Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025

UK visas: How does the points-based immigration system work?

UK visas: How does the points-based immigration system work?

Immigration is needed to solve worker shortages and boost economic growth, says the head of the CBI - the UK's biggest business group.

With UK job vacancies near record levels, Tony Danker says "we don't have the people we need".


What are the visa rules for skilled workers?


Access to most UK visas is via the points-based system adopted after the UK left the European Union.

To secure a skilled worker visa, people need 70 points.

Having an offer of a skilled job from an approved employer and being able to speak English will give 50 points.

The applicant can achieve the remaining 20 points if they will be paid at least £25,600 a year.

They can also gain extra points for having better qualifications. There are 10 points for a relevant PhD, or 20 points for a PhD in science, technology, engineering or maths.

An offer of a job in which the UK has a shortage is worth 20 points, even if it doesn't pay as much money.

Certain jobs in health or education still merit 20 points even if the salary is less than £25,600. The applicant must be paid at least £20,480, and in line with set amounts for particular jobs in the UK's four nations.

The exception to this is Irish citizens, who are still able to live and work in the UK as part of the Common Travel Area.


How much does it cost to apply?


The application fee depends on how many years the job seeker plans to work in the UK, and whether their job is on a list of skills that the UK has shortages of - for instance, vets and web designers.

If their skills are not on that list then the standard fee is between £625 and £1,423.

Jobseekers also have to pay the health surcharge, which is £624 per year when they apply. That money is refunded if they don't get a visa.

They also need to show they can support themselves in the UK, which usually involves having a total of at least £1,270 available.


How does the graduate system work?


The High Potential Individual scheme is open to people who graduated from top non-UK universities in the past five years.

The government has published lists of which universities are eligible.

Successful applicants will be given a work visa lasting two years if they hold a bachelor's or master's degree, and three years if they hold a PhD.

They will then be able to switch to other long-term employment visas if they meet certain requirements.

The visa costs £715 plus the immigration health surcharge.

Graduates will be able to bring their families, although they must also have maintenance funds of at least £1,270.


What about healthcare workers?


Health and Care Worker Visas are available for doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals.

Those eligible pay reduced fees and can be supported through the application process.

Successful applicants will be exempt from the immigration health surcharge.

Applicants via this route still have to meet salary thresholds depending on the type of work they do.

Many care workers will not be covered by the scheme though, because applicants need to be paid at least £10.10 per hour.


Can people come to the UK to study?


There is no limit on the number of international students who can study in the UK.

The student visa application system allows them to apply six months before they are due to start a course if they are applying from outside the UK.

The government has also launched a graduate visa to allow students who have completed a degree to stay in the UK for two years. This will rise to three years for those who have done a PhD.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
×