Living and working in the UK

The Skilled Worker visa is the primary route for individuals who are explicitly coming to the UK to work (as opposed to those who are coming to the UK for other reasons). It replaced the previous Tier 2 (General) work visa.

To qualify for a Skilled Worker visa, individuals must:

• work for a UK employer that's been approved by the Home Office;
• have a 'certificate of sponsorship' (CoS) from the employer with information about the role;
• do a job that's on the list of eligible occupations; and
• meet the applicable salary requirements for the relevant occupation code.
  As of August 2026, the salary requirement is the higher of the "going rate" for the profession of £41,700. For Chartered Architectural Technologists, the requirement is £41,700.

Check the current Skilled Worker guidance on gov.uk for applicable occupation codes, salary thresholds and eligibility requirements.

Eligible occupations include Chartered Architectural Technologists, Architects, Chartered Surveyors, Construction project managers, Town planning officers and urban designers.

Please note junior and trainee roles which require a lower level of qualification may not be eligible for this visa.

It is possible to apply for a visa up to 3 months before starting work in the UK. This date is listed on the certificate of sponsorship.

As part of a Skilled Worker visa application, individuals will need to prove their identity and provide relevant documentation. Processing times may vary so applicants are recommended to check current government processing time guidance and apply in sufficient time before their intended start date. Applicants will also need to demonstrate English Language Proficiency to at least CEFR level B2.

As of August 2026, CAD, drawing and architectural technicians earning at least £33,800 can apply for the Skilled Worker visa via the Temporary Shortage List. However, this may change depending on workforce need. More information can be found here.

Applicant information on the Skilled Worker visa can be found here.

Guidance for employers on sponsorship through this route can be found here.

There are various other visa routes for international businesses with a presence in the UK who wish to second staff to work in the UK on a temporary basis. More information on these Global Business Mobility visas can be found here.

Under UK law, employers must confirm that all employees have the right to work in the UK. UK and Irish nationals can use their passport, or other identity document, as proof of their right to work.

For other individuals, employers must conduct an online check for job applicants that hold digital proof of their immigration status in the UK, known as an eVisa. This applies to most EU citizens, including those with settled or pre-settled status, those with a Hong Kong British National Overseas (BNO) visa and some other nationalities who have moved to the UK more recently under the points-based immigration system.

In other cases, a manual check of visas and right to work must be conducted.

More information on right to work checks can be found here.

Individuals needing support with visa applications to work in the UK should visit their British embassy, high commission or consulate. A list of these can be found here.

For more than a century, a Common Travel Area has been maintained between the UK and the Republic of Ireland. This allows British and Irish citizens to travel, live, work and study across the Common Travel Area, without any additional visa or residency requirements. This includes living in one country and working in the other.

EU citizens can live and work freely in the Republic of Ireland but must have the relevant visa or residence status to work in the UK, including Northern Ireland. An additional Frontier Work Permit is required for non-Irish EU citizens living in the Republic of Ireland and working in Northern Ireland. More information can be found here and here.