How to Check Your UK Skilled Worker Visa Eligibility (2026 Guide)

The UK Skilled Worker Visa is one of the most accessible legal pathways to work and settle in the UK — and for African professionals with a genuine job offer, it's often the fastest route to a British work visa. But the points-based system trips up a lot of applicants who don't understand exactly how it works before they apply.

This guide breaks down the eligibility requirements as they stand under the 2024/2025 rules, explains the points table clearly, and tells you what you actually need to do to qualify — not the theoretical version, the practical one.

What is the UK Skilled Worker Visa?

The Skilled Worker Visa replaced the old Tier 2 (General) visa in December 2020. It allows workers from outside the UK (and outside the EEA, post-Brexit) to come and work in the UK for an approved employer sponsor. Unlike some other routes, it requires a specific job offer from a licensed sponsor — you cannot come to the UK on this visa to look for work.

The visa is points-based: you need to score at least 70 points across a set of mandatory and tradeable criteria. Crucially, not all 70 points need to come from the same place — some can be traded against others.

The points table

Here's how the 70 points break down:

Understanding "going rate"

Each eligible occupation code has a "going rate" set by the Home Office — the median salary for that role in the UK. Your salary offer must meet whichever is higher: £38,700, or the going rate for your specific occupation code. This matters for professions like engineering, nursing, or software development where going rates vary significantly by specialisation.

The English language requirement

You must demonstrate English language ability at B1 level (CEFR) or above. Ways to satisfy this:

• Pass an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) — IELTS for UKVI is the most common
• Hold a degree that was taught in English (the university must be on the UK's approved list)
• Be a national of a majority English-speaking country (this includes Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa)
• Hold a GCSE, A-level, or degree from a UK institution

For most Nigerian and Ghanaian applicants with degrees taught in English, you will likely qualify through the degree route — but confirm your specific institution is on the approved list before skipping the IELTS.

How to find a licensed sponsor

This is where most applicants get stuck. You cannot just apply for the visa and then find a job — you need a formal job offer with a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a UK employer that is registered on the Home Office's sponsor register.

The practical steps:

1. Search the official sponsor register — the UK government publishes a full list of licensed sponsors. Search by sector or location at gov.uk/government/publications/register-of-licensed-sponsors-workers.
2. Apply directly to sponsors — target employers who already sponsor international workers; they understand the process and are less likely to withdraw an offer due to visa complexity.
3. Use job boards that filter for sponsorship — Indeed, LinkedIn, and Reed all allow filtering for "visa sponsorship available."
4. Focus on shortage occupations — roles on the Immigration Salary List attract lower salary thresholds and more willing sponsors. Healthcare, engineering, and some IT roles are commonly listed.

Documents you will need

Once you have a job offer and your Certificate of Sponsorship reference number, the core documents for a UK Skilled Worker Visa application are:

• Valid passport with at least 6 months of validity beyond your intended stay
• Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number — your employer provides this
• Proof of English language proficiency (IELTS score report, degree certificate, or nationality evidence)
• Financial evidence — £1,270 in your bank account for 28 consecutive days, unless your sponsor certifies they will cover your maintenance
• Academic qualifications and professional certificates
• Tuberculosis (TB) test results if applying from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, or most other African countries
• Police clearance certificate (some applications require this — check based on your nationality and circumstances)

How long does it take?

Standard processing: 8 weeks (outside the UK). Priority processing: 5 working days (£500 additional fee). Super priority: next working day (£800 additional fee). Most applicants from African countries opt for priority processing, which is reliable and removes the uncertainty of waiting 8 weeks after a job offer.

What happens after you arrive

The Skilled Worker Visa is initially granted for up to 5 years. After 5 years of continuous residence (with some conditions), you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) — permanent UK residency. After a further year of ILR, you become eligible to apply for British citizenship.

This makes the Skilled Worker route one of the cleaner paths to UK permanent residency for African professionals: employer-sponsored, salary-verified, and with a clear timeline to settlement.