check the employer appears on the Home Office register of licensed sponsors before you accept. The job must match an eligible occupation code and meet the salary rules.

  2. 2

    Receive your certificate of sponsorship

    Your employer assigns the certificate and gives you its reference number. Apply soon after you receive it, because a certificate can only be used for a limited time.

  3. 3

    Prove your English and take a TB test

    Take an approved English test if you need one. Book your chest X-ray at a Home Office approved clinic in Pakistan and keep the certificate for your application.

  4. 4

    Apply online and pay

    Complete the application on GOV.UK. Pay the visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge, then upload your documents.

  5. 5

    Give your biometrics

    Book an appointment at a UK visa application centre in Pakistan to have your fingerprints and photo taken.

  6. 6

    Get your decision and travel

    Follow the instructions in your decision on how to prove your status. Plan your travel so you can start work on the date in your certificate.

Costs to plan for

  • The visa application fee, which depends on how long your certificate of sponsorship covers.
  • The Immigration Health Surcharge, paid upfront for each year of the visa for you and each dependant.
  • English test fees and, if needed, an Ecctis assessment of your degree.
  • TB test at an approved clinic, plus police certificate and translation costs.
  • Flights, a deposit for housing and savings to cover you until your first salary.
  • Your employer pays the sponsorship costs, including the Immigration Skills Charge, which must not be recovered from you.

Why applications get refused

  • Salary below the level required for the occupation code, or a code that does not fit the duties.
  • English evidence that is not from an approved provider or does not reach B2.
  • Missing or expired TB certificate, or one from a clinic that is not approved.
  • Not enough savings shown, or funds not held for the required period, where the sponsor has not certified maintenance.
  • Doubts that the job is genuine, for example duties that do not match the job title.
  • A certificate of sponsorship that has already been used, has expired or was bought from an agent.
  • False documents or past refusals not disclosed, which can lead to a ban on future applications.

Tips before you apply

  • Search the Home Office register of licensed sponsors yourself before you accept an offer or pay anyone.
  • No genuine employer sells a certificate of sponsorship. Paying an agent for a 'CoS' is a common scam and can end in refusal or a ban.
  • Ask your employer which occupation code they will use, and compare it with the duties in your offer letter.
  • Check with the Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment whether you need Protector of Emigrants registration before you leave Pakistan for work.

Questions people ask

Yes. You need a confirmed job offer from a Home Office licensed sponsor and a certificate of sponsorship before you can apply. There is no Skilled Worker route for people still looking for work.

New applicants need level B2 on the CEFR scale. You can prove it with an approved English test, a degree taught in English confirmed through Ecctis, or certain UK qualifications. Pakistan is not on the list of exempt nationalities.

Usually, yes. Your partner and children can apply as your dependants if they meet the rules. Each pays their own visa fee and health surcharge.

The salary must meet the general threshold or the going rate for your occupation, whichever is higher, with lower thresholds in some cases. The figures change, so check the current amounts on GOV.UK.

Official sources

Fees, fund requirements and processing times change. Check the current figures on the official site before you apply.

Last reviewed 8 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. VisaWala is not affiliated with any embassy or government, and only the issuing authority decides a visa application.